Online Shopping, Your Take?
July 4, 2011 by Brown Shuga
The popularity of online shopping is rising rapidly as more people become aware of the benefits of doing so. So says online retailer TAKEALOT.com, previously known as TAKE2.
TAKEALOT.com used to be known as TAKE2.co.za and post their acquisition by Tiger Global a possible trademark conflict was uncovered that necessitated the change in brand, hence the new www.Takealot.com name.
According to them, the factors contributing to the growth in online shopping are increases in computer literacy, growing trust in the reliability and credibility of the online retail sector and the availability of broadband.
Research company World Wide Worx’s MD Arthur Goldstuck says that online retail sales in South Africa have been growing consistently for the past five years at a rate of between 30% and 35% and passed the R2-billion level last year.
Goldstuck said the growth in online retail sales was due to the rising numbers of South Africans using the internet for online shopping. He noted that, though there were about 3.6million people using the internet, of a population of about 48million, only half were shopping online.
Most people visiting online retail sites appeared to be “window shopping” and even the most successful online retailers got only between 10% and 15% of their visitors to make a purchase (Source)
I had never used Take2 for my online shopping before, but I do have experience with their competitor, Kalahari, where I shopped for Cameras, books and CDs. My experiences were okay and I found it convenient that with just a few clicks I could get my purchases delivered to my door step, sometimes for free, depending on the amount I bought for.
What I still can’t get my head around though, is shopping for clothes online. I know with online retailers like ASOS gaining popularity here, it’s becoming more common but I worry about how clothes look differently on you than they do on a mannequin (or model). What if you don’t like the item… or it isn’t as perfect a fit as you expected?
Info from: www.takealot.com
Books, home appliances, shoes, shades, bags and those types of accessories I can deal with, but clothes? Ha ke sure….
How do you guys feel about online shopping? Would love to hear your experiences and where/what you shop for online.
P.S. You guys remember Homechoice and how popular it used to be? They weren’t really online but they were the closest thing to it… ka di brochure tsela. Do they still exist?
babyb on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 12:37 pm
Great article.. I am all for onlone shopping, its easy, straight forward, no queues, can be done anywhere at anyytime and its now so much safer with options of paypall and all. I don’t get why SA hasn’t got more of online shops. I buy my clothes and food online, just don’t have the time to be going into town especially if u work long days and even greater come festive seasons, u don’t wanna find yourself in those long queues. So I’m deffo #teamOnlineShopping
Cinnabon on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 12:47 pm
I can not see myself buying clothes and shoes online either…I love trying on…
I like buying books, lingerie and ‘Toys” online.
Yes, Homechoice still exists…ndino Dabawo, who’ll only buy her bedding from Homechoice nanamhlanje.
lorrelai on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 12:48 pm
I absolutely love online shopping, well mainly because I’m practically in a rural town so most popular things can’t be found around. I’ve bought BB accessories from myberry before and I was please with their service. I also bought some books from Kalahari. I also bought my MAC powder online since our Edgars doesn’t stock MAC products.so ja, I’m for online shopping anyday. Not for clothes though.
mamamia on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 1:07 pm
Revolutionaly greeting to ma fellow bloggers in arms….oops wrong web page.
Yes BS HOMECHOICE are still operative but sadly for me i hate their online service.
I went online spotted this bedding set i was dying for, filled in the necessary fields and was notifed that a consultant would shortly verify and give me account details.
To cut a long story short, they sent an sms of their banking details, just when i was about to DO an EFT a voice said phone customer services.
Customer services took my call only to tell me that the items i was purchasing online were out of stock. I’m like HELLO, i was about to make a payment what if i did not call you to verify and to my knowledge if it’s online then its in stock.
Apparently their system does not compute items out stock in virtual time.
Left a sour taste in my mouth but the consultant was hopoing i’d keep their account details for next online purchase, like DUH it’s not gonna happen.
ps THIS WAS A SECOND ATTEMPT AT TRYING TO MAKE AN ONLINE PURCHASE.
I sent a letter of complaint to customer services to notify them of my dissatisfaction….alas still no feedback.
Homechoice has lost a potential client!!
zeepo_B on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 1:12 pm
I also like shopping online, its much convinient…and saves you a lot of time…i dont shop for clothes though, only things like ur phone accesories, cameras and sometimes food..
HomeChoice actually has online shopping ngoku…but i dont how reliable it is coz i havent tried it…so BS u can shop for your blankies and duvets online…
Miranda on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 1:43 pm
Home Choice e sale teng,with their mama&papa kind of beddings.lol. Their beddings with matching curtains are matured…tltltltltl
Online Shopping?I thought it happens on TV only…Never tried it,ke a tshaba…i have a million ‘what if?’ questions, what if they dont get my order?,what if my money disappears after giving my banking details online? What if they forget to make my delivery,what if i dont like the item ha e se e fihla mo….hai,i need an intervention before I can submit to this buying of items on the P.C. Le teng,shopping is fun …imagine ordering a size 32 jean,hae fihla ke eo e presser my butt…no no no,cant dzeal.
lwandie on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 1:45 pm
I like the convenience of knowing it is available as an option,but I normally limit it to things like flights, books,DVDs,Music, fly off the shelf
gadgets and stuff I can’t get locally.
Clothing only on very limited sites where I know I won’t get any unnecessary shocks in quality and sizing because the inconvenience of returns and refunds is ridiculous.
My best S.A online experience is:
http://www.oneworld.co.za for music,dvds etc.Very efficient straightforward site
And my worst was with Foshini(sp) -so frustratingly slow,limited choices and customer services that didn’t bother responding to queries….hope they have improved.
Brown Shuga on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 1:58 pm
Interesting, thanks for sharing…
@babyb – you shop for clothes online? What happens when they don’t fit you?
Zeepo, food? How long do you have to wait for them to deliver that?
@Miranda does this mean you don’t trust online banking as well? Coz we are always taught if the url starts with that https then it’s safe… or? I think you worry too much hehehe.
DexterSUPERIOR on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 2:31 pm
I’ve been shopping online for 2 years now and my favourite store is http://www.dhgate.com They have the most authentic looking knock offs in the world. I fool people all the time. I have fake Ralph Lauren shirts, fake Tom Ford suits, fake ‘designer’ watches, fake gadgets, fake everything and they’re all in great condition. It’s better than spending an arm and a leg in Sandton because those high end boutiques source their merchandise in online stores as well.
My mother still buys at Home Choice and so does all the teachers and nurses in the country.
Nomaha on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 2:40 pm
Im so skeptical about on line shopping. I bought luggage cases from Homechoice on line and shame their services was spectacular but I havent tried anything else. I guess I’ll get used to it.
Off topic: Im even afraid of Internet banking, I only started making transfers recently and I couldnt believe what I’ve been depriving myself of.
mamamia on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 2:54 pm
@Miranda, start with internet banking, once you can trust your bank with handling your funds and keeping your transactions skelm free then online shopping becomes a breeze.
These days (as we move into the era of antisocialism) it’s gonna become quite the norm to never leave the comfort of our homes and offices, i mean these online services extend to delivering to your office receptionist.
I made a purchase of a case of wine imported from the WC, eish so i’m thinking its a box it won’t say alcaholic beverage. Oho when i took hold of my box, the security jumps up and says no alcahol is aloud in the building she didn’t even ask me what was inside. I looked at the box and there was no sign it was alcahol and i imagine the delivery guy will not announce the contents of the box, the only thing that was on there was FRAGILE.
EISH, i’m sure boma maratahelele ba butsisitse gore ke eng kamo di boxing mxm, bantlong tina yeerr. So the next time i had to order something of a more private battery operated nature i made sure to keep it away from the prying eyes. It went straight to the nearest post office.
Brown Shuga on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 2:58 pm
“.. the security jumps up and says no alcahol is aloud in the building .. ”
U live in a hostel? Res?
nan on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 3:20 pm
online shopping is sooo cool for those sometimes discreet purchases but for things like clothing i wouldnt advise someone to try it due to some bad experiences
once bought a dress and yoh! isimanga sento idye yemka namanzi on the firt wash and this is not even a pep but a brand. never did it again.
same with lingerie… its asking for trouble
mamamia on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 3:35 pm
@BS it was at work…i know we can’t bring alcahol in the premises …undetected lol BUT I was annoyed cos i could have purchased a box of glasses for all they knew.
mysista on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 3:52 pm
@Mamamia… going back to the battery operated purchase, what was it excatly? Please elaborate… where did you buy it, And how is it working now? Are you finding that you need some more “me” time now? thetha ndingxamile, ndisebenzisa i email yomnye umntwana
snapshot on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 3:59 pm
i love online shopping, it saves time and energy,maybe cos im lazy by nature, but its working quiet fine for me,
most of my friends did not have internet banking and i threatened to end the friendship if they did not activate their internet banking
mamamia on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 4:01 pm
@mysista lets just say it was something very naughty but nice.
she’s a new friend her name is matildas and she’s friends with everyone even the boys if you catch my drift
lorrelai on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 4:12 pm
@ Dexter, & how long does the shipment take. I very impatient so if they’re quick to deliver, i’m cool. I’ve just visited their store, they’ve amazing staff.
babyb on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 4:25 pm
@BS if they don’t fit u send them back. They all have a return policy, u just put it back as it was and either get an exchange or u money back..
DexterSUPERIOR on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 4:39 pm
@lorrelai, they usually take about 7 days to deliver. Last year I bought a camera and a pair of jeans. They were FedEx’d to me within 5 days.
mbulela on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 5:56 pm
The only thing i buy online are books and cds/dvds.i am too much of a shopaholic to buy clothes online.i prefer the experience of being in a shop and trying clother before buying.
mbulela on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 6:00 pm
Hey BS,i hope the issues are in better shape now?whichever way my kind thoughts are with you.
MissAN on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 7:10 pm
Gosh @ mbulela. Thats a 1st,a guy,straight guy that enjoys shopping. I hate fitting clothes! I just use my eyes.
@mamamia FNB online and cellphone banking is the future. Such innovation! I am moving from red to turqoise/orange. My mum can’t believe I am paying her accounts w/out setting foot at that place or ABSA cashsend.
@Dexter manje how much on average are the shipping costs? I am weary with knock-offs would rather wear a PnP label than a fake mara then again you can’t trust these high end shops to be selling originals.
Will give your shop a try,is the quality on clothes good?
Miranda on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 7:28 pm
Internet Banking…not yet,but I think I will give in eventually. Suprising enough,I use cellphone banking…I never set foot in a bank.Maybe it is just because I love the Idea of trying items on(clothes), touching items to feel the material(bedding,curtain etc) and picking items for their weight(pots,glasses etc) …catch my drift?
Also I dont like waiting,hence I hate ordering from these avon,tupperware etc salesreps.Ga ke batla selo,ke se batla nou eseng 3 weeks later.
coolcaz on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 10:28 pm
I bought my wedding dress day cheap cheap! And I saved R7000 And u take the measurements and give it to them and wow what an authentic material and perfect fit it was.
coolcaz on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 10:29 pm
BS man we must have a delete ot edit option. I bought my wedding dress from china on line
fancyface on Mon, 4th Jul 2011 11:22 pm
Tjo @coolcaz a wedding dress? Something that personal! You’re brave shem
BongaPercy on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 12:46 am
I’m a beeeeeg online fan. From http://www.amazon.com and http://www.cdconnectin.com to our very own http://www.kalahari.net, I’ve bought from all of them. As for online banking, that’s all I know. The last time I queued in a bank was when I was in varsity. I simply don’t believe in queues. The convinience of online shopping is priceless.
sxylin on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 2:18 am
LOOL @ a wedding dress being purchased online yah neh now I’ve heard it all!
U have liver angeke tjo!
coolcaz on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 3:53 am
Ngempela go to
http://www.vivebridal.com and check beautiful dresses they have. Even bridal shops orders them.
Nthoentle on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 5:24 am
Tjo @CoolCaz, a wedding dress nana? Tjo! U didn’t wanna go for fittings, trying out dresses, and doing the twirl thinking u r a princess? LOL
I’m gonna try that website Dexter gave, if I like imma buy. But eish I love fitting on clothes ill probably just buy bags.
DexterSUPERIOR on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 6:23 am
Shipping costs are determined by the number of items you buy. They’ll calculate it when you’ve put everything you’re buying in the shopping cart.
Authenticity – Knock offs come in different levels. The trick is to choose the most expensive piece on the list. The more expensive the item, the better the quality. I was in China in 2007 and what I liked about those merchants is that they’re very honest. They’ll have like 7 or 8 identical Louis Vuitton bags on display all with different prices. All you do is choose the quality you want.
We all wear knock offs at the end of the day. What I also learned in China was that many (if not all) of these huge design houses also own sweat shops in China where they knock off their own brands.
You don’t have to buy at Pick n Pay. Look at Mara Louw who bought her fake outfit in Hyde Park. She wore it for years without her or anyone else knowing it was fake until she was busted on tv. It’s important to know your brands very well so that you’ll be able to choose the correct knock off.
MissAN on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 6:54 am
And @ Nthoenhle don’t forget the babygrows. How is Onthatile?
Lol @ choose your knock offs well. Hence @ Dexter I said nabo these high end retailers can’t be trusted to be selling the real McCoy,these days its relatively safe to assume that only an LV shop will sell LV goods, the rest there is a possibility they just selling good fake and passing it on as the real thing.
Will give your shop a try as well. Like the shoes and bags.
Tjo! @ Coolcas! Talk about being a reluctant bride,as long as you looked the perfect bride thats all that matters.
Vesa on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 8:18 am
I’ve always shopped on the internet. From PicknPay groceries, cd’s and even shoes from overseas shops. Normally, shipping is for free…..or maybe it depends on the amount of money you spend.
I’ve always used internet banking, from back in the day and I’ve never had problems with it.
Vesa on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 8:20 am
I’ve always shopped on the internet. From PicknPay groceries, cd’s and even shoes from overseas shops. Normally, shipping is for free…..or maybe it depends on the amount of money you spend.
I’ve always used internet banking, from back in the day and I’ve never had problems with it.
On the Sandton high end shops selling knock-offs, I once read Destiny mag a year or two ago, where they did an expose and found out that most shops sell knock-off and they owners didn’t even deny it.
mamamia on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 11:08 am
You can shop at PnP online wow, i must try that.
lwandie on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 11:16 am
I use internet banking mainly for fund transfers and direct debits as it saves the hassle of queueing from bank to bank.For most purchases I’m very much a cash person or at most debit card.I don’t do credit cards or store cards at all.
Designer garb is like Brazillian hair,unless you get it directly from the source there will always be that little seed of doubt.
True @ Dexter,It makes sense why the likes of China, Thailand,Malasyia etc are able to produce knock offs that are so close to the real thing because most designers have their lines produced there anyway.
Like MissAN though, I’m team knock-off-wary,I think I’d just feel like an imposter nje in a knock off.I’ll stick to label-free and those labels I can afford until I can walk into an LV or Prada shop.
sxylin on Tue, 5th Jul 2011 9:12 pm
Guys one free tip:- I got this from a colleague who is an British expat and was living in Hong Kong:- His wife was PA to Donna Karan’s MD (yes DKNY) he says they produce one original item and sent the rest of the designs to China to be mass produced cos its cheaper and app the factory workers then take home the same designs and make them for their own profit!
It does make sense ukuba if it looks original chances are its a replica of it
eve nings on Wed, 6th Jul 2011 3:51 pm
I bought HIV home test kit, if you order a minimum of 3, delivery is free.
Lady gaga on Wed, 6th Jul 2011 4:02 pm
@eve nings O_o
andrewc on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 11:00 am
Seems like there are still many people out there sceptic about buying online. Buy online is the next best thing since sliced bread. But yes, there are things you dont buy online, Clothes and perishable foods. I would recommend visiting sites like http://www.oneshop.co.za/ that review and approve online stores. You can be rest assured that when ordering from one of these stores you will receive the product.