Let me start by saying that I believe we are at the tipping point for ecommerce in South Africa. A surge in ecommerce startups and growing user adoption of ecommerce (in all its shapes and sizes) leads me to believe that ecommerce is growing at a rapid pace.
Look local – the entrepreneurs are there
I spent an hour today with 2 entrepreneurs which after refelection makes me proud to one use their product and being able to spend time with them was something pretty amazing. Remember, doing a startup is not a designers jacket or a label but rather a battle. Everyday contains a million things that can go wrong and you are constantly focusing on making sure the wheels continue to turn. Having spent 2 years in the trenches with 2 entrepreneurs I can tell you it is not glamorous at all. In actual fact, I look back at 2 years as life education and no one can take that away from me. (Thanks Kevin and Onno, you made an impact and changed my life).
Lets be honest, starting any businesses is tough but an ecommerce subscription business in South Africa is a challenge fit for a team (minimum of 10 skilled individuals in my opinion) with considerable funding. There are more challenges facing these businesses; Smaller adoption rates, logistics and main stream ecommerce taking away users’ buying potential.