Ghana in the last 5 years has seen tremendous growth in online classifieds.

This can mainly be attributed to the increasing accessibility of internet and improvement in data services evolving from 2G to 4G LTE in this short space of time.

Some of it can also be ascribed to the fact that, buying and selling online is becoming a practice in Ghana and hence profitable.

Not very long ago did Google trader: a pioneer in this industry in Ghana I guess shut down their services labelling it as “no longer relevant to their core operation”.

For what was seen as an end to a new and convenient way of buying and selling in Ghana became the very medium for the boom in the industry today.

Today, the industry has grown so big accommodating different players from different countries and with different approaches towards the service of the Ghanaian market.

Saltside Technologies in India started Tonaton.com (currently the most popular classified site in Ghana) in 2011 with the aim of creating a platform that will enable users to buy and sell their new or used electrical appliances, accessories and vehicles and also to list and apply for jobs.

This has changed over the years with strong competition from worldwide giants such as Craigslist and OLX entering the Ghanaian market.

Tonaton.com more so has adapted to this revelation and now serves as an intermediary offering clearing house and delivery services in order to provide a more personal and secured online experience for its users.

My last search on classified sites in Ghana revealed more than 20 different web platforms. Some of which include Adepafie.com, locanto.com.gh, 247livemarket.com, ghanads.com, mobofree.com, ghanadeal.com, adsno1.com, donkomi.com, mamymarket.com, ghanabuysell.com, ghanamarketonline.com, accraexpat.com, juujor.com and myjoymarket.com among many others.

Despite the fact that, we have more players in the market, there are still gaps that some of these already listed or new sites can bridge to make their service unique to a growing market.

4saleGhana.com is one of the sites trying to standout in this classified warfare.

The site offers a simple to use interface for both desktop and mobile devices and it is currently the only classified site that can boast of a status feature which updates items as sold or available after some time of listing.

4saleGhana.com is new with few listings but has given every indication at ensuring that, buying and selling is secured on their site. This, it carries out transparently by verifying all user accounts on the platform.

Legitimate accounts are issued with a verified badge if their agents are satisfied with checks further indicating to users which sellers they can trust buying from on the platform.

This is a bold step in the right direction considering the fact that, some security concerns have downplayed the industry in recent times shoving off some of its market to online shops like Jumia.com.gh, Tisu.com.gh, Kaymu.com.gh and Zoobashop.com who work directly with companies and individuals to sell and deliver their items.

4saleGhana.com may be new but I recommend it highly to anyone looking to buy or sell mobile phones and its accessories and any other electrical appliance online.

The website is clean and has all the relevant information to make buying and selling online as conveniently as secured.

Not long ago, Google, announced  ALPHABET as the mother company for all it's divisions.

Today, Google has a new look.

On 1st September, the company unveiled a new logo that will be present on all its services such as the main search engine on both mobile and desktop devices, Google Now, Google Maps and the many likes.

Let's take a quick look at how google has looked since September 2013 before we soon forget about it all.

This very distinct and colourful six letter word is what search engine is all about these days.

The new change shows a not too different look to the letters but a twist of font. The small view however is where all the change lies.

The small g with a blue background has now been replaced with a colourful capital G such that, even google's favicon has taken to this form.

This announcement came on the official blog of google.

Below is an illustration of Google's new look.

It said that the logo, and its many variations, would work better on the many different-sized screens through which people used or encountered Google and its services. 

It is interesting to know that, the world’s most popular video streaming service: YouTube does not feature an auto replay option among its many functions.

For one, it seems intentional and the other, it looks even more complicated than it seems.

Sometimes, it makes sense for one to think that, this has been done in a way to push to viewers a shared viewing service where at least each video is viewed.

The question still remains…

• Do users of YouTube really care about this auto replay feature? 
• Do you wish to see this feature integrated into your favourite video streaming service anytime soon?

My answer is Yes and No.

No…There are so many addons now available on all major browsers .i.e. Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox which presents users with the opportunity to view a video over and over again.

The following are some examples of such plugins.

Youtube Auto replay for Firefox and Auto Replay for Youtube on Google Chrome.

Install any of these plugins by adding to your browser and enjoy a repeated service on YouTube anytime you so wish.

Yes…a side platform known as YouTubeonRepeat which runs auto replays on all YouTube videos seem to be getting a lot of traffic and the reason is that, people want a way to repeat their favourite Songs and videos.

Personally, I know what is like and how it feels like to have a favourite song or video. It is simple; view and listen over and over again. It doesn't matter the number of times you listen to it, you still want to hear more every time you have the opportunity.

For those who like to enjoy their songs multiple times, you can look to the following services for replays.

TubeReplay

Just copy the link of your favourite video or track from Youtube, paste it in the replay bar and hit “Replay”

YouTubeloop

This one works more like Youtube. Just search your favourite video by their names and play them repeatedly.

Listen on Repeat

For this service, you will have to copy your YouTube video Url in your browser and prefix the link with "repeat". 

A page will be opened dedicated to playing only that favourite song of yours.


UPDATE

YouTube Users can also right-click on the video to select Loop option. This allows the video to auto repeat for as long as it remains selected.

This feature was either not known by the writer or not available at the time of this write up. However, this feature has been very helpful to many users and we thought about updating the blog to reflect this improvement.

Below is an illustration of this feature.

Finlite Launches Mihomework; a product believed by many to spark the way instructions are given in the classroom and improve the understanding of students in Ghana. 

Mihomework…very often pronounced as myhomework is a product of Finlite; the educational technology (EDTECH) pioneers that brought us FinMock, the online PASSCO for the Junior and Senior High Schools in Ghana.

 This homework portal has been highly acclaimed by many who benefitted from the pilot phase including some of the students preparing to write their BECE in June to be the best way for one to spend his/her time. Mihomework.com has come at the right time, especially now that, recent reports by international agencies suggest a decline in Ghana's education.

Finlite reckons that, with Mihomework, pupils can learn from anywhere, teachers can give assessment from everywhere and parents can monitor their ward’s academic progress anytime.

Mihomework is said to have features that; Tests pupils based on the topics treated in schools and provide explanations to answers, Mark and generate test report, Provide teachers with teaching statistics and report pupil’s progress to Parents.

Aside it's relentless efforts to introduce this innovation to the Basic education in Ghana, it's developers; Finlite Group Limited explain that, this platform can be used by any institution; Secondary or Tertiary, local or foreign looking for a homework portal for students.

Speaking with some team members of the Finlite Group, it was made clear that, this innovation is the beginning of many more to come.
The team hinted on the activities of the Finlite Institute to delivering first class courses for anyone interested in climbing the educational ladder and expanding career opportunities.
They explained further that, the company is working on some partnerships that will bring massive value to the Ghanaian populace and Africa in general.

All parents and guardians looking to purchase Mihomework basic for their wards in the basic schools should visit Osu Koala, Methodist Bookshop deport across the country, Busy Internet and Tema roundabout Shell.

The world is a market and everybody is selling something. Everybody is a brand and everybody is selling that brand. The effect is competition.

In Sub Saharan Africa, Lartinku images is a burgeoning start up which designs art works and paintings for sale. In 2009, the company commenced business with Douglis Menke as the Chief Executive Officer, Marcus Phil as the company's business developer and one Mr.Salaga as the man in charge of sales.

The year 2012 threw a curve to the company; Demand for art works and paintings of Lartinku images dwindled, sales plummeted and income became slow. It's been six years since the birth of Lartinku images; sales haven't gotten any better. Neither has the company's brand. Their paintings and art works look beautiful on the shelves with few people buying.

Folks! There is a business problem...

Session 1 (The office setting)

SALAGA: The art works are good....we have paintings designed to last. But on the market, our colourful paintings with all its impressive design are looking common on the shelves. Simply put folks, people are not buying. They pick it from the shelves, admire it, give it a smile and drop it back on the shelf. They are not buying. They claim they like it......yet they don't crave to buy them...hmmmm. What do we do?

MARCUS: Kotler will tell you that a company shouldn't focus on the number of people who like their products..but should look at the number of people who are willing to buy their products.

SALAGA: (INTERRUPTS) Marcus, the question is what do we do?

MARCUS: Redraw them from the shelves and give them out as charity....NGO sort of.

So we know that henceforth, our company seizes to be a money making venture but a charity enterprise when we snooze in our cars home dreaming "our reward is in heaven". Well, you could scribble that idea on sheet. We should moot over it when the C.E.O returns from his trip to the other country of extreme excitement for products which can't boast of quality art works like ours. And that, we have a futuristic idea of transmogrifying...NO! Ermm, what's the word....

SALAGA: what word?

MARCUS: The marketing term...Yes, rebranding..Ahuh, rebranding our company as a charity venture.

SALAGA: You are sick in the head..

MARCUS: Sick!

SALAGA: Yes sick! A man spends his all acquired fortune on developing a product...after a decade of artistic development he is craving to make profit…and all you could admonish is re branding his company into a charity venture? Sick boy talk.....sick boy talk! Marcus you can't be serious.

  (Interjection)

MARCUS: Oh yes I am.

SALAGA: What! Turning the company into charity venture!

MARCUS: 1,000 pieces of paintings, we have sold only 150 over the past two years. 150 Salaga....that of course is a problem which I don't expect you a salesman to be asking me

SALAGA: My Jove! What is that supposed to mean?

MARCUS: It means what it means. It's your job Mr.Salaga; you must sell everything by close of year. End of conversation.

                                    (End of session one)

Dialogue from Africa is a weekly feature of a start-up located in sub-Saharan Africa.