1.5.1 Online Commercial Transactions

• Online Business Transactions encompass all transactions that occur partially or entirely online.
• Online transactions are familiar to most people.
• These encompass all transactions involving the provision of information, products, or services online /over the internet.
• Examples include:-

1. ATM machine transactions such as deposits, withdrawals, inquiries, and transfers
2. Supermarket payments with debit or credit cards
3. Purchase of merchandise over the Internet
4. Online marketing, and
5. Online travel.

1.5.2 Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Commercial Transactions

•  Some of the few impacts include;-

1. The findings reveal the pandemic negatively  impacted business productivity and profits, forcing many businesses to physically close permanently or Temporary Closings .
2. Change in prices of essential commodities
3. Most commercial transactions were conducted  online
4.  It provided companies with the perfect opportunity to innovate
5. Supply shortages
6. Change in Government policies towards business operation which also in turn affected the businesses

1.5.3 Online Business Registration Services

• The digital age has a lot of good things going for it.
• The introduction of more and more online platforms is making work less tedious.
• There are now a lot of online tools that make it easier to do things like search for a name and register a business in Kenya.
• Long gone are the days when one had to do a manual business name search and registration.
• In Kenya, a business is registered as an entity with the Registrar of Companies.
• The authority is in charge of all business and company registrations in Kenya.
• Their principal responsibility is to ensuring that the essential certificates are provided to businesses and companies in Kenya.
• However, the actual process of searching for and registering for a name is conducted online through a system called eCitizen.
• The process of online business registration in Kenya is done after a name search and reservation by the Office of the Attorney General.
• You must be able to access your eCitizen portal to obtain a business name registration form in Kenya
• The online business  registration process is as follows:-

1. Step 1 – Log into your eCitizen portal
2. Step 2 – Submit your business name 
3. Step 3 – Payment procedure 
4. Step 4 – Get confirmation of name registration