Bandwidth could raise online retail to new heights

Great I can start setting up an online shop selling Hellkom stuffs
 
All I can say to that is DUH! The rest of the world is going full force into online shopping, advertising, education and we're sitting on our thumbs and rotating.

There's tremendous potential for online retail in south Africa but people are still going to need to be convinced that it's safe.

@ettu: I doubt it will be sooner than that. Most bets are on 2008/2009 for the 1 million mark (optimistic)
 
There's tremendous potential for online retail in south Africa but people are still going to need to be convinced that it's safe.
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Personally I love online shopping, but most of it goes to amazon.co.uk. IMHO it is not a matter of safety but of product and service. Many local online retailers just don't get it.

1. If I want to buy computer hardware, SA online retailers are a dime a dozen selling marked up Rectron and other price lists. The prices are MORE EXPENSIVE than my local PC shop, even though the retailer is saving massively on rent and salaries. And if you do order something, it takes time, because the retailer carries no stock and orders from the wholesaler, and SA wholesalers often just don't have the stock and seem to be a confused lot.

2. If I decide it actually is time to pay for MP3s, I try Musica. The songs cost R10 each! And they won't play on my Mac. And you are downloading off their partner in the UK! I mean, they're nutz!

3. I want some CDs, so off to kalahari.net ( tried others with even less success ). Yes - some good stuff, but INCREDIBLY limited selection. Many are cheaper to order from overseas. I mean, in this online day and age, why can't a local retailer tie up with an overseas one and source a good selection that can be airfreighted out every few days?

Jack up service and product, and you'll sell more in SA :rolleyes:
 
Peter_J said:
3. I want some CDs, so off to kalahari.net ( tried others with even less success ). Yes - some good stuff, but INCREDIBLY limited selection. Many are cheaper to order from overseas. I mean, in this online day and age, why can't a local retailer tie up with an overseas one and source a good selection that can be airfreighted out every few days?
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It is sad what you say - I am not a huge fan of audio visual, but do read 2-3 books a week - kalahari is good for the most part, but do not always carry everything I need. So, as a result, I go to Amazon, get an ISBN, drive to Exclusive books and let them order for me - a whole lot less painful :-)
 
stoke said:
I seem to recall a similar article in 1996 indicating 1 million by 2003, lol - lol - lol.
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Must find that one
 
Yeah - customer service from Kalahari is nothing short of atrocious.

Last year when I ordered the PC game Far Cry, it have 4 weeks after it hit retail stores.
 
In SA almost every site is optimised for a narrowband connection.. it will be a while before we get sites like the larger ones overeseas.
 
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