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Four Types of E-Commerce Websites in South Africa

The e-commerce scene has experienced a boom, especially after the pandemic in South Africa. This may inspire you to start your online store and sell some trendy products. Now, if you are planning to launch an e-commerce website of your own, you should know the types of e-commerce websites. In this article, we will see the four types of e-commerce websites in South Africa.What are the 4 Types of e-commerce websites in South Africa?Single Brand WebsiteIf your business plans to sell the products online on your e-commerce website, then that is a single-brand website. Businesses that are just starting up may take advantage of a single-brand website to establish a firm identity in the niche.A Single-Brand website allows you to experiment with your products and attract the right crowd through the means of advertisement and SEO. It also allows you to scale your business as you grow.An example of a single-brand e-commerce store in South Africa would be Bathu, where they sell sneakers of their brand only.2. Online Retail StoreAn online retail store refers to a retail business making a website to sell branded products to earn revenue. Instead of having your business inventory, an online retail store sources products from different individual brands and sells them via their online storefront. This is a great business model as online retail stores do not spend time designing products according to market demands. They just see what is in demand in the market, source the relevant products, and sell them via their portal.A classic example of an online retail store in South Africa would be Shelflife, which sells high-quality apparel and sportswear products via its website.3. MarketplacesMarketplaces and online retail stores may feel similar but they are not. For example, companies like Takealot are not retail services. They are spaces for smaller businesses to list their products on a website. Takealot allows businesses to meet their customers relatively easily as popular marketplaces tend to attract a big crowd of people—people who are looking to shop and spend money online.Apart from that, features like faster checkouts, a shopping points system, exciting offers and sales, and buyer protection make people choose online marketplaces over individual brand websites. This is why we may observe that even the most popular brands do not hold back from listing their shop in marketplaces.4. Affiliate Marketing WebsiteAffiliate marketing is not direct marketing. In affiliate marketing, a website may use creative methods to promote a product and send customers to the product website. If the customer buys the product via the link, then the website earns a commission. That is affiliate marketing.A website or an influencer brand with a large following may try its hand at affiliate marketing to earn extra revenue. They can showcase, promote, and influence their followers with affiliate products for a little commission. Affiliate marketing can be a hit or miss, depending on the audience the said influencer or the website has built.ConclusionE-commerce is a lot more than just running your business with these four e-commerce models. However, knowing these models can help you understand the process and come up with a mixture of ideas that can further provide an impetus to your business. In this article, we discussed the four types of e-commerce websites that are commonly found on the internet in South Africa.We also have observed that the web design for all these types may feel similar. However, the content is what sets them apart from each other. In South Africa, the right web design and content for your e-commerce website can help you attract the right audience.Looking to sell your products on Takealot? We have a full-fledged Takealot Seller course that's available for FREE for a limited time. Use it to your advantage and be an expert Takealot seller in no time!

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Let's Customise Your Google Business Profile in South Africa

In the previous article, we discussed creating a Google Business Profile in South Africa. A Google Business Profile can help small and medium businesses boost visibility, gain real customer interactions, and grow the business. If you haven't already, give the previous article a read before you proceed with this article. Now, let's customise Google Business Profile for your business in South Africa.Let's Customise a Google Business Profile in South AfricaGoogle Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) gives a business a personal identity on Google. Real customers can interact with your business in real time. Likewise, as a business owner, you can also post updates regarding your business (photos, posts, videos) via your Business Profile.However, to create a personal identity for your business, first, you must customise it. But before we begin, let's take a quick look at the new Google Business Profile interface.Your Google Business Profile on Google SERP InterfacePreviously, if you owned a Google Business Profile and went to the Google Business section, you would see the old Google Business dashboard. But now, if you try to access to Google Business website while having an active Google Business Profile, you would be redirected to something like this.This interface gives you a great idea of how your business profile would look on Google. Apart from that, you can also see a console that allows you to customise your profile in different ways. Furthermore, it also allows you to post and edit updates and products, track business profile performance, and advertise. You will need a Google Business Profile in South Africa if you are advertising via Google.You can also edit your Google Business Profile on your phone via browser or the Google Maps app. On a browser, it will look something like this.On the Google Maps app, your Google Business Profile in South Africa would look like this.Now, let's understand how to customise your Google Business Profile in South Africa.Edit Profile: Tell us about your BusinessEvery business is unique and so is your Business information. The information in the edit profile section may differ depending on the type of your Google Business Profile. When you open the Edit Profile window, you will see five different sections. The majority of the information in this section is optional. However, the more information you provide, the better clarity you provide for your potential customers.1. AboutThe About section is your business information. There goes your business name and category, a description of your business, and the opening date of your business. Your business description is the best chance to tell your audience about your business. Be concise and honest with your information.2. ContactIn this section, you will provide your phone number, contact website, social profiles, and a short name of your business.3. LocationIn this section, you will provide information about your business location. This includes an address, a Google map location, and a service area, if applicable.4. HoursWhen is your business open? In this section, you will talk about your business hours. If you have any special hours, they will also go here. Google Business Profile allows full customizability regarding your operating hours.5. MoreAny further information regarding your business will go here. Depending on your business type, you may see different options in this section.Edit Products: Showcase your Products via Google Business ProfileYou can display your products along with prices on Google Business Profile in South Africa. Your customers will not exactly be able to buy it, but being able to elaborately display your products can give them an idea about your product ranges.Optionally, you can provide a redirect link: a product landing page URL for all products. This link can take customers to your website, where they can make decisions like buying your products or exploring your website for more information.Edit Services: Let Customers know of your ServicesDepending on the primary category of your business, your business may offer one or more services to the customers. Google will occasionally add or remove relevant services to your Google Business Profile. This data is generated from actual user feedback, your business practices, and your website's SEO. Not always these services may appear accurate. So, make it a habit to check the Edit Services section occasionally to ensure your services are relevant.Photos: The Visual Identity of Your BusinessAdd flair to your business with some neat shots and let customers visually immerse in your business. You can add as many photos as you want to. Besides that, Google Business Profile allows you to choose a cover photo and a logo for your business as well.Q & A: Answer your Potential CustomersOccasionally, people—whether they can be your customers or not—can ask certain questions about your business. Providing prompt and concise answers to their queries shows that your business cares. Besides, it does clarify a few things about your business that you might have missed. Providing as much information as possible is the key to making your Google Business Profile transparent in South Africa.Add Update: Let others in on your Business activitiesDid your business hit a milestone? It's time to celebrate! Let your customers know of your achievement. Or is there a brand new exciting product on the shelf for a limited time? Why not let your customers know? The 'Add Update' section allows you to push all sorts of updated news to your customers on Google.There are three types of updates you can post on Google Business Profile in South Africa:Add Updates such as any regular updates, unclassified news and so on;Add Offers such as any discounts, BOGO offers, and more.; and finallyAdd Event, if you are hosting any particular events, showcases etc.Final WordsAnd this is how you primarily customise a Google Business Profile in South Africa. We are well aware that we have not covered certain options on that dashboard. These options are more of a part of customer services that you may provide through your Google Business Profile. We will talk about them in the next article.One important note. Google Business Profile is SEO-active. Meaning, your Google Business Profile can get a boost given you use good SEO practices. Make sure you use the keywords correctly within your posts, and that all the images and product descriptions are up to date. We shall talk about Google Business Profile and SEO in another article as well.On that note, we are currently developing a Google Business Profile Course on Skill Space. Stay tuned to the Skill Space website if you are interested. Also, we currently have the Takealot Seller Course available for free. If you are planning to sell on Takealot, this is the right opportunity for you to take the course.Meanwhile, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us via the message tab and we will do our best to resolve your queries.Now, let's understand how to customise your Google Business Profile in South Africa.Edit Profile: Tell us about your BusinessEvery business is unique and so is your Business information. The information in the edit profile section may differ depending on the type of your Google Business Profile. When you open the Edit Profile window, you will see five different sections. The majority of the information in this section is optional. However, the more information you provide, the better clarity you provide for your potential customers.1. AboutThe About section is your business information. There goes your business name and category, a description of your business, and the opening date of your business. Your business description is the best chance to tell your audience about your business. Be concise and honest with your information.2. ContactIn this section, you will provide your phone number, contact website, social profiles, and a short name of your business.3. LocationIn this section, you will provide information about your business location. This includes an address, a Google map location, and a service area, if applicable.4. HoursWhen is your business open? In this section, you will talk about your business hours. If you have any special hours, they will also go here. Google Business Profile allows full customizability regarding your operating hours.5. MoreAny further information regarding your business will go here. Depending on your business type, you may see different options in this section.Edit Products: Showcase your Products via Google Business ProfileYou can display your products along with prices on Google Business Profile in South Africa. Your customers will not exactly be able to buy it, but being able to elaborately display your products can give them an idea about your product ranges.Optionally, you can provide a redirect link: a product landing page URL for all products. This link can take customers to your website, where they can make decisions like buying your products or exploring your website for more information.Edit Services: Let Customers know of your ServicesDepending on the primary category of your business, your business may offer one or more services to the customers. Google will occasionally add or remove relevant services to your Google Business Profile. This data is generated from actual user feedback, your business practices, and your website's SEO. Not always these services may appear accurate. So, make it a habit to check the Edit Services section occasionally to ensure your services are relevant.Photos: The Visual Identity of Your BusinessAdd flair to your business with some neat shots and let customers visually immerse in your business. You can add as many photos as you want to. Besides that, Google Business Profile allows you to choose a cover photo and a logo for your business as well.Q & A: Answer your Potential CustomersOccasionally, people—whether they can be your customers or not—can ask certain questions about your business. Providing prompt and concise answers to their queries shows that your business cares. Besides, it does clarify a few things about your business that you might have missed. Providing as much information as possible is the key to making your Google Business Profile transparent in South Africa.Add Update: Let others in on your Business activitiesDid your business hit a milestone? It's time to celebrate! Let your customers know of your achievement. Or is there a brand new exciting product on the shelf for a limited time? Why not let your customers know? The 'Add Update' section allows you to push all sorts of updated news to your customers on Google.There are three types of updates you can post on Google Business Profile in South Africa:Add Updates such as any regular updates, unclassified news and so on;Add Offers such as any discounts, BOGO offers, and more.; and finallyAdd Event, if you are hosting any particular events, showcases etc.Final WordsAnd this is how you primarily customise a Google Business Profile in South Africa. We are well aware that we have not covered certain options on that dashboard. These options are more of a part of customer services that you may provide through your Google Business Profile. We will talk about them in the next article.One important note. Google Business Profile is SEO-active. Meaning, your Google Business Profile can get a boost given you use good SEO practices. Make sure you use the keywords correctly within your posts, and that all the images and product descriptions are up to date. We shall talk about Google Business Profile and SEO in another article as well.On that note, we are currently developing a Google Business Profile Course on Skill Space. Stay tuned to the Skill Space website if you are interested. Also, we currently have the Takealot Seller Course available for free. If you are planning to sell on Takealot, this is the right opportunity for you to take the course.Meanwhile, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us via the message tab and we will do our best to resolve your queries.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Customer Interaction on Google Business Profile in South Africa

In the previous article, we discussed how you could customise your Google Business Profile in South Africa. A Google Business Profile allows you to have real-time interactions with your customers. These real-time, personalised interactions can make your business more trustworthy and credible. In this article, let's discuss how you can interact with your potential customers on Google Business Profile in South Africa.Interacting with Customers on Google Business Profile in South AfricaWe have talked about Google Business Profile extensively in our previous articles. However, to sum up, a Google Business Profile lists your business in the Google database. This allows a business to be on Google Maps, publicly display business details, acquire customer interactions, and run Google Ads. It is basically a social profile of your business on Google. And when we say 'social', there will be real interactions.There are two types of interactions.Businesses Interacting on their Google Business Profile in South AfricaWe have covered this in our previous article. A business can post updates or announce product offers and discounts. It is pretty similar to posting a status on Facebook.To do so, click on 'Add Update' once you are on your Google Business Profile. To access your business profile, simply go to this link, which should open a page that looks something like this.Here, you can post three types of updates.Add UpdateAdd Update allows a business to post updates, just like how you would post a status on Facebook. Let your customers in early on a brand new product range you are working on. Or how about informing your customers about an upcoming event or a sale? Or let's just talk about how your business is doing on a fine Monday morning.Add OfferGot a promotion running? Your Google Business Profile in South Africa allows you to display offers and promotions in South Africa. The 'Add Offer' section allows you to describe your offers—such as promotions and discounts—along with photos or videos. The section will also allow you to display the offer duration.Add EventEvent-hosting businesses can particularly benefit from this section. The 'Add Event' section allows a business in South Africa to display an event along with images, videos, or both. Besides that, you can also add venue details, event duration, and particular details of your event.The Add Update posts allow you to personify your business. However, remember to be concise and professional with your writing. These posts allow you to deliver fresh content or updates along with photos and videos. Whenever there's an update you think the customers would love to know about, go ahead and post it!Customers Interacting on your Google Business Profile in South AfricaReal customer interactions on your Google Business Profile in South Africa give your business credibility, authenticity, and a sense of safety. Positive interactions and a quick resolution to negative interactions can provide your business with a much-deserved boost in visibility and credibility. So make sure to be quick to respond to any positive or negative comments or questions.There are three distinct ways a customer can interact with your Google Business Profile in South Africa.MessagesA customer can message your business if they have any questions. These messages may include a request for a quote or asking for information about your services or products. For that, however, a business will have to set up a Google Messages account. Alternatively, if a business has set up the system, you may request a quote. However, the majority of these message features are available via smartphones only.ReviewsOne way for a business to get credible on Google is to receive reviews from your customers. Customers living generally positive reviews can boost your business reputation, and thus, visibility. Of course, there will be days when you might get low ratings as well. The key here is how you handle such situations. A good business would consider responding appropriately to all the reviews in a professional manner. This shows how much your business values a customer's feedback.Questions & Answers (Q&As)The Question and Answers section is a great way to get to know a business. A customer can ask a question to your business that will be visible to everyone. As a business, let your customers know about your business, service, and products with elaborate answers. Generally, anyone can question and anyone can answer. However, as a business, make it a priority to answer these questions for accuracy and clarification.ConclusionIn this article, we discussed the various ways a business or its customers can interact with each other via Google Business Profile in South Africa. A good business in South Africa will promptly and positively respond to interactions, providing necessary information or resolving queries. This good business practice can boost your reputation and visibility on the Google SERP as well.On a side note, we are currently developing a Google Business Profile Course on Skill Space. Stay tuned to the Skill Space website if you are interested. Also, we currently have the Takealot Seller Course available for free. If you are planning to sell on Takealot, this is the right opportunity for you to take the course.Meanwhile, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us via the message tab and we will do our best to resolve your queries.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

How to Make Multiple Google Business Profiles in South Africa?

In South Africa, entrepreneurs often have more than one business. Multiple businesses means multiple Google Business Profiles. Now imagine if you would have to create several Google accounts to create business profiles for all your businesses. How exhausting would that be? Well, fret not! You can have up to 10 Google Business Profiles on a single Google account in South Africa. How? Let's discuss them in this article.Having Multiple Google Business Profiles in South AfricaWhen it comes to hustles, having one business is often not enough. As entrepreneurs, we are generally looking for more sources of revenue streams, usually by running multiple businesses or via investments. If you have multiple businesses, naturally you would want to list them on Google. Any opportunity to gain more visibility for your business, the better, right?However, before we get into the 'how to list' part, let's understand the following.When can I List My Business on Google Business Profile?Just because you have multiple businesses, you cannot list them as different business profiles. There are two conditions to listing your businesses separately on Google Business Profile.If two or more of your businesses share the same address, these businesses must be separately registered as legal entities. If two businesses operate under the same legal entity and share the same address, you cannot list these two businesses separately on Google Business Profile.If two businesses are on the same legal entity but have different addresses, then you can create two different profiles for your businesses.Double-check these basic Google Business Profile guidelines to avoid unexpected and unwanted suspensions of your accounts.How do I add another Business Listing on Google Business Profile in South Africa?Even if you already have a business on Google Business Profile, you can still add another business under the same account.To do so, go to the 'business.google.com' web address, which should open a webpage that looks something like this (you will have to be logged in to your Google account). This webpage will show a preview of how your business may look on Google when users search for your business online.ALT: An Example of Google Business Profile page as appeared on the Google SERP, featuring Digital Lime Green.CAP: A Google Business Profile example.Here, in the top right corner, you will see these three dots beside Profile Strength. Click on them and find the option 'Add a New Business Profile'. You will be redirected to creating your business profile.To create a new business profile, you will require the following information:Business name and category,Business location (if any, some categories WILL require you to have an address),Area of Service (optional),Business region (optional, depending on the business category), andContact details and website.Once you have the basic information tacked down on your business, you can proceed to the verification process. We have discussed the entire process in our 'How to set up a Google Business Profile in South Africa?' article.ConclusionAnd this is how you can add another business profile on Google Business Profile under the same email in South Africa. Remember that you can have up to 10 business profiles under an account. If you want to have more than 10, you will have to remove existing business profiles to make space first.In the next article, we will discuss running Google Ads via Google Business Profile in South Africa. Meanwhile, if you have any questions regarding Google Business Profile, feel free to contact us via the message tab or the contact page and we will help you resolve your queries.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Let's Run Google Ads with Google Business Profile in South Africa

If you do not have a website for your business, you can use your Google Business Profile to run ads and promotions. A Google Business Profile can display your business information, contact details, images and videos, and all the updates. It is an online identity for your business on the world's most-used search engine. So, how do you run ads with Google Business Profile in South Africa? Let's see in this article.How do I use Google Business Profile to run an ad in South Africa?If you have a Google Business Profile in South Africa, you can advertise your profile with Google Ads. This is especially useful if your business does not have a website. However, before doing so, you will need a Google Ads account.Now, Google Ads is a complicated mesh of advertising tools and options. But in this article, we will discuss setting up a Google Ads account and how to use it to advertise your Google Business Profile.A Quick Look at Setting Up a Google Ads AccountSetting up a Google Ads account is easy. All you need is your business information and a Google account. That's it! However, make sure all the business information you provide is legally true. We cannot stress this enough as Google will suspend your account for false business information. We highly recommend reading this Google Support page for their guidelines.Let's quickly set up our Google Ads account.To do so, log in to your Google account and then go to the Google Ads page.Click on Sign In on the top right corner and you will be redirected to another page. Here, you can see a list of existing Google Ads accounts. If you do not have any, you will directly see the setup page that looks like this.ALT: A Google Ads page depicting 'Create your First Campaign'CAP: Create Your First Campaign - Google Ads.Provide the necessary details. Make sure you select the 'Your Business Profile Page' option under the 'Where should people go after clicking your ad?' selection. This will redirect all the audience that click on your ad to your Google Business Profile.If you are not creating an Ad Campaign right off the bat, click on 'Create an account without a campaign'. Else just click next.If you click on 'Create an account without a campaign', you will just see the following account settings. Upon confirming, you're done.ALT: Confirm your account settings in Google Ads, an example of a step in Google Ads Campaign Setup ProcessCAP: Confirm Your Account Settings - Google Ads Campaign.However, if you simply click next, you will have the option to link your other Google accounts to the Google Ads account. It may look something like this. You can see that our Google Business Profile has been linked in this section. For further understanding of this topic, Google has provided detailed information on the process. We recommend you give it a read.ALT: An example of the Linking Accounts Screen in the Google Ads campaign setup.CAP: Link Your Accounts - Google Ads Campaign.After that, you are ready to create an ad campaign. However, this topic deserves a separate article. We will talk about creating a Google Ads Campaign in the next article.Run Google Ads via Google Business Profile in South AfricaNow, we are ready to run ads that will redirect your target audience to your Google Business Profile. To do so, go to the Google Business Profile page. If you only have one profile, you will be redirected to your Google Business Profile section on Google SERP. However, if you have multiple businesses, select the one you wish to view. This will open your Google Business Profile view on a Google SERP page. It would look something like this.ALT: A quick glance at the Digital Lime Green Business Profile - How can you set up a Google Ads Campaign via Google Business Profile in South Africa?CAP: You can click 'Advertise' to advertise your Google Business Profile via Google Ads in South Africa.Here, we can already see an 'Advertise' option. This is where we will be setting up and running our ad, Since we are promoting our Google Business Profile via Google Ads in South Africa, we will be selecting appropriate options to do so. How can we do that?Let's have a quick run-through of this process.Firstly, the business details. Here, you can directly use Google Business Profile to skip this process. The Ad Campaign will then fetch the data from your Google Business Profile.Next, you will be asked for 'ad redirection'. Here, you can choose your website or your Google Business Profile, depending on your goals.On the next page, you will see the preview of your Business Profile ad on Phones and Desktops. This is just for your reference. You can safely click Next on this page.Now, your advertising goal. There are four main goals:Get more calls;Get more website sales or leads;Get more visits to your physical locations; andGet more views or engagement on your YouTube.Depending on your business type, your goals may differ. As a reference, let's say we select the 'Get more calls' option.On the next page, you may customise your ad. Since we will be getting more calls, it is mandatory to provide your business cellphone number. The rest is up to your creativity.Let's put the cellphone number and click next.Here, you will be asked to provide keywords you want your ad to show up for. This depends on you.Next, you will be asked to set a region for your advertisement. Select the appropriate region and click on Next.Finally, you will have to set a budget. Google Ads will recommend 3 budget options for you. However, you can set a custom budget as well. Once done, you are ready to launch your Google Ads.Any customer that clicks on your ads will be redirected to your Business Profile, where they can find all the useful information to get in touch with your business.ConclusionAnd that's about it! This is how you can advertise your Google Business Profile with Google Ads in South Africa. The common denominator is that you will require a regular Google Account. Also, make sure you read their guidelines in case of any doubts.In the next article, let's discuss how you can effectively set up a Google Ads campaign. Until then, if you have any doubts regarding Google Business Profile or this article, feel free to connect with us via the message tab or the contact page.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Entrepreneurship Podcast

Welcome to the Entrepreneurship Podcast Series! Our podcasts feature real entrepreneurs from South Africa and around the world with different backgrounds and at different stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Listen to their wisdom and experiences, and hopefully learn how to achieve better success with your business. Simple, straightforward, and filled with great experiences and knowledge, we strive to provide you with high-quality podcasts to help you better your business or learn the ropes of entrepreneurship. Let's learn from the industry veterans and grow together as entrepreneurs. Feel free to share your opinions and views in the comments. See you in the podcast.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Most Popular Niches to Sell on Takealot in South Africa

Starting an online retail business is not exactly simple, but it can be rewarding if done right. To plan a retail business idea, you need to understand popular niches—the market demand, the audience size, and their region. In this article, let's talk about the most popular niches in South Africa to sell on Takealot.The E-Commerce and Takealot in South AfricaIf you are an avid online shopper, there's a 99% chance you use Takealot. The giant is unavoidable when it comes to online shopping. There's a huge variety of products. If you want something, chances are it is available on Takealot.Despite having to deal with a plethora of fees, Takealot has remained a popular e-commerce website for its innovative, easy-to-use web design. Listing your business on Takealot is rather easy. Sellers generally find success on Takealot, thanks to the vast consumer base and strict product guidelines. This means you get what you see!Oh, by the way, did you know that Amazon has finally launched in South Africa? It will be most certainly interesting to see how Amazon would fare amidst the shadow of Takealot.The Most Popular Niches in South Africa to Sell on TakealotTakealot could be the right platform for businesses of all sizes, given you have the right product to sell. But what is the right product? Understanding the popular key products in 2024 may help you understand what to sell on Takealot. Or if you are an established business, then is Takealot the right platform for you to sell products on?According to a Survey on Statista, consumers in South Africa have searched for the following products the most in March 2024.Clothing,Shoes,Food and Beverages (excluding restaurant delivery),Cosmetics and Body Care,Accessories,Drugs and Health Products,Electronics (Computers, Smartphones, TVs),Books, Movies, Music, and Games (excluding downloads),Household Appliances,Bags and Luggage,Furniture and Household Goods,Stationery and Hobby Supplies,Toys and Baby Products,Sports and Outdoor Products,Pet Products, andDIY and Gardening Products.And then there was a small percentage that did not buy anything online during the survey period. And a small percentage of people answered 'Other'.While not all of these are e-commerce key terms, this gives us a clear insight into what South Africans are searching for or buying these days. Let's understand these popular niches.ClothingSouth Africa has racial diversity, and with diversity comes different cultures and forms of representation. One part of representation is fashion/clothing. If you are a daring apparel business with a different perspective on fashion, or a well-established traditional apparel business, Takealot will do wonders for your business!ShoesYet another part of a fashion statement, shoes are objectively a popular choice in South Africa over other types of footwares. From exercises to serious business meetings, shoes have a place on every occasion. Shoes have been popular in South Africa by Bathu, Drip, Mpahla, and many other beloved brands. Your brand could be the next one and Takealot can help you gain a solid customer base with the right product images, descriptions, and prices.Cosmetics and Body CareThey say that beauty is in the 'inside'! That does not stop us from looking beautiful outside now, does it? Cosmetics and Body Care products are particularly in demand in South Africa. The demand may further increase especially for body care products due to increasing pollution and its adverse effects.AccessoriesAccessories help us define our personality via uniquely adorned fashion statements. They have been an ingrained part of the South African culture. From a mere fashion statement to an object of affection and memory, accessories define our lives and tell our stories. If you are a business that focuses on creating meaningful experiences via accessories, Takealot may help you grow your business quickly.ElectronicsElectronics are and will always be in demand in South Africa. Whether it is phones, tablets, TVs, computers and other electronic appliances. If your business sells any sort of popular electronics, it will definitely benefit from a Takealot listing. This also includes electronic household appliances. On Takealot, you will be able to sort these into appropriate categories.Baby ProductsWhile the South African birth rate is declining, the last decade has experienced a steadily neutral trend. That also translates to the demand for Baby Products not going down anytime soon. High-quality and soothing baby products will always remain in demand. If you are a business dealing with any sort of baby products, you will benefit from Takealot.Pet ProductsWhile pet products might not be a publicly realized niche, South Africa has a considerable amount of pet owners. That means there is a demand for various, different kinds of fun pet toys, pet food, and other pet accessories and necessities. Takealot is a great place to sell products that will entice these pet owners.Final WordsAnd that's about it. These are some of the most popular niches in South Africa and Takealot is a great platform to expand your business in these niches.While Takealot may be a great place to sell your products, the fees can quickly crawl their way into your profit. But fret not, Skill Space has formulated a course to help you understand the Takealot platform and become a Takealot seller.For a limited time, the course is COMPLETELY FREE. Hurry up and benefit from a free course developed by an experienced Takealot seller here: Takealot Seller Course - How to sell on Takealot.If you have any queries, feel free to connect with us today!

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Published - Thu, 06-Jun-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Do I need a Registered Business to Sell on Takealot?

Takealot in South Africa has been a radical game-changer for many small and medium businesses. With access to over 3m consumers in South Africa, naturally, you would want to sell on Takealot. However, what if you are just an individual with no registered business? Would you be able to sell on Takealot still? Let's discuss whether you need a registered business to sell on Takealot in South Africa.Do I need to have a Registered Business to Sell on Takealot?The short answer is: No. You do not necessarily need to register a business to sell on Takealot.If you know about the Sole Proprietorship businesses, the answer is clear. But for your reference, Sole Proprietorship refers to a business having a sole owner, whose personal assets are not separated from the business. Meaning, the business is not a separate legal entity and you may stand to lose all your assets (personal savings, properties) if you go bankrupt.As a Sole Proprietorship Business does not have to register with CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission). That technically makes your business an unregistered one. However, you can use these business details to start selling on Takealot.How to Apply as a Seller on Takealot?To sell on Takealot, log into your Takealot account. Once you do, glance at the webpage's top section. There, you will see the option 'Sell on Takealot'.Then, you will have to fill out the form where you have to provide your personal and business information. In the business section, you should input your Sole Proprietorship information.Once you complete the form, you should receive an email from Takealot. This is for the business verification. Takealot will ask for your business website or a product catalogue—the products you want to sell on Takealot. You only have to provide one of the options they ask for.Once accepted, we will now get into the second phase of registration. Here, Takealot will ask for more information regarding your business and the products. Once you complete the form with the necessary details, you can click on 'Apply to Sell'.We have a practical video about How to Sell on Takealot. Take a look!Final WordsYou do not need a registered business to sell on Takealot. Your Sole Proprietorship business details are valid to apply as a seller on Takealot.Selling on Takealot can be beneficial for your business. With over 3 million Takealot shoppers in South Africa, you get to tap into potential customers right off the bat and grow your business.We have a full-fledged course on How to become a Seller on Takealot. For a limited time, it is completely free of cost. Do not miss out on the opportunity if you want to grow your business on Takealot!If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us.

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Published - Tue, 11-Jun-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Top Five Alternatives to Takealot in South Africa

Takealot isn't the only online shopping platform in South Africa, but it is indeed the biggest one. However, small businesses in South Africa may feel anxious to wet their feet with Takealot as there are a lot of fees involved. However, Takealot has a few great alternatives. In this article, let's explore five alternatives to Takealot to start selling online in South Africa.Top Five Alternatives to Takealot in South AfricaFacebook MarketplaceFacebook Marketplace is a great platform for peer-to-peer sellers. Small businesses dealing with handmade products such as food items, pickles, handicrafts, and accessories can benefit from the Facebook marketplace.According to a survey on Statista, South Africa expects about 36 million Facebook users by 2026. Another survey from Napoleon Cat in April 2024 concludes that there were 31,774,300 Facebook users in April 2024. With these statistics, Facebook Marketplace opens a new potential to reach new customers online.Alternatively, you can launch a Facebook Page of your business and start selling your products via the page itself. Once you create a Facebook business page, you can add a shop section for displaying products. Then choose the checkout method. To add products, choose a product catalogue, then shipping and returns. Submit your shop and finish the setup.Let's talk about this extensively in the next article. Note that the Facebook Marketplace has no features like payment collection or delivery options. So you have to rely on courier services, bank transfers, and the trust between you and your customers.GumtreeGumtree, the most popular Classified Ads website in South Africa, experiences about 3.8 million unique monthly visits. At the time of writing this article, there are 659,495 live ads right now. Small businesses mentioned in the Facebook Marketplace section can also benefit from Gumtree.On Gumtree, you can push your classified ads for free. If you manage a horde of ads on Gumtree, they also have premium packages to streamline your advertising experience on the platform.With premium packages, you can promote your stuff over other ads, bump your ad to the top section of the page, and get more views and sales. This is a great platform for online sellers to wet their feet in the competition.Also, there is no seller protection by Gumtree. However, they expect you to follow certain online safety rules when dealing on their platform.Bob ShopBob Shop, formerly bidorbuy, is an online marketplace in South Africa where you can auction your products. There's also an alternative option to sell your products directly at a fixed price. Product listing on the platform is for free. However, there is a success fee on the products you sell. The success fee ranges between 2.5% to 10% depending on your product category.On the other hand, you can also open a Bob Shop exclusive storefront to strengthen your brand image on the platform. However, this will attract a monthly cost of R500 and beyond, depending on your options.Thanks to its auction model, certain items on Bob Shop can certainly fetch higher profits. There are numerous ways to pay on Bob Shop, which is a plus for small businesses.MakroMakro is another online e-commerce platform similar to Takealot in South Africa. According to SimilarWeb, the website had 4.7m visits in May 2024. There are certain benefits to using Makro over Takealot, the prime one being not having to deal with a plethora of monthly fees.While Makro does not have a warehouse storage system, they also take care of order fulfilment for you. Overall, Makro is a great alternative to Takealot for lower-budget options.LootLoot is yet another popular online e-commerce platform in South Africa. Similar to Takealot. Loot features two distinct charges on your selling price and fulfilment fee, based on the product's size and weight. Loot also offers warehouse storage which incurs an additional fee for any overstocked items. However, storage is free for fast-moving items.All the payments done to you via Loot will be added to your Loot Seller Portal. This balance gets transferred to your bank twice a month. In nature, Loot is similar to Takealot, however the fees lean on the lower side. It is a smaller marketplace compared to Takealot but could be a great start for small businesses with limited options.Final WordsThese are the top five alternatives to Takealot in South Africa. If you have budget issues, Takealot can be taxing to keep up with. These alternatives can help you manage your budget as you grow your brand.On the other hand, if you are looking to become a Takealot Seller in South Africa, Skill Space has an in-depth course to offer. For a limited time, the course is free and yours to keep! For any questions, feel free to contact us.

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Published - Wed, 26-Jun-2024