After years of speculation about its release date and attention span, controversial development On the grounds of the old River Club in Cape Town, Amazon announced that it would finally begin operations in South Africa.
Previously, local customers could order from Amazon.com, but delivery could take several weeks and require customs clearance and taxes. Amazon.co.jpWith the launch of , South African customers can now buy local and international brands and pick up their products from over 3,000 points across the country or have their products delivered on the same day.
More than 60% of the products Amazon sells worldwide come from independent sellers, mostly small and medium-sized businesses. In October 2023, the company made the following call: independent seller You will need to sign up on the platform ahead of the official launch in your country. We offer him two flexible sales plans: Personal (if he sells less than 40 items per month) and Professional.
Known for being customer-centric, Amazon also offers 30-day returns, 24/7 customer support, and free shipping on your first order of items fulfilled by Amazon. Additionally, shipping is free for orders over R500.
Customers can also receive status updates and order tracking. Amazon does this through WhatsApp, solving one of the biggest frustrations of e-commerce: excessively long delivery times.
Amazon also claims that customer support will be available via phone, email, and live chat.
Amazon's managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Robert Cohen, said in a company statement that the company is excited to launch the local division.
Amazon customers can also select gift options for some products through our partnership with. Go, go, go, a South African NGO focused on improving the incomes and health outcomes of third-generation caregivers (grandmothers) and the children they care for. Through this partnership, GoGo's will package the products in handmade gift bags.
Takealot has been preparing for Amazon's launch for several months.Last month, locally The e-commerce leader, which incorporates Takealot.com, Mr D and Superbalist platforms, admits it is under immense pressure from Shein and Temu and is concerned about Amazon's impending entry.
This concern motivated Takealot's Township Economy Initiative, a R150 million partnership between Takealot and the Gauteng provincial government.At the presentation, he was joined by Frederik Zietsman, CEO of Takealot.com. told News24 They have already seen the impact of Mr Teme's arrival in January, with costs doubling since the start of the year.
“And that doesn't just affect Takealot, it also affects all small and medium-sized businesses that try to transact online because acquisition costs are going up. So there's inflationary pressure from these new entrants. To do.”
But in welcoming competition, Zietsman said Takealot is confident it will be competitive against new competitors by giving customers what they want and focusing on serving them better. He said he has.
Global competition raises the stakes in e-commerce, which is good for consumers. Consumers will have more choice not only in e-commerce providers, but also in the products and how they are delivered. DM
