Amazon.co.za has launched a new storefront, which houses a host of unique local products.
Amazon said the ‘Shop Mzansi’ storefront features thousands of products across different categories, such as Toys, Home and Kitchen Appliances, Outdoor and Braai, Baby, Luggage, and Beauty.
The group said this will make it easier for millions of customers to find products from local small businesses in South Africa.
“Shop Mzansi showcases more than 160 brands from new, emerging, and established South African businesses, each with their own unique story,” said Robert Koen, managing director of Sub-Saharan Africa, Amazon.
“South Africa’s entrepreneurial spirit is undeniable, and we are thrilled to provide a dedicated online store that provides opportunities to support the growth of small businesses so they can thrive in our economy.”
More than 60% of sales in Amazon’s stores globally are from independent sellers, mostly small- and medium-sized businesses.
The group said that independent sellers on Amazon.co.za have access to multiple tools and services, such as the option to use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), a service that stores, packs, and ships independent sellers’ products to customers.
Other tools that can help independent sellers include easy onboarding tools, payment processing solutions, promotional features, reports, and analytics to improve sales.
“Since we launched in South Africa, we have worked closely with independent sellers to help them onboard their products on Amazon.co.za,” said Suzelle Abe, Head of Amazon Marketplace, Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Our local curated store provides opportunities for local businesses to expand to other global Amazon stores such as Amazon.com, thereby boosting the country’s efforts towards digitizing small businesses and positioning them for real success and longevity.”
Koen previously told BusinessTech that the group is pleased with its performance in South Africa thus far.
He said that marketplace reviews have been positive, with users particaurly impressed by the 24/7 customer service.
He added that South African consumers mainly purchase everyday items such as washing liquid and fire lighters.
With the marketplace still in its infancy in South Africa, Amazon is set to expand, with Koen stating that the group is “hiring like crazy.”
According to Amazon’s career centre, 95 full-time positions can currently be applied for.
The job categories currently on offer include:
- Operations, IT, and Support Engineering (29)
- Software Development (17)
- Project/Program/Product Management / Non-Tech (14)
- Buying, planning & in-stock management (6)
- Sales, Advertising & Account Management (5)
- Human Resources (5)
- Marketing (5)
- Customer service (3)
- Project/Program/Product Management – Technical (2)
- Business & Merchant Development (1)
- Business Intelligence (1)
- Amazon Design (1)
- Leadership Development and Training (1)
- Legal (1)
- Machine Learning Science (1)
- Research Science (1)
- Solutions Architect (1)
- Systems, Quality, & Security Engineering (1)