Title:
Leveraging E-commerce Potential: Trust, Transparency, and Technological Innovations in Tanzania

Authors:
Paschal Jao, Baraka Anthony Jao, Fredrick Rubaba, David Philemon Mang’ehe, Netherlands

Abstract:

This study examines the opportunities and challenges of e-commerce in Tanzania, drawing on a comprehensive mixed-methods approach that includes surveys, interviews, and focus groups involving key stakeholders in the national e-commerce ecosystem. The findings emphasize the critical role of transparent business practices and trust-building in fostering consumer confidence amidst rapid technological transformation. Results indicate that deliberate efforts to enhance transparency, strengthen consumer trust, and invest in technological infrastructure are essential for Tanzania to fully harness its e-commerce potential. Such efforts could promote sustainable economic growth, expand entrepreneurial activity, and increase access to goods and services across the country. The research further underscores the influence of local sociocultural contexts on consumer behavior and purchasing motivations, challenging traditional models of global e-commerce theory. It concludes that trust, cultivated through transparency, can mitigate perceived risks in online transactions, fostering greater customer engagement and satisfaction. Technological innovations—particularly mobile payment systems—are identified as key enablers of secure, efficient, and increasingly accepted e-commerce practices, shaping a foundation for continued digital economic development in Tanzania.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijaemr.2025.1527