Amazon Prime versus TakealotMore in South Africa
Amazon has launched its Prime membership in South Africa, throwing down the gauntlet to the country’s largest retailer, Takealot, and its TakealotMore subscription.
For R59 a month or R399 a year, the Prime Membership offers various benefits, including free rapid deliveries, a bundled Prime Video subscription, and exclusive access to Prime Day deals.
At launch, Amazon offers a free 30-day trial for people who sign up for its Prime Membership in South Africa.
Takealot launched its own subscription service two days after Amazon.co.za in May 2024. It primarily focuses on same-day and next-day delivery and collection perks.
The subscription is available in two tiers: TakealotMore Standard, priced at R39 per month, and Premium, for R99 per month.
First-time subscribers also get a 30-day free trial, but Takealot does not offer an annual option at a discount.
The Prime Membership’s core online shopping perks include unlimited free same-day and next-day deliveries with no minimum spend on Amazon.co.za.
For same-day deliveries on Prime, the order must be placed before midday and delivered to an address in Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Pretoria.
TakealotMore Standard provides subscribers with two free same-day deliveries and unlimited free next-day deliveries, provided they spend at least R500 on these orders.
For same-day deliveries on Takealot, orders must be placed before 10:00 AM. The offer also applies to the Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria.
TakealotMore Standard subscribers also benefit from two free same-day collections per month, provided the order values are at least R500, and unlimited free next-day collections.
TakealotMore Premium subscribers get access to unlimited same-day and next-day deliveries and collections with no minimum spend.
These subscribers also get unlimited free same-day and next-day collections with no minimum order spend.
Regarding bulk and heavy products, delivery is unlimited and free for Amazon Prime Members, provided that the product is Prime-eligible.
These products are marked with a Prime badge, a small checkmark and the Prime logo on the Amazon marketplace.
TakealotMore Premium subscribers only get 10 free heavy or bulk item deliveries per month, while Standard subscribers receive no benefits for these items.
Content services and on-demand benefits
Amazon’s Prime Membership also provides subscribers with free access to Amazon Prime Video, which was previously priced at R79 per month in South Africa.
The streaming platform includes popular titles like Reacher, Clarkson’s Farm, Fallout, The Boys, Spider-Noir, and The Grand Tour.
Amazon’s subscription also comes with gaming benefits, including access to Amazon Luna cloud gaming and one monthly Twitch subscription.
Amazon’s Luna Cloud gaming subscription supports streaming titles like Hogwarts Legacy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Fortnite, on smartphones, tablets, and computers.
TakealotMore Premium includes a free subscription to News24, while TakealotMore Standard subscribers get no media or third-party content perks.
However, Takealot’s delivery subscription has a leg up over Amazon Prime when it comes to on-demand deliveries.
While Amazon’s Prime Membership includes free same-day delivery on a wide range of grocery products, it doesn’t offer any fast-food or restaurant delivery perks.
TakealotMore Standard subscribers get three free restaurant or shop deliveries through Mr D per month, for orders with a minimum value of R150.
These subscribers also get three free on-demand deliveries on Pick n Pay groceries ordered through the Mr D app, provided they spend a minimum of R350 per order.
Premium subscribers get unlimited free restaurant and shop deliveries provided they spend at least R150 per order, as well as unlimited Pick n Pay Grocery deliveries if they spend at least R350 per order.
The product prices of items from restaurants on Mr D are typically around 20% to 30% more expensive than when bought directly at the restaurant.
Amazon Prime versus TakealotMore features and pricing
| Feature | Amazon Prime | TakealotMORE Standard | TakealotMORE Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Shopping benefits | Unlimited free same-day and next-day delivery with no minimum spend | Unlimited next-day delivery and collections with a minimum R500 spend per order | Unlimited same-day and next-day delivery and collections with no minimum spend |
| Same-day delivery requirements | Must be placed before midday Only available in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Pretoria for in-stock items | Must be placed before 10:00 AM Only available in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria for in-stock items | Must be placed before 10:00 AM Only available in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria for in-stock items |
| Bulky/Heavy Items | Included if Prime-eligible | Standard delivery price only | 10 free deliveries per month |
| Free on-demand benefits | None | 3 Mr D restaurant shop deliveries with minimum R150 spend 3 Pick n Pay Grocery deliveries with minimum R350 spend | Unlimited free Mr D deliveries with no minimum spend |
| Streaming and media | Prime Video included | None | News24 subscription included |
| Gaming | Amazon Luna cloud gaming and Twitch perks | None | None |
| Price | R59 per month R399 per year | R39 per month | R99 per month |
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