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- Many South Africans are shopping straight from a brands website when buying online.
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There are often a variety of channels that people can use to get their hands on the product they desire online.
E-commerce sites such as Takealot and Amazon are hugely popular channels for online shopping, which feature a vast range of products from many different brands, available on a single platform.
But consumers are also often able to buy the products they desire directly from the website of the brand which sells the product.
And a recent PwC consumer spending trends report indicates many South Africans have an appetite to buy directly from brands' websites.
Half of the consumers, who were polled, said they had purchased something online directly from a brand's website.
"There is an appetite for direct purchases in South Africa, with half of consumers having purchased directly from a brand's website, and 40% open to considering buying directly," said the report.
Clothing, accessories, and electronics are the products that are most often bought, or which are considered to be bought directly from a brand's website.
"The primary reasons that consumers have purchased directly or would opt to do so, include knowing products are authentic, perception of greater product choice and availability," said the report.
PwC added brands that have prioritised building a good digital presence have received largely positive feedback regarding their digital facilities.
PwC South Africa operations transformation leader Suleman Jharvey said consumers wanted brands to provide a "phygital" experience, which is a blend of physical and digital.
This means brands still need to prioritise in-store staff support, and refining the digital experience they can offer customers.
The new buying dynamic
While organisations could not neglect their in-store presence, the prominence of e-commerce seemed to have changed the way many consumers shopped, according to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer report.
Traditionally, people would first become aware of a product, then become interested before deciding on whether to purchase the item and taking action.
But the Edelman Trust Barometer said for many, buying was now the start-point for consumers, as many people did significant research into the product after purchasing it.
Seventy-eight percent of respondents in the survey indicated they uncovered things that made them loyal to a brand after making their first purchase.
Among those people who said they actively researched the brands they bought from, 50% added they did more research after making a purchase than before.
The report attributed much of the changes to buying dynamics to the behaviour of GenZ consumers.
