Selling online in South Africa is more accessible than ever, but choosing the wrong platform or skipping payment setup properly can cost you sales. This guide compares your platform options, explains the local payment gateways, and gives you a step-by-step launch checklist.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: which should you choose?
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fast setup, low maintenance | Full control, already on WordPress |
| Hosting | Included (managed) | You need your own hosting |
| Ease of use | Very beginner-friendly | Steeper learning curve |
| Cost structure | Monthly subscription + transaction fees | Free core plugin + hosting + paid extensions |
| Customisation | Good via apps/theme editor | Highly flexible via plugins/code |
Choose Shopify if you want the fastest, most reliable path to selling online with minimal technical maintenance. Choose WooCommerce if you already have a WordPress site or need deep customisation and control over hosting/data.
South African payment gateways compared
| Gateway | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PayFast | General e-commerce | Widely supported on Shopify/WooCommerce, EFT + card support |
| Yoco | In-person + online combo businesses | Popular with retail/card-machine users expanding online |
| Peach Payments | Card payments, subscriptions | Strong for recurring billing and card-heavy stores |
Compare current transaction fees and settlement times directly with each provider — they change and vary by plan.
Common e-commerce launch mistakes
- Launching without testing the full checkout and payment flow.
- Poor product photography that hurts conversion.
- No clear shipping/returns policy (erodes buyer trust).
- Ignoring mobile experience — most SA shoppers browse on phones.
- Skipping basic SEO setup, making the store invisible on Google.
