This 12 months has a whole lot of promise for entrepreneurs, particularly those that are coming into or increasing their companies within the e-commerce area. With manufacturers corresponding to Amazon South Africa backing unbiased sellers, SMEs can leverage the chance and develop with ease.
Chatting with Robert Koen, Managing Director of Amazon Sub-Saharan Africa (Amazon South Africa), he shared why making the platform has confirmed to be a useful addition to sellers from micro, small, and medium companies in South Africa.
“Greater than 60% of the objects bought globally in Amazon’s retailer are from unbiased sellers – most of that are small- and medium-sized companies – offering an incredible choice, worth, and comfort for purchasers,” Koen explains. “Amazon gives unbiased sellers and retailers – whatever the dimension of their enterprise – with entry to highly effective instruments, companies, and programmes to drive their enterprise progress.”
A number of Revenue Streams for SMEs
“The launch of Amazon in South Africa gives unbiased sellers, small and enormous, all through the nation, a chance to construct and scale their companies by promoting in our retailer. Collectively, we’ve introduced creativity, innovation, and financial alternative to entrepreneurs of all sizes and their communities,” he notes.
“Amazon’s market empowers entrepreneurs to construct diversified earnings streams cost-effectively. Sellers can begin small, check a number of product classes, and scale effectively via Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), which permits Amazon to deal with operational complexities as their enterprise grows. {The marketplace} helps varied enterprise fashions, together with sellers’ personal manufacturers and wholesale. As soon as established, sellers can develop globally, reaching clients throughout worldwide marketplaces with out establishing a bodily presence, all whereas Amazon manages fulfilment and logistics to assist them give attention to rising their enterprise.
Enabling Enterprise By Highly effective Instruments
Koen highlights that Amazon South Africa gives sellers with highly effective instruments that span their promoting expertise. “These embody how we assist sellers analysis and design compelling merchandise, create efficient product listings (with extra options being added all through 2026), drive environment friendly promoting and advertising and marketing to get their merchandise found, construct manufacturers with enduring buyer loyalty, attain clients throughout the nation and across the globe, and a lot extra. These improvements present small companies with highly effective capabilities that leverage our improvements and scale, whereas additionally serving to sellers save money and time.”
Moreover, Koen elaborates on how Amazon’s fulfilment service helps SMEs to develop. “With our Fulfilment by Amazon service, unbiased sellers let Amazon deal with fulfilment, choosing, packing, and transport merchandise to clients around the globe, whereas additionally dealing with returns and customer support.
“Different instruments that assist unbiased sellers develop their on-line presence embody simple onboarding instruments, fee processing options, Vendor College and Webinars, and promotional options to assist their merchandise get found by clients, in addition to reviews and analytics to enhance gross sales.”
Just a few examples of the instruments sellers have entry to are:
Enterprise Instruments: Sellers acquire entry to advertising and marketing and promoting instruments, together with sponsored merchandise, Amazon Model Shops, promotions, and analytics that assist drive site visitors and gross sales. The shop gives built-in companies for fee processing, logistics administration, and buyer information insights.
Account Well being: In line with Koen, Amazon continues to spend money on – and enhance on – aiding our sellers via clearer communications, quicker response occasions, clearer indication of coverage violations, and extra. Sellers have direct contact with our account managers to ask questions, get steerage to help their promoting expertise on Amazon.co.za.
Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA): Sellers can select from varied simple and stress-free fulfilment methods when transport orders to clients, together with Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), whereby they ship their merchandise to Amazon’s fulfilment centre and let Amazon care for the remaining.
Instructional Assets: Amazon has launched Vendor Education schemes particularly for South Africa, combining stay webinars with on-demand studying via Vendor College. This portal gives sensible steerage and market-specific data tailor-made to South African sellers at each stage of their business trip.
Strategic Assist: The Strategic Vendor Program gives account-managed help for qualifying sellers, guaranteeing a easy launch expertise and ongoing steerage.
“With the current advances in generative AI, now we have continued to rework each side of the promoting expertise,” he provides. “These adjustments are permitting sellers to robotically generate product listings, pictures, movies, and inventive campaigns. Our new instruments improve the vendor’s enterprise to capitalise on the most recent traits and adjustments in buying behaviours.”
Koen additionally shared that entrepreneurs utilizing Amazon.co.za have an unique alternative this 12 months. “Till 31 December 2026, South African sellers pay solely R1 for a Skilled promoting account, saving R4 800 in annual subscription charges. Sellers additionally profit from a 5% flat referral payment throughout all classes. Moreover, when selecting our world-class FBA fulfilment choice, they profit from free storage and pick-and-pack charges, in addition to 90% low cost on inbound shipments to our fulfilment centres.”
Busting Frequent E-commerce Myths
Primarily based on his expertise, Koen dispels the next frequent e-commerce myths.
Fantasy: “It’s too difficult to start out”
Actuality: Trendy e-commerce marketplaces present step-by-step steerage, academic sources, and automatic instruments that simplify the method. Amazon’s Vendor College provides a whole lot of hours of free academic content material particularly designed for learners.
Fantasy: “You want important capital to start”
Actuality: Not like conventional retail, on-line marketplaces enable entrepreneurs to start out small and scale step by step. FBA eliminates the necessity for warehouse area, and sellers can start with restricted stock.
Fantasy: “You want superior know-how expertise”
Actuality: E-commerce marketplaces present intuitive interfaces and complete help, minimising technical boundaries. Amazon additionally provides further help to qualifying companies via devoted account managers who help each step of the way in which.
Fantasy: “Success requires full-time dedication”
Actuality: Many profitable sellers begin part-time, utilizing automated instruments and fulfilment companies to handle operations effectively. The flexibleness of e-commerce permits entrepreneurs to construct companies round present commitments.
Fantasy: “You’re depending on one channel”
Actuality: Analysis reveals SMEs usually promote via a number of channels – their very own web sites and varied e-commerce marketplaces – diversifying threat and maximising attain.
SMEs who’re trying to enter the e-commerce area can leverage the chance that Amazon South Africa gives to native entrepreneurs. It permits them to develop their attain and slowly acquire traction at their very own tempo.
