AN IN-DEPTH SURVEY ON THE PROBLEMS AND PROSPECT OF ADOPTING SOCIAL MEDIA BASED MARKETING MECHANISM AMONG E-COMMERCE BUSINESSES IN CAMEROON(A STUDY OF SELECTED E-COMMERCE COMPANIES IN CAMEROON)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

The rapid advancement of digital technology has fundamentally altered the operational landscape of organisations, especially in the realm of e-commerce. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok are becoming essential marketing tools since they have a wide audience and provide high user interaction. Social media-based marketing strategies provide both prospects and difficulties for e-commerce enterprises. The objective of this research is to investigate the challenges and opportunities associated with these issues, with the goal of gaining a thorough understanding of the present situation and future possibilities. The e-commerce industry has seen rapid and significant expansion in the last ten years, mostly due to technological improvements and shifts in consumer behaviour. Based on eMarketer's projections, the worldwide e-commerce sales are anticipated to surge to $6.38 trillion by 2024, a significant increase from $3.53 trillion in 2019 (eMarketer, 2021). Simultaneously, there has been a significant increase in the use of social media, with a current global user base of over 4.2 billion as of 2021 (Statista, 2021). These platforms provide distinct marketing opportunities, enabling businesses to reach a wide audience through focused advertising, collaborations with influencers, and content created by users. Social media offers e-commerce businesses unparalleled opportunities to enhance brand visibility and engage with customers. By employing strategic content marketing, companies can develop captivating stories about their products and services, which in turn helps to cultivate a robust brand identity (Keller, 2009). Compelling content, interactive posts, and direct customer communication bolster brand loyalty and stimulate traffic to e-commerce platforms. Furthermore, social media marketing is comparatively economical when compared to conventional advertising platforms. Facebook and Instagram provide targeted advertising features that enable businesses to reach particular demographics at a reduced cost per acquisition (CPA) (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). This level of efficiency is especially advantageous for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have restricted marketing budgets. Moreover, social media platforms offer indispensable data analytics tools that enable e-commerce enterprises to comprehend consumer behaviour and preferences. By utilising these valuable insights, companies can enhance their marketing strategies, customise their offerings, and enhance customer satisfaction (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). A major obstacle in utilising social media marketing is the reliance on platform algorithms. Regular modifications to these algorithms can impact the visibility of content and the rates at which users engage with it, posing challenges for businesses in maintaining consistent performance (Constine, 2018). Moreover, excessive dependence on a solitary platform can pose a risk in the event of a decline in its popularity or if policy alterations have an adverse effect on business operations. The proliferation of content produced on social media platforms results in intense competition for user attention. In order to differentiate themselves in a market that is already filled with a large number of competitors, businesses need to consistently produce content that is both of a high standard and captivating (Gensler et al., 2013). This need might be resource-intensive and may constitute a substantial problem for smaller e-commerce enterprises. The use of social media for marketing involves the collection and analysis of vast amounts of user data. This technique presents substantial privacy issues, particularly in light of severe data protection requirements such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (European Commission, 2018). Ensuring compliance with these standards and securing client data is vital, however tough, for e-commerce enterprises. Social media's open nature enables consumers to discuss their ideas and experiences openly. While good feedback may increase brand reputation, bad evaluations and comments can spread fast and undermine a business's image (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2004).  In summary, the future of social media-based marketing in e-commerce is positive, with constant developments in technology and altering customer habits. Emerging ideas such as social commerce, where purchase happens directly on social media sites, are predicted to gain hold. Innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will further boost customised marketing efforts, enabling organisations to offer more relevant and interesting content to their target consumers (Rust & Huang, 2014). Moreover, the integration of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) into social media platforms will provide immersive shopping experiences, bridging the gap between physical and online retail (Hilken et al., 2017). These technological advancements will likely reshape the e-commerce landscape, offering new opportunities for businesses to connect with customers in innovative ways. Therefore, the researcher carry out an in-depth survey on the problems and prospect of adopting social media based marketing mechanism among e-commerce businesses in Cameroon (a study of selected e-commerce companies in Cameroon)

1.2 Statement of the problem

Companies are increasingly using social media-based marketing strategies in e-commerce firms to take advantage of the wide reach and interaction opportunities offered by social platforms. Nevertheless, despite its widespread acceptance, the implementation of social media marketing poses notable obstacles and difficulties. These obstacles include exorbitant expenses, the want for specialised expertise, apprehensions about privacy, and the rapid advancement of social media platforms, all of which might impede firms from upholding efficient tactics (Smith, 2021). Moreover, quantifying the return on investment (ROI) for social media marketing may pose challenges, leading firms to encounter difficulties in assessing the efficacy of their initiatives (Johnson, 2022). Moreover, consumer behaviour is always developing, significantly impacted by trends and alterations in social media use patterns. Consequently, e-commerce enterprises have difficulties in maintaining pace and adjusting their marketing tactics appropriately (Brown & Green, 2020). Furthermore, the proliferation of social media marketing among companies has led to increased competitiveness in the digital realm, posing challenges for individual firms to differentiate themselves (Davis, 2023).This research aims to explore these problems in depth survey on the problems and prospect of adopting social media based marketing mechanism among e-commerce businesses in Cameroon (a study of selected e-commerce companies in Cameroon).

1.3 Objective of the study

The broad objectivve of the study is carried out to show an in-depth survey on the problems and prospect of adopting social media based marketing mechanism among e-commerce businesses in Cameroon (a study of selected e-commerce companies in Cameroon). The specific objectives is as follows

To determine the extent at which social media marketing is adopted among e-commerce businesses.

To evaluate the impact of social media marketing on the growth of e-commerce businesses.

To ascertain the challenges limiting  e-commerce businesses in adopting social media marketing.

To identify the prospect of e-commerce businesses in effectively implementing social media marketing into their business operation.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared to guide the study

What is  the extent at which social media marketing mechanisms  is adopted among e-commerce businesses?

What is the impact of social media marketing on the growth of e-commerce businesses?

What are the challenges limiting  e-commerce businesses in adopting social media marketing?

What is the prospect  of  e-commerce businesses in effectively implementing social media marketing into their business operation?

1.5 Significance of the study

This study will benefit operators of e-commerce businesses. The practioner marketer will gain greater understanding of the opportunities social media has to offer customers. It will inform them about a cost-effective way to transmit information to their target markets. The study will further be of benefit to the academic community as it will contribute to the existing literature, add to library resources which can help students have deep understanding of the problems and prospect of e-commerce. It will also serve as a guide to researchers who might want to further explore the topic.

1.6 Scope of the study

The study focuses on an in-depth survey on the problems and prospect of adopting social media based marketing mechanism among e-commerce businesses in Cameroon (a study of selected e-commerce companies in Cameroon).  Empirically, the study will determine the extent at which social media marketing mechanisms  is adopted among e-commerce businesses, evaluate the impact of social media marketing on the growth of e-commerce businesses,  ascertain the challenges limiting  e-commerce businesses in adopting social media marketing and  identify the prospect  of  e-commerce businesses in effectively implementing social media marketing into their business operation.

Geographically, the study is delimited to selected e-commerce companies in Cameroon.

1.7 Limitation of the study

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. Insufficient funds tend to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire, and interview), which is why the researcher resorted to a moderate choice of sample size. More so, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.

1.8 Definition of terms