Platforms for selling online, and what to check about local payments, delivery and consumer rules before you build a store.
Make sure your store platform supports a South African payment gateway your customers trust, and check its fees and settlement times.
Check whether the platform connects to the couriers you plan to use, or whether you’ll enter tracking manually.
The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act and the Consumer Protection Act set out what online sellers must tell customers (such as contact details, prices and return policies). Check the current Acts, or ask a legal adviser.
Many global tools bill in US dollars or euros, so the rand cost moves with the exchange rate, and your bank may add foreign-transaction fees. Check the currency on the vendor’s pricing page before you commit.
We don’t rank these or call any one of them the best. Each note explains which situations the tool may suit, based on its profile. The details are in each profile, where verified and unverified information is labelled.
May suit businesses with a WordPress site who want full control. It’s free and open source (verified), and local payment gateways such as PayFast and Yoco list WooCommerce plugins.
South Africa note: Local payment gateways commonly offer WooCommerce plugins. Hosting, extensions and gateway fees are separate costs.
Free plan: Yes · Pricing: Free & open source · Not yet reviewed
May suit businesses that want a hosted store with an app marketplace, and less technical setup than self-hosting. Check which local payment gateways are supported.
South Africa note: Check which local payment gateways are supported for South African stores before you build.
Free plan: Not yet verified · Pricing: not yet verified · Not yet reviewed
May suit small businesses that want a website builder with a built-in store for a modest product range.
Free plan: Not yet verified · Pricing: not yet verified · Not yet reviewed
May suit creators and small brands that want a design-led website with simple selling.
Free plan: Not yet verified · Pricing: not yet verified · Not yet reviewed
Price a product from materials, labour, overheads and sales fees to hit a target margin, with or without VAT.
Calculate gross margin, the price needed for a target margin, or the maximum cost you can afford.
Sale price and savings from a discount, stacked discounts, or the discount % between two prices.
Add or remove VAT, or work back from a VAT amount. Shows net, VAT and total, with South Africa’s 15% as the default rate.
Selling online in South Africa: hosted stores vs WooCommerce, local payment gateways such as PayFast and Yoco, delivery, VAT on prices and the consumer rules to check.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Laws, tax rates and regulations change. Check official sources, such as SARS, the Information Regulator and the relevant Acts, or ask a qualified professional before you make decisions. Tool details come from each tool’s ToolTarvern profile and may have changed. Check the vendor’s own site.