Retailing Strategies of West African Itinerant Immigrant Traders in Ghana

Elijah Yendaw; Akanganngang Joseph  Asitik; Stanley Kojo  Dary

doi:10.36005/jplm.v2i1.42

Authors

Elijah Yendaw SDD-UBIDS
Akanganngang Joseph Asitik Department of Economics and Entrepreneurship, SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, Ghana
Stanley Kojo Dary Department of Economics, Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36005/jplm.v2i1.42

Keywords:

Retail strategies, Itinerant immigrant traders, Ghana, West Africa

Abstract

While Ghana remains a key destination for West African itinerant immigrant traders, studies examining their retail strategies appear missing in the Ghanaian migration literature. Applying the mixed methods design, quantitative and qualitative data were obtained from 779 immigrant vendors and 9 immigrant key informants. In tandem with this design (mixed methods), interview schedule and in-depth interview guide were employed to collect the data for analysis. The results indicate that most of the respondents exhibited their entrepreneurial prowess by constructing a network of clients around their business. The findings indicate that they sustained their clients by selling their wares at reduced prices with the supplier price being the determinant. Such traders usually prefer cash payments for their products with street vending being their main itinerant retail strategy. Primarily, most of them advertised their wares by shouting to draw attention to what they sell while others increased their sales using flattery and persuasive language. The Chi-square test results revealed a significant nexus between the immigrant vendors’ countries of origin and the various techniques they used to retail their goods. The study unveils the fact that aspiring entrepreneurs and shop retailers could experiment the pricing strategy of these immigrant traders, to increase sale values.

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Author Biographies

Akanganngang Joseph Asitik, Department of Economics and Entrepreneurship, SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, Ghana

Akanganngang Joseph Asitik (PhD) is a lecturer at the Department of Economics and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Social Sciences, SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Ghana. His research interest includes Entrepreneurship, Poverty, and Development.

Stanley Kojo Dary, Department of Economics, Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, Ghana

Stanley Kojo Dary is an Agricultural and Applied Economist and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics, Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, Ghana. He is a Fulbright Scholar and holds a PhD from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His research focuses on trade credit, agro-food industrial innovation, agricultural cooperatives and rural development.

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