Selling online in South Africa means choosing a store platform, a payment gateway that works locally, and a way to deliver orders. You also need to price correctly for VAT and follow consumer rules. Here’s how the pieces fit.
Browse: ecommerce tools and payment tools for South African businesses.
Store platforms
| May suit you if… | Check | |
|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce | You have, or want, a WordPress site and full control. It’s free and open source (verified), and you pay for hosting and any extensions. | Hosting quality, plugin costs, and who maintains updates |
| Shopify | You want a hosted store with an app marketplace and less technical setup | Which local payment gateways it supports; billing currency |
| Wix / Squarespace | You want a website builder with a built-in shop for a modest range | Store features on your plan; payment options in South Africa |
Payment gateways
Your customers expect local cards and familiar methods such as instant EFT.
- PayFast is built for South African online payments. Its listed integrations include WooCommerce and Shopify. May suit stores taking payments on their website.
- Yoco is built for the South African market, with mobile apps for taking payments in person and a listed WooCommerce plugin. May suit businesses that sell both in person and online.
Compare current transaction fees, monthly fees, settlement times and the documents each provider needs to open your account. Fees change, so check the providers’ own pricing pages rather than old blog posts.
Pricing, VAT and margins
- If you’re VAT-registered, show VAT-inclusive prices to consumers. The standard rate is 15% (verified against SARS on 16 October 2026). See VAT-inclusive vs VAT-exclusive pricing.
- Payment fees are charged on what the customer pays, VAT included. The free pricing calculator builds this in, and the margin calculator shows what you keep.
- Plan sales with the discount calculator, so a “30% off” doesn’t wipe out your margin.
Delivery
Check whether your platform connects to the couriers you plan to use. If it doesn’t, you’ll enter tracking numbers manually. Show delivery costs and times before checkout, because surprises at the end are a common reason for abandoned carts.
Consumer rules to check
The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act and the Consumer Protection Act set out what online sellers must tell customers: who you are, how to contact you, full prices, delivery, and returns and cancellations. Requirements are detailed and can change, so read the current Acts or ask a legal adviser before you launch. If you collect customer details, POPIA applies too. See the Information Regulator.
Make the store fast on mobile
Many shoppers browse on phones with limited data. Compress product photos with the free image compressor and resize them with the image resizer.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Tool and integration details come from each tool’s ToolTarvern profile and may have changed. Check the vendor’s site.