Online trading draws more youth into dealing in second-hand items

Online classifieds are fast becoming the go-to platforms for trading among Ghana’s urban youth.

Rather than bury personal items in store rooms in hostels or throw old electronics in the bin, many are now choosing online trading as a way to make quick and easy cash. The allure is understandable; the websites are accessible, easy to use and most importantly, free.

Tonaton.com, Ghana’s Largest Marketplace, is one of such online classified websites. With over 135,000 items listed for sale and 1 million unique visitors per month, the trading portal gives young people an opportunity to profit from items they no longer use, while others benefit from buying essential items at an affordable price.

One of the key reasons for the growing popularity of online classified websites among young people is its simplicity and the fact that it does not attract any commissions.

“Some online platforms like Tonaton.com have further simplified the process and I can even limit my search for a Samsung Note 2 mobile phone to just the Legon campus which saves me a lot of time and money that would have been spent on transportation to Osu or Accra Central”, remarks Betty Yeboah, a level 300 student of the University of Ghana.

Vivian Quansah is a young graduate from the University of Ghana who just landed a job with one of the top insurance companies in Ghana. She visits online classified platforms so she can make great deals on everything that she needs.

“I actually visit Tonaton.com a lot because the website provides me with a wide variety of items from renting of an apartment through to buying a microwave oven. I actually got my current apartment at West Legon through Tonaton.com. They do a great job by assisting buyers and sellers negotiate one on one with everyone walking away deeply satisfied they got a great deal”, she says.

With the increase in laptop and mobile phone ownership, the internet is becoming more and more accessible. Mobile phones for instance are used to access the internet to catch up on global trends instead of the traditional voice calls and text messaging.

“Starting at a young age to use either a mobile phone or laptop for trading activities is a smart way to start a beneficial lifelong commercial habit”, says Kwabena Opoku-Boakye, the Marketing Manager of Tonaton.com.

“For example, a student at a tertiary institution who is used to looking up for deals on online classified websites will continue to sell his old stuff and buy higher specs of the same item without putting so much pressure on himself or his parents when he starts a working life”, he concludes.