The shift to online shopping, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic and changing consumer expectations, has reshaped the retail landscape, making e-commerce a key driving force behind the future success of retailers and brands.

To unpack how South African retailers are keeping pace with the ever-changing e-commerce landscape, TechCentral hosted a series of round-table conversations sponsored by Akinon with some of the country’s leading executives. Attendees delved into the ever-evolving needs of the South African consumer, as well as key challenges and constraints affecting the retail industry in South Africa, particularly e-commerce, and discussed retailers’ strategies to drive long-term, profitable growth in e-commerce.

The e-commerce landscape in South Africa has been on a remarkable growth trajectory in recent years. With the internet becoming more accessible and digital payment methods gaining traction, consumers are increasingly turning to online platforms to fulfil their shopping needs, whether for everyday essentials, electronics, fashion or unique artisanal products.

It was evident from the round-table discussions that the increased appetite of South Africans for online shopping has not gone unnoticed by retailers and more and more businesses, both small businesses and established retail giants, are following the demand and are establishing e-commerce as an essential sales channel.

However, despite the unprecedented growth rates in e-commerce in South Africa, attendees agreed that building and scaling a profitable, future-proof e-commerce business in South Africa is not without challenges and requires careful planning, a keen understanding of the unique local market dynamics and a commitment to adapt to changing trends and technologies.

The South African e-commerce landscape

Before diving into the nuts and bolts of building and nurturing long-term growth in the e-commerce landscape in South Africa, delegates agreed that it’s crucial to grasp the unique characteristics of the South African market and their associated challenges. Here are some key insights shared by attendees in the various discussions:

Cultural diversity: South Africa’s population is rich in diversity, encompassing various ethnicities, languages and traditions. This diversity often translates into distinct consumer preferences and shopping behaviours.
Digital divide: South Africa faces a digital divide with varying levels of internet access and digital literacy. While urban areas enjoy relatively high connectivity, rural regions may have limited access.
Urban and rural divide: The country has a significant urban-rural divide. Urban consumers typically have easier access to a wider range of products and services, while rural consumers may face limitations in terms of product availability and shopping convenience.
Mobile-first market: South Africa is predominantly a mobile-first market, with a significant proportion of internet users accessing the web through smartphones. Optimising e-commerce platforms for mobile devices is essential.
Payment preferences: The local e-commerce sector faces payment infrastructure challenges. Local payment methods such PayFast, SnapScan and PayGate are popular among South African consumers, but many do not have credit cards, and alternative payment methods, such as digital wallets or mobile payments, while gaining traction, are not universally adopted.
Logistics and delivery: The country’s vast geography and varying infrastructure levels can complicate logistics and delivery for e-commerce. Ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery to remote areas can be a logistical challenge. E-commerce companies need to invest in efficient supply chains and last-mile delivery solutions.
Youthful population: South Africa has a relatively youthful population, which often translates into a preference for technology-driven shopping experiences, social media engagement with brands, and a demand for products and services catering to younger demographics.

Other e-commerce constraints

While the potential for success in e-commerce in South Africa is immense, many businesses face additional technical and organisational constraints that hinder their ability to achieve their e-commerce aspirations. Attendees shed light on some of the additional challenges they encounter when striving for e-commerce excellence.

These challenges encompass legacy systems and outdated infrastructure that was not designed to support the dynamic and complex requirements of modern e-commerce, difficulties in seamless integration of various technologies (including e-commerce platforms, CRM software, inventory management systems and payment gateways), scalability and performance issues, concerns regarding data security and compliance, mobile responsiveness, content management, and search engine optimisation limitations, cross-browser compatibility challenges, complexities in payment processing, inventory and order management inefficiencies, and limitations in harnessing customer data analytics. Addressing these constraints necessitates substantial investments in technology, data management and digital infrastructure to foster e-commerce growth and success.

Strategies for long-term growth

Delegates agreed that achieving long-term growth in e-commerce demands an holistic approach that integrates several key strategies. First and foremost, businesses must prioritise a customer-centric approach. Understanding and meeting customer needs through personalised experiences, efficient customer service and tailored product recommendations is essential for building customer loyalty and driving sustained growth.

Customer centricity can be further enhanced by embracing an omnichannel approach, which involves seamlessly integrating various sales channels, including physical stores, websites, mobile apps and social media, to provide a unified and consistent shopping experience for customers.

Additionally, diversification of sales channels is crucial. E-commerce businesses should explore multi-channel retailing, encompassing their own websites, marketplaces and social media platforms, to expand reach and reduce dependence on a single source of traffic. E-commerce marketplaces, in particular, have seen significant growth and innovation, offering businesses new opportunities for growth and customer engagement. More traditional third-party marketplaces continue to be popular, offering immediate access to a vast customer base and simplifying logistics and payment processing.

At the same time, building or partnering to create niche and vertical e-commerce marketplaces is a strategy gaining significant traction globally. These specialised platforms cater to specific industries or product categories, curating and selecting products and services within their chosen niche, often partnering with individual sellers, brands or manufacturers specialising in that niche to ensure high-quality offerings that align with the marketplace’s theme or expertise. Furthermore, partnerships between established e-commerce players and niche marketplace start-ups are becoming more prevalent, allowing for the rapid scaling and diversification of product offerings.

Embracing emerging technologies, optimising user experiences and staying adaptable in response to market shifts are also vital components of a successful long-term growth strategy. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are being used to predict demand, optimise inventory levels and improve route planning. This technology helps reduce delivery times, minimise costs and enhance customer satisfaction.

Furthermore, the concept of composability is also gaining traction in e-commerce. This involves building modular and flexible technology infrastructure that allows businesses to quickly adapt to changing market dynamics and customer demands. By breaking down systems into modular components and utilising APIs, e-commerce businesses can innovate rapidly, customise their offerings and stay ahead of the curve, ensuring long-term relevance and competitiveness in e-commerce.

While e-commerce presents a multitude of challenges, these are not insurmountable. The consensus among attendees was that to stay competitive, businesses must embrace continuous learning, adaptability and a customer-centric approach, continuously monitoring customer feedback and market trends. By aligning their strategies with these changing expectations, e-commerce businesses can create memorable shopping experiences that resonate with customers and foster long-term brand loyalty and sustainable, profitable growth.

TechCentral, in partnership with Akinon, thanks all of those who participated in the roundtable discussions.