Living in Beijing for 18 months meant I was submerged in a society that really relied on, and evolved around, mobile technology and e-commerce. China is the undeniable giant here, where e-commerce sales have grown by more than 30% this year to reach almost US$2-trillion, with 35.3% of all retail sales occurring online. Everyone has a smartphone and everyone is a highly proficient mobile phone user.

I couldn’t speak the language, but I could order food and shop online. Apps like Tencent’s WeChat, a super app that acts as WhatsApp, SnapScan, Uber and Facebook with over a billion monthly users, and Alibaba’s Alipay (closer to SnapScan, but with more products, features, and functionality like investment management and insurance), were necessary to function in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

For 18 months, I used my phone for almost everything I bought, within apps, online, at malls, and small corner stores. It was an adjustment when I moved back to South Africa. Suddenly, I needed to know where ATMs were and I started carrying my wallet again.

E-commerce looks different in South Africa. In 2018, online retail was only sitting around 1.4% and surpassed the R14-billion mark for the first time. While these numbers are dwarfed by China, it’s important to note that they are rising steadily.

Online shopping is one of my favourite places to use my phone to pay. I don’t like entering my card details on multiple websites and across multiple devices; paying with SnapScan gives me a convenient alternative. Online payments generally require an OTP, and because I’m already on my phone I save time here, too — everything is in one place. Payment apps like SnapScan make safety, security and privacy a priority — as my card information is safe and my personal information is not shared with the store I am buying from.

Changing customer behaviour

Retailers are understanding that customer behaviour is changing. We don’t want to queue in stores, and we don’t want to give our personal information to multiple stakeholders. Some of South Africa’s leading e-commerce websites like OneDayOnly, Superbalist and Yuppiechef are starting to cater to their customers’ desires for added convenience and security by offering payment options like SnapScan during checkout.

South Africans are increasingly adopting mobile technology and our trust in various apps and online processes is strengthening. Soon, like your average Chinese person sitting on the subway, we won’t even think twice about the fact that we’re snapping up an amazing deal, buying concert tickets, and purchasing clothes with our smartphones.