Takealot versus Makro — the winner is clear

An ecommerce test by MyBroadband Insights revealed that Takealot offers the best overall ecommerce service among large online retailers.

Ecommerce is experiencing tremendous growth in South Africa. A recent study by World Wide Worx revealed that online retail doubled in two years.

The explosion in demand for home deliveries saw the total online retail market in South Africa grow to R30.2 billion in 2020.

World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck said it is expected that online retail sales in South Africa will reach R42-billion this year.

Major retailers are aware of this rapid growth and are investing millions into their ecommerce operations to capture a bigger slice of the pie.

Makro is increasing its availability on ordering platforms, redesigning its website, and optimising delivery systems.

JD Group — which owns Incredible Connection and HiFi Corp — is also planning to become a top ecommerce force with the launch of Everyshop.

Everyshop promises customers a large range of products, good prices, and speedy deliveries.

Makro and Everyshop are after Takealot’s dominant position in the South African ecommerce market.

The Takealot Group, which includes Takealot.com, Superbalist, and Mr D Food, increased its total sales from R8.65 billion to R14.66 billion over the last year.

However, it isn’t easy to steal market share from Takealot. It has a wide product range and an excellent fulfilment network with warehouses and pickup points across the country.

For Makro and Everyshop to compete effectively against Takealot, they will have to either beat it on price or offer better delivery and support.

Takealot, Makro, and Everyshop tested

To see how South Africa’s top online shops compare on price and delivery, MyBroadband Insights ordered the same two products from each shop.

The products are a Sandisk Ultra Fit 128GB Flash Drive and a Romoss Pulse 10 10,000mAh power bank.

To accurately compare the shops, MyBroadband Insights considered the total price – including delivery charges – to get the products.

Takealot was the cheapest at R628, followed by Makro on R668 and Everyshop on R698.

All the shops delivered the products within two days, with good packaging and within the promised arrival time.

The table below shows the comparison between Takealot, Makro, and Everyshop.

Now read: Online shop price comparison – Takealot vs Everyshop vs Makro