E-commerce has changed the selling game for many South African brands. Firstly, it has the advantage of allowing businesses to establish themselves and become players in global online marketplaces. And what’s more is that it completely streamlines the processes of selling and purchasing products.

However, because these processes are so streamlined when starting up, businesses can be a little naive when it comes to maintaining an e-commerce shop going forward. With this said, online stores don’t get the attention they need to really thrive.

media update’s Lara Smit chats to Jake Rubinstein, co-founder of Correlate Digital, to find out how SA brands can acclimatise to this digital selling space.

Get in! We’re going online shopping:

What makes South African businesses unique to the e-commerce space?

Our market adopts change very slowly. Obviously, the pandemic has accelerated the use of e-commerce across all age groups (growth in 2020 was 66%, doubling in just two years) — so hopefully it sticks.

But there are bold moves being made, as seen with:
  • Mr. Price’s purchase of YuppieChef
  • The Foschini Group’s purchase of Volpes and Dial-A-Bed, and
  • Amazon’s movements around South Africa.
So, there is a good chance that e-commerce is here to stay.

How is moving into the e-commerce space advantageous for South African businesses?

Besides the capability to reach a national audience, the ability to set up a store and fulfill logistically is so easy.

You don’t even have to own any of the mechanisms to hold and get your product to your customer. And, you can utilise digital marketplaces (like Takealot) to expand your reach and sales. So, at the end of the day, you just need a good product and a few customers.

What are the main differences between online and in-person selling that these businesses should be aware of?

There are major differences and that tends to be the problem. Businesses are inclined to believe that they can treat their online store as their little sibling and don’t give this vehicle the true focus and attention that it needs.

A key example would be how they express tangibility — you can’t touch the products (pre-metaverse) through the Internet, so how do you convey their tangibility?

How do you display and describe your product to bridge this gap and breathe life into what you’re selling?
This is a key differentiator and most e-commerce stores have a tendency to leave this at the bottom of their to-do list.

Should e-commerce be a long- or short-term investment for these businesses? Why?


Long term. Why? Simply put, e-commerce user growth is on the up in South Africa and throughout Africa — albeit still low in comparison to physical retail sales.

The big players have their sights firmly set on this marketplace, so it’s getting more competitive.

But also — let's face it — it’s what’s happening and e-commerce is not going away. And, if you’re a business that wants to scale, then these channels need to be focused on.

What do South African businesses need to do to bring their e-commerce to the next level? And how will this benefit their online sales?


Invest! The key to success is investment, time and experimentation — and using a good agency to help you do so.

This world is complicated. Anyone can set themselves up on Google and run a few ads, but there is a lot more to consider.

You have to think about acquisition and retention. This is while keeping a close eye on cost per customer acquisition and some sort of lifetime value that enables you to pull the right levers.

If you’re not ready, that’s okay too, but you need to run your online store like you would any other business and you need the right partners to help you do so.
If you crack this nut, you will not only have a national footprint with loyal customers, but you’ll then:
  • start enabling brand building
  • facilitate associations and partnerships at scale, and
  • be embedded in a landscape that doesn’t depend on proximity.
It’s a no-brainer — you just need business leaders to push the button.

How do you think South African brands can better adapt to e-commerce? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Want to find out more about improving your digital trading spaces? Then be sure to read our article, Five ways to boost e-commerce sales
*Image courtesy of Canva