How to make your business more (fun)dable
In today’s retail landscape, the most fundable businesses are the ones with diversified revenue streams, clear operational visibility, and a proven appetite for growth. By Brent Downard, head of credit at Merchant Capital Running a successful retail business in a...
Intelligent tech powers SA’s transport and logistics
The rise in South Africa’s e-commerce market is not slowing down following its sharp uptake during the Great Pandemic of 2020. What was once seen as nice-to-have is providing to be an increasing central shopping channel for South Africans. Fatima Khota, business unit...
Absa’s ShopRed helps entrepreneurs take their business online
Absa has launched ShopRed, a unified commerce platform that makes setting up and operating hybrid storefronts easier than ever before. Born from a partnership with merchant platform, littlefish, and digital payments leader, Visa, Absa’s ShopRed helps entrepreneurs...
How conversational AI is reshaping digital commerce
As South Africa’s digital commerce landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, businesses are facing mounting pressure to reconsider and adapt their customer engagement strategies to ensure that they remain relevant in an ever more competitive marketplace. By Dean...
Bajaj SA and Picup partner for last-mile delivery
In a move that is expected to strengthen South Africa’s booming last-mile delivery sector, Bajaj South Africa has partnered with logistics platform Picup. The partnership will see Picup riders equipped with the rugged Bajaj Boxer 150. The partnership is designed to...
Groceries, FMCG the next big opportunity for e-commerce
Grocery and FMCG e-commerce represents a massive growth opportunity for South African retailers at a time when consumers are more aware than ever of the cumulative effect of inflation on their cost of living and are becoming increasingly intentional in their...
Takealot recruits township franchisees
Takealot Group has launched its Franchisee Development Programme in Gauteng townships. Part of the Takealot Township Economy Initiative (TTEI), the programme aims to empower township-based SMMEs and entrepreneurs by offering franchise opportunities that unlock the...
Rethinking the opportunities to grow digital commerce in consumer goods
The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation, marked by unprecedented growth across sales channels and a shift in the dynamics between manufacturers and consumers. By Setjhaba Molloyi, MD, and Lauren Samaai, senior manager in...
E-commerce and real-time payments transform SA’s economic landscape
In 2025, South Africa finds itself at the crossroads of a digital revolution, writes Gabriel Swanepoel, country manager of Mastercard Southern Africa. Rapid advancements in technology and shifting consumer expectations are creating opportunities to reshape the...
Customers demand seamless omnichannel journeys
Customer engagement across multiple touchpoints is emerging as one of the most important ways that retailers can differentiate themselves from their competition. Those that offer a seamless omnichannel experience will be able to grow wallet-share, build customer...
Lower the risk of abandoned online shopping carts
Many e-commerce platforms experience elevated levels of cart abandonment because they fail to consider the perspective of the buyer. In much the same way that software can be far removed from the actual needs of the end user, so disconnects occur between online...
Does your online payment option have your best interests at heart?
A South African Reserve Bank study has highlighted several key reasons why the country’s consumers remain wary of digital payment methods. The SARB's September Payments Study Report found that of the more than 7 000 South Africans surveyed across two surveys, 17% were...