South Africa has become increasingly popular with online marketplaces. People no longer need to visit stores to purchase goods. Shopping online is as simple as clicking a mouse.
Furthermore, the e-commerce market is rapidly expanding, making it easy for anyone to sell online. As such, individuals can sell their pre-loved trinkets, books, clothes, electronics, etc. However, it’s important to find a reputable marketplace.
In this article, we discuss the best platforms to sell online in South Africa.
Why sell online in South Africa
There are a bunch of perks to sell online in South Africa. For starters, it’s easy and doesn’t require much effort. All you really need to do is find a platform that works well for your business. Once this is done, you can quickly start generating sales.
Selling online allows businesses and individuals to reach an entirely new audience. This results in gaining more exposure and selling items quickly. Furthermore, customers might tell others about the items you sell. This can result in free advertising by word-of-mouth.
Secondly, selling online in South Africa allows individuals to grow their businesses. For instance, if you sell homemade candles, you can grow your business by reaching out to more customers online.
Lastly, selling online doesn’t require you to have an actual place of operation. You can work from your home with no additional overhead costs. It’s imperative that selling online can not only save you money but make you money too.
What are the top places to sell online in South Africa?
It’s safe to say that every individual business has its own target audience. Therefore, choosing the correct market place is essential. Certain platforms might not work well with what you’re selling. This is why it’s vital to do some research beforehand.
To save you time, we’ve compiled a list of the top places to sell online in South Africa.
1. Takealot
Takealot is by far one of the leading marketplace contenders in South Africa. The website has a wide variety of items with a bunch of niches. This platform allows buyers and sellers to easily connect without any hassle.
Takealot charges a monthly subscription fee of R300 per seller account/month. Sellers can opt to cancel their account at any time.
Ideally speaking, Takealot is the perfect platform for businesses that have plenty of stock available. On the contrary, if you have a smaller business, then this might not be a great fit.
Here’s how to become a Takealot seller:
- Apply by visiting https://www.takealot.com/sell/apply. You will be asked to fill in your personal details. Thereafter, you will have to provide information about your business and products.
- Takealot will then review your application. This process takes roughly around 10 business days.
- If the application is successful sellers will then have to register. This step involves completing all the required paperwork and information.
- The next step is onboarding. Sellers learn about the process and choose their stock model.
- Thereafter, sellers can start selling their items.
2. Gumtree
Gumtree was launched in 2005 solely to help people buy and sell stuff. There is a massive range of new and pre-owned items available on the website. The best thing about Gumtree is that it’s completely free. However, sellers do have an option to “boost” their adverts by paying a small fee.
The downside of using Gumtree is that people can easily get scammed. It’s always important to practice online safety precautions when using Gumtree.
How to place an ad on Gumtree:
- Visit www.gumtree.co.za
- Click on the “post and ad” button
- Signup or login to your account
- Select a category of the item you’re selling. Thereafter choose a sub-category.
- Click continue
- Next, you will need to add your location
- Thereafter, type in a title, price and link (optional)
- Add in a description of what you’re selling along with some pictures
- Lastly, enter your contact details and click “Post my Ad”
3. Facebook Marketplace
Not only is Facebook a social media platform, but it’s also an excellent online marketplace. The platform allows sellers to publicly post listings on Marketplace and in News Feeds. It should be noted that Facebook has a few Commerce policies that sellers need to adhere to.
Here’s how to sell on Facebook Marketplace:
- Login to your Facebook account
- Next, click on the “Marketplace” tab in the left menu
- Click on the “create new listing” button
- Thereafter, click on “item for sale”
- Next, upload photos from your computer
- Enter a description and price of the items you’re selling. Click “Next”
- Finally, click on the “Publish” button
4. BidorBuy
BidorBuy is a website model based on an internet auction. The platform allows buyers and sellers to trade and interact with each other. Sellers can post a free advert on the website. However, they will need to pay a selling fee once an item is sold.
This platform is a great place to sell online in South Africa. It helps small businesses create brand awareness and helps build a reputation.
BidorBuy offers three main listings:
- Auction
- Classified
- Buy now
How to sell on BidorBuy
- Register on www.bidorbuy.co.za
- Select a category and sub-category of the item you’re selling
- Add images of your product
- Enter a description of the item
- Set the price along with further shipping details
- Post and promote your advert
5. OLX
OLX is the ideal classified website to sell just about anything. The platform is quite similar to Gumtree, and it’s completely free to post an ad too. Sellers can choose to pay a fee if they would like to gain more exposure.
OLX allows sellers to post ads via the app or through the website.
How to post an ad on OLX (website)
- Visit the website and click on the “Sell” icon located on the top right corner.
- Login or register if you haven’t already
- Choose a category along with a sub-category
- Add in all the details and a description of the item you want to sell
- Enter in the price of the item
- Upload clear photos of the item
- Enter your location and post your ad
Sellers can also share their ad posts with their friends and family. This helps sell items a lot quicker.
6. JunkMail
Place a free advert on JunkMail and reach thousands of people from across the country. This platform allows sellers to post an ad of whatever they’re selling. Items can be brand new or second-hand. Typically speaking, most buyers visit JunkMail to purchase second-hand items.
Here’s how to place an advert on JunkMail
- Visit https://www.junkmail.co.za/place-advert
- Enter your personal details. (Name, email address, Watsapp number, Contact number)
- Ad a catchy title for your ad
- Choose a category or allow JunkMail to choose one for you
- Select a region
- Enter in the price of your product, followed my some photos
- Post your ad
JunkMail also allows buyers to contact sellers via Watsapp. This tool is a great way for buyers to get information swiftly.
7. Cash Crusaders
Cash Crusaders allow individuals to sell items that they no longer need or use. Sellers can either opt to sell online or via Watsapp. It should be noted that Cash Crusaders is slightly different from the previous websites we’ve mentioned. The key difference is that they provide sellers with a quote and sell the items for them.
This is how it works:
- Complete the online form with all your details and product you’re selling
- The product information is then sent off to a buying specialist. The buying specialist will then source quotes on the seller’s behalf.
- Thereafter, the buying specialist sends the seller all the quotes
- The seller gets to choose the quote that best suits them
- Lastly, the seller drops off the items at a Cash Crusaders store. The seller will then receive the cash for the item sold.
The bottom line- Sell online in South Africa
There is an abundance of platforms to sell online in South Africa. However, it’s vital to ensure that these websites are legit and reputable. We always advise sellers to go with well-known online marketplaces. The above-mentioned websites are all real and therefore great options.
With that being said, sellers should still always be wary when selling items. There are plenty of scams and scam-artists that lurk marketplace websites. A lot of the time, sellers get caught out by getting sent fake “proof of payments”. For this reason, it’s always important to ensure that funds are in your bank account before releasing items.
Furthermore, if you choose to meet a buyer, do so in a public space. Always tell a friend or family member where you’re going and who you’re meeting. Practicing safe trading is vital, especially in a country like South Africa. Lastly, always trust your gut and be wary when sharing your personal information.
