As Africa’s landscape continues to develop, what kind of market trends have you observed around retail to online conversion?

With more than a few decades of experience across African markets, we’ve had a front-row seat to the industry’s evolution. One of the most notable trends has been the gradual shift from purely retail operations to omnichannel experiences. 

That said, the transition isn’t happening at the same pace everywhere. South Africa, for example, is considerably more mature than many neighbouring markets, while other countries are still heavily retail-driven. In many cases, retail remains the foundation of the customer journey, but digital channels are becoming increasingly important as smartphone adoption and internet accessibility continue to improve.