• Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent. At about 30.2 million km2 (11.7 million sq mi) including adjacent islands, it covers six percent of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4 percent of the total land area. With 1.1 billion people as of 2013, it accounts for about 15% of the world's human population. The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos. It has 54 fully recognized sovereign states ("countries"), nine territories and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition.

• Africa's population is the youngest among all the continents; 50% of Africans are 19 years old or younger.

• People and CultureWhen one thinks of Africa, many ideas come into the mind. Its culture consists of largely tribal communities living in harmony with nature, with unchanged lifestyles. Also, other popular themes about Africa emphasize its natural wealth in the terms of flora and fauna over diverse landscapes such as deserts, grasslands, rain forest and coastal plains. Africa even today stands out as a continent marked by violence, AIDS, underdevelopment and poverty, amidst vast resources of minerals and natural wealth.

• DiversityAfrica has a rich and diverse presence of humanity which has adapted to different ecological zones, complex socio-economic spheres and has managed to still preserved its culture and traditions in the face of a hoary and often turbulent past. Linguistic diversity is seen in the number of languages and dialects spoken in Africa, up to two thousand. Numerous tribes, ethnic and social groups, are indigenous to Africa, some representing very large populations consisting of millions of people and other smaller groups of a few thousand. Some of the tribes and ethnic groups are engaged in different forms of activities such as hunting and gathering, pastoralism, horticulture and farming. Other social groups are engaged in activities such as trade and commerce.

• Arts and CraftsArts and crafts have a rich tradition in Africa. Wood, metal, and leather are used for fashioning all types of work. African arts and crafts include sculpture, paintings, pottery, ceremonial and religious headgear, ritual articles, musical instruments, weapons, and dresses.

• Religion and BeliefsAfrican religions include many beliefs including animism, spiritual beliefs, witchcraft and Shamanism. Some are also influenced but not completely taken over by modern religions such as Christianity and Islam, which are often added to the core belief systems, and traditional rituals. Modern religions such as Islam and Christianity still have a large number of traditional adherents. There are many other religions and belief systems in Africa.

• African FoodAfrican cuisine largely consists of local influences and colonial additions and includes vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products. Grains, cassava and yams form the basis for many meals. Stews of vegetables and meat are quite popular. Influences from migrants and immigrants such as Arabs, Indians, Europeans, etc. add to the kind of food and cuisine available.

• The Family in South Africa

The basic unit of South African society is the family, which includes the nuclear family and the extended family or tribe.

• In traditional African society, the tribe is the most important community as it is the equivalent of a nation. The tribe provides both emotional and financial security in much the same way the nuclear family does to white or coloured South Africans.

• The coloured and more traditional Afrikaans cultures consider their extended family to be almost as important as their nuclear family, while the English-speaking white community places more emphasis on the nuclear family.

• Meeting Etiquette

There are several greeting styles in South Africa depending upon the ethnic heritage of the person you are meeting.

• When dealing with foreigners, most South Africans shake hands while maintaining eye contact and smiling. • Some women do not shake hands and merely nod their head, so it is best to wait for a woman to extend her

hand. • Men may kiss a woman they know well on the cheek in place of a handshake.Greetings are leisurely and

include time for social discussion and exchanging pleasantries.•

Gift Giving Etiquette

In general, South Africans give gifts for birthdays and Christmas. • Two birthdays - 21 and 40 - are often celebrated with a large party in which a lavish gift is given. It is common

for several friends to contribute to this gift to help defray the cost.• If you are invited to a South African's home, bring flowers, good quality chocolates, or a bottle of good South

African wine to the hostess. • Wrapping a gift nicely shows extra effort. • Gifts are opened when received.

• Business Negotiations

• It is imperative to develop mutual trust before negotiating. • Women have yet to attain senior level positions. If you send a woman, she must expect

to encounter some condescending behaviour and to be tested in ways that a male colleague would not.

• Do not interrupt a South African while they are speaking. • South Africans strive for consensus and win-win situations. • Include delivery dates in contracts. Deadlines are often viewed as fluid rather than firm

commitments. • Start negotiating with a realistic figure. South Africans do not like haggling over price. • Decision-making may be concentrated at the top of the company and decisions are

often made after consultation with subordinates, so the process can be slow and protracted.

• African consumer habits are changing, with high-earning Africans doing most of their shopping in major shopping centers, visiting open-air markets only occasionally and mostly for cheap items such as bread, AllAfrica reports.

• Super-affluent Africans go on shopping trips to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Europe for luxury goods and clothes, according to McKinsey & Company. Its 2012 report, “The Rise of the African Consumer,” explored the African markets, their consumers, and how best to serve them.

• Sub-Saharans tend to be loyal to a specific brand while North Africans are loyal to several brands.• Accordingly, 35 percent of Sub-Saharan Africans say they are willing to try new products or

services, while the same is true for 43 percent of North Africans.• When it comes to brand type, Sub-Saharan Africans have no problem supporting local brands

while North Africans want international brands.• But the right brand means nothing to African consumers if it’s not delivered at the right price,

AllAfrica reports. In Nigeria, for example, more than 70 percent of consumers say they regularly check rice prices. In Ethiopia, more than 50 percent of survey respondents say they spend a lot of time searching for the lowest-priced item when shopping.

• - See more at: http://afkinsider.com/58794/how-african-consumer-habits-are-changing/#sthash.beicdrng.dpuf

• The oldest and most successful African eCommerce company is eShopAfrica.com, from Ghana, started in 2001, selling arts and crafts from Ghana, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Mali to consumers in USA, and UK. Products are made in Africa, and sold to fat-wallet middle class consumers in developed world, who can pay with credit card, Paypal and can access Internet at any time.

• The second most successful African eCommerce company is Skinny laMinx, from South Africa, which sells highly designed crafts to consumers abroad. 80% of “Skinny laMinx” sales comes from USA and Australia. To accelerate their growth, they moved their shop to etsy.com, and recently opened an offline boutique in in central Cape Town, at 201 Bree Street.

• The third most successful African eCommerce is again a craft company, Rwanda Partners, which sell hand made baskets and jeweleries from Rwanda in the USA market. I love Rwanda basket, and the quality of their products.

• commerce became successfully around the Africa for 3 main reasons :• 1. Convenience (You decide when to buy, how to buy, from the convenience of

your home or office, at your own pace)• 2. Lower Price (Consumers usually get better price than going to a local store)• 3. More choice (Online stores usually carry more inventory than their

traditional store)