More than half of South Africa’s internet users aged 16 and above are shopping online every week, mirroring a global shift in retail behaviour.
This is according to global statistics from Digital 2025: April Global Statshot Report on Meltwater. The report showed that 56% of internet users purchase products or services online every week, and South Africa is just behind the curve at 50.1%.
From groceries to gadgets and e-commerce, a growing number of South Africans are turning to their phones and laptops not just for entertainment but for everyday essentials and big-ticket buys.
The report revealed that online shopping isn’t just about convenience but that it has also become a lifestyle as 27.9% of online shoppers now buy groceries online, with 11.3% purchasing second-hand goods through digital platforms. And 20.3% use price comparison websites, with 15.8% using “buy now, pay later” services.
Statista research expert Natalie Cowling says South Africa’s e-commerce sector is on a sharp upward trend.
“According to Statista’s Digital Market Outlook estimates, about 11.7-million e-commerce users in South Africa are forecast to be registered in 2025, increasing to 21.52 million users by 2029,” said Cowling.
Fashion leads the way, making up 32% of total e-commerce revenue in 2022 followed by toys, hobbies and DIY at 27%. Electronics and media are at 18%, furniture and appliances at 15% and food and personal care also contributed significantly at 8%.
Cowling said as of September 2024, Takealot.com was the most popular online store with 62% of respondents having recently made a purchase there, followed by Shein at 48%.
“Within the overall ranking Takealot and Superbalist form part of a larger multinational which is the Takealot Group. In 2023, their revenue dipped slightly to $808m from $827m the previous year,” said Cowling.
According to Cowling’s research, mobile phones are the go-to shopping device with 77% of online shoppers using their smartphones, Over 50% use laptops and only 5% use smart speakers or streaming devices.
Cowling said in South Africa 70% of individuals prefer direct home delivery while 63% shop online to avoid crowds and 45% cite lower prices as a reason.
Cowling said online shopping in South Africa has come with its drawbacks too.
“In 2023, most returned items in South Africa were clothing, followed by shoes and accessories,” she said.
According to Cowling, debit cards remain the top payment method as 58% used debit cards, 48% used PayPal or similar services, 30% used credit cards and 10% opted for invoice payments.
“PayPal was the most used online payment brand between April 2023 and March 2024, with 80% usage among respondents. In comparison, Ozow, a South African fintech company, had a usage rate of 34%,” said Cowling.
In global online shopping trends Thailand leads in weekly online shoppers aged 16+ at 67%, while Morocco lags at just 19.6%.
The most active grocery shoppers globally are aged 35-44 with 61.6% of women and 57% of men in this group buying groceries online weekly.
Among seniors aged 65+, 55.5% of women and 52% of men also shop for groceries online.
In terms of what drives people to make online purchases, the report from Meltwater said that 50.5% said free delivery is the key, 39.1% were drawn in by coupons and discounts, 32.1% trust customer reviews, 13.2% enjoy guest checkout and 13.6% value click-and-collect options.
The report showed that older shoppers were the most motivated by free delivery, with 75.7% of those aged 65+ choosing it as their top reason to shop online followed by 59.9% between the ages 55—64 and 53.2% of them in the ages 45—54.
The report showed that many South Africans also pay for digital content at high rates, with 75.7% of local users aged 16+ paying for some form of digital content each month, behind Norway with 82.6% and Mexico with 82.3% but well ahead of Morocco with 22.6%.
The Meltwater report showed that young men aged 16—24 lead in digital spending with 77.9% paying for content monthly while 73.7% of women aged 25—34 do the same.
Most common subscriptions include:
- 31.8% for movie or TV streaming,
- 21.9% for music streaming,
- 5% for dating services.
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