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F3a Beyond the Transaction: Gender, Selling on Credit, and Consumer Relationships in Ghana
Short Description
This study examines how informal business owners in Ghana interact with consumers through customer pricing practices, with particular attention to gender differences in credit provision. Using data from an enterprise census in Aburi, Ghana, we surveyed over 1,200 business owners operating in permanent structures, signposted households, and home-based enterprises. Our preliminary findings reveal that women business owners are 15 percentage points more likely to sell goods to consumers on credit compared to male business owners, even after controlling for owner demographics. This substantial difference persists across owner age, education level, and marital status. In contexts where formal financial services and social safety nets are limited, consumer credit from local businesses may serve as an important mechanism for household consumption smoothing. The gendered nature of these practices suggests that women-owned businesses play a distinctive role in supporting community economic resilience beyond their contributions to employment and income generation. These findings have important implications for consumer financial protection policies, financial inclusion programs targeting entrepreneurs, and our understanding of how informal markets contribute to household economic well-being in developing economies.
Type of presentation
Accepted Oral Presentation