Amazon has finally gone live in South Africa, making it the second African country after Egypt where the e-commerce giant has set up a locally-dedicated website.
In an official blog post, the firm said customers can now discover and shop from local and international brands across a range product categories using the Amazon Shopping App or by visiting www.amazon.co.za on desktop or mobile browsers.
The launch comes with several features including free delivery on first orders followed by free delivery for subsequent orders above R500 or $27. Additionally, customers will receive status updates via WhatsApp, so they can track their order while there will be an option to return items within 30 days via home pickup and self-drop.
Speaking on the milestone, Robert Koen, said: “Building a strong relationship with South African brands and businesses—small or large—is incredibly important to us. We want Amazon.co.za to be the place where they can reach millions of customers. Today is only the start of Amazon.co.za. We will continue to improve and enhance our shopping experience to serve customers and sellers across South Africa.”
Local businesses of all sizes can sell their products using onboarding tools, payment processing solutions, and promotional features to help them get discovered by customers, as well as reports and analytics to improve sales.
In a move to increase sustainability, Amazon has also partnered with goGOGOgo, a South African non-profit organisation, offering customers the opportunity to package eligible products in handmade gift bags.
Based in Johannesburg with projects across South Africa, goGOGOgo is dedicated to building the capacity, skills, and knowledge of grandmothers, locally known as GOGOs. Made from recycled plastic and handsewn, these gift bags directly support local businesses and income generation opportunities for GOGOs raising children.
Amazon.co.za features a wide range of products across 20 categories while it will also include popular local brands from independent South African sellers such as Amanda-Jayne, King Kong Leather, Masodi, and Tiger Lily.
