Your one-stop roundup for fulfillment, of eCommerce, and for logistics happenings worldwide.
We believe that staying informed is every bit as critical as is staying efficient as South Africa’s first Customer Experience Fulfillment Platform.
1. South Africa Sees 14% YoY Growth in Cross-Border eCommerce
Cross-border eCommerce volumes saw a 14% year-on-year increase reported by major carriers and the South African Post Office. Higher demand for international beauty as well as fashion products drove this increase overall. Experts urge businesses to invest in international checkout experiences and last-mile reliability because local eCommerce players expand reach via fulfillment tech and third-party platforms.
2. Amazon Doubles Down on Africa: Fulfillment Center Rumors in Johannesburg
After government engagements and a surge in local job listings, Amazon may be setting up its first fulfillment center in South Africa, multiple industry insiders are speculating. Consumer expectations about delivery prices and speeds may change drastically. As a result, existing local players’ SLAs could be compressed.
3. Cape Town Port Congestion Hits a New High
Inclement weather as well as infrastructure bottlenecks resulted in a 27% increase regarding container turnaround times. This increase was seen within the Port of Cape Town. Businesses did rely on the seaborne imports and did experience supply chain lags. The lags drove up costs within electronics and home improvement categories. Digitization is what logistics leaders are calling toward. They are seeking systems in regard to better weather-contingent planning.
4. TikTok Shop Enters Beta in SA – Social Commerce Rises
Real social commerce has just now arrived. Some South African merchants started to beta-test TikTok’s in-app shopping feature for themselves. Initial trials indicated conversions rose threefold versus independent websites. This could redefine D2C discovery, especially for local fashion along with skincare brands as they target Gen Z.
5. Global: Apple Switches to AI-Powered Reverse Logistics
Apple will partner alongside logistics AI startups. Worldwide gains will change through this action because they make reverse logistics simpler throughout Asia and Europe. Predictive models for returns plus auto-refill management decreased Apple’s return processing times by 48%. Global brands located in South Africa could soon adopt this tech as well.
Shiprazor Insight of the Month
According to a Salesforce global report, 71% of online shoppers value delivery speed and transparency over discounts now. Across South Africa, brands retain clients 2.3x better when they communicate proactively during delivery.
‘Last-mile excellence’ throughout South Africa is an expectation now, not a differentiator. The next wave of retail growth will be led by brands investing in live tracking along with smarter courier allocation with return automation.
