Factors Hindering the Adoption of Business-to-Consumer (B2C) in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Sudan

Abstract

It has been commonly reported that e-commerce (electronic commerce) offers viable solutions to businesses in meeting the challenges of an environment that is undergoing changes. This study seeks to explore the factors that influence the adoption decision of Business-to-Consumer (B2C) e-commerce, using Sudan as a case study. The mixed method design was adopted in two stages in which both exploratory and descriptive research approaches were undertaken. Data was collected from enterprises by questionnaire and through the analysis of research and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that most enterprises in the country are still in the initial stages of adoption of B2C e-commerce despite the wide growth of Internet use among enterprises in Sudan. Many factors could be responsible for the low usage of e-commerce among the enterprises in Sudan. Technical barrier is seen as the major barrier that affects the adoption of B2C e-commerce. However, this is accompanied by regulatory and legal barriers. One of the factors that inhibit e-commerce adoption in SMEs in Sudan is the lack of Internet security. Other factors include limited use of web portals and Internet banking by enterprises. The use of credit card and visa card is prohibited in Sudan due to the sanction from the United States of America. However, these issues resulted in all type of transactions that involves carrying cash. This makes it risky for customer who carry huge sum of money. In order to improve B2C e-commerce adoption technologies, this study plays a significant role to organizations and supporting organizations, especially those operating in countries with a unique situation like Sudan.