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After years of anticipation, Amazon has announced that it will launch amazon.co.za, the company's online marketplace, in 2024. Independent sellers can register their businesses on Amazon from today.
This will be the first entry of the global e-commerce giant into the South African retail market. Its subsidiary, Amazon Web Services, has been operating in the country since 2020.
There have been signs that Amazon was set to launch its online marketplace for a while. The company sent out job adverts for key positions for launching its marketplace in 2022 and the locations of two of its South African distribution sites appeared to be leaked online earlier this year.
READ MORE | Amazon may be gearing up for its launch in SA
The launch of Amazon's marketplace will bring big competition to South Africa's existing e-commerce companies, including Takealot, which is also contending with the implications of a Competition Commission ruling ordering it to split its retail division from its online marketplace.
Amazon's general manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Robert Koen, said launching the e-commerce site would provide significant opportunities for local sellers to scale their business.
"The launch of amazon.co.za in 2024 will provide independent sellers throughout the country an opportunity to rapidly launch, grow and scale their businesses while leveraging the innovative capabilities provided by Amazon," he said.
