We may see home delivery bikes everywhere, but SA only starting out

The competition's fierce in our home delivery market as retailers vie to win over more customers with improved services.

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But while those of us living in South Africa's big cities may think there are delivery bikes simply everywhere, comparatively speaking we've still got a long way to go, remarks e-commerce fundi Alistair Tempest.

"Recent stats show there are an estimated 50 000 delivery personnel in SA, but it's quite a small number... if you compare even to Kenya there are over 1.2 million 'boda bodas'... but they are also used as taxis..."

Alistair Tempest, CEO - Ecommerce Forum South Africa

The reason Checkers Sixty60 keeps doing well is probably because they were planning well in advance to 'catch the pandemic ride', the CEO of Ecommerce Forum SA says.

"We've got a long way to go obviously before we get to the delivery systems that you see in Europe or America... you can order basically anything in America and within 24 hours it will be on your doorstep even if it's a particularly large piece of furniture."

"We will however get there... Customer relations is key to the whole thing, but also how you do the delivery, from where you do it and how fast you can do it."

Alistair Tempest, CEO - Ecommerce Forum South Africa

While South Africans have been relatively slow to take advantage of online shopping, the sector is showing steady growth, Tempest says.

One area where there's a big need is to expand home delivery services beyond the big urban centres, he adds.

"When we started here at the end of 2016 I think it was, e-commerce was worth around 1% of total retail trade; today we're at 6% and growing very fast."

"South Africans do love to go to shopping centres, it's a way of life... but that's slowly but surely being augmented - not replaced - by home deliveries and I think that's the important thing."

Alistair Tempest, CEO - Ecommerce Forum South Africa

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