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Naspers-owned Takealot is by far the most popular e-commerce platform in South Africa, while China remains consumers’ preferred source of imports of consumer goods, cementing the deepening trade between Beijing and Pretoria.These are findings of the latest edition of DHL’s “E-Commerce Trends Report”, which shows 84% of respondents said they preferred products from China, 47% from the US, and 25% from the UK.Takealot was also the most popular online marketplace among South African shoppers, with 88% of respondents using the platform. It was equally dominant among businesses, of which 87% said they used it.Facebook is the preferred social media platform for consumers and businesses to market products. Nearly 90% of consumers prefer home delivery, giving companies such as Takealot, with its vast network, the edge.Herman Venter, MD of DHL Express South Africa, said marketplace activity plays an important role in South Africa’s e-commerce landscape.“South Africa is one of the region’s most developed e-commerce markets, with established platforms, growing digital adoption and a business community that is increasingly looking beyond local growth. For businesses, this means the fundamentals matter more than ever,” Venter said.“Trust, reliable delivery, convenient returns, and strong customer experience are central to competing online, whether locally or across borders. For SMEs in particular, digital commerce creates a real opportunity to reach new customers and new markets. But long-term growth will depend on the ability to deliver consistently, manage cross-border complexity, and build confidence with customers.”International pushOne of the report’s main findings is that South African e‑commerce groups are positioning themselves for an international push as they seek to expand revenue beyond the domestic market, with China, India, France and the US topping the list of preferred destinations.The report finds that 83% of South African e-commerce businesses are not yet selling internationally but are planning to get into the offshore markets in the next five years.Dudley Filippa, chair of the South African International eCommerce Association, said South Africa’s cross-border e-commerce sector is not slowing — it is maturing.“The evolution of cross-border e-commerce is no longer solely a market-driven phenomenon; it is deeply intertwined with regulatory frameworks, customs processes, and digital infrastructure. The implication is clear: sustainable growth will depend on co-ordinated action,” Filippa said.“Policymakers must strike a balance between protecting local industries and enabling global trade. Platforms must prioritise transparency and efficiency. Merchants must adapt to a landscape where operational excellence is as important as product offering.”AI is also expected to be a big factor in e-commerce. According to the report, 73% of businesses anticipate using generative AI more over the next five years, despite consumer concerns about privacy and trust.“The ability to understand and respond to customer needs has always defined success, but our new trend report shows that AI is now redefining that advantage at hyperspeed,” Pablo Ciano, CEO of DHL eCommerce, said.“Consumers can identify the best offer in milliseconds, and retailers can gain insights that allow them to instantly capitalise on changing demand.”The report finds that about 41% of South African shoppers are already using AI-powered chat tools when shopping online.“For South Africa, where AI-powered chat tools are already being used by a significant share of online shoppers, this trend points to the growing role of digital tools in how consumers discover products, compare prices, and interact with retailers online,” the report notes.Takealot leverages AI and machine learning across its platform to optimise shopping, customer service and logistics.Chinese fashion brands Shein and Temu have gained popularity in South Africa, with their entry in the market heightening the competitive intensity and elevating consumer expectations.US e-commerce major Amazon has also entered the fray. But it is Takealot — having spent the past decade building a powerful platform while absorbing losses — that has emerged as the industry’s frontrunner.The firm last month reported its first-yet full-year adjusted operating profit in the year ended March, as strong order growth and gains in its logistics arm helped the company post R16.41bn in income.E-commerce in South Africa has grown from 1% to nearly 10% of retail sales in just five years, a study by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra) in partnership with Takealot shows. A major concern highlighted in that report is the slow pace of adoption of digital commerce and the digital economy in the business-to-business (B2B) sector compared with the business-to-consumer (B2C) sector.DHL Group last year announced plans to spend about €300m on its Sub-Saharan Africa operations over the next five years in its three business units: DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, and DHL Supply Chain.
