According to the latest research by World Wide Worx, these are the most popular online purchases by South Africans, says Daily Investor. The online retail space is changing fast in South Africa. First with the might of Amazon arriving to take on the long-established Takealot.
Then you have the so-called Chinese invasion of the likes of Shein and Temu. And let’s not forget that supermarket chains like Pick n Pay, Shoprite-Checkers and Woolworths are all doubling down on digital shopping, too. So, as we head further down this multi-billion-Rand eCommerce road, which are the most popular online purchases by South Africans?
POPULAR ONLINE PURCHASES BY SOUTH AFRICANS
Top of the list for online purchases by South Africans is airtime. Second is clothing. And third is groceries. This is according to World Wide Worx’s analysis of local eCommerce with data from Peach Payments and Mastercard. Online retail has in fact grown by 30% over the last year, and now accounts for 6.15% of all retail (in 2023).
From R55 billion in 2022, online purchases by South Africans now account for R71 billion in 2023. Of course, there’s no reason to believe eCommerce will do anything but grow in the future. The report says online will account for over 10% of all retail sales by the end of 2025.
WHAT MZANSI BUYS ONLINE
Most interesting is to see what Mzansi loves to buy online. 58% of shoppers buy airtime vouchers. 30% of online shoppers buy clothing items. And 22.3% buy their groceries online. In general, middle-income South Africans are battling to make ends meet. Most spend two-thirds of their salary on groceries, retail and fuel due to the rising cost of living.
While richer South Africans can take consumer inflation of 6.2% in stride, those who live off minimum wage, informal work or SASSA grants – which only increased by 4.8% this year – are really struggling. Economists warn this means people are spending less on savings, retirement, medical aid, and insurance. They’re also racking up more debt just to keep the lights on and food on the table each month.
What do you think of these popular online purchases by South Africans? Do your online shopping trends follow a similar pattern? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates. Click the links below to read trending stories in the last 24 hours on our website …
