Johannesburg, South Africa, Release: 30 September 2019. For Immediate Release.

Curated Fashion (Pty) Ltd has launched a new e-commerce website (http://www.curatedfashion.co.za) centered specifically on thrifting! 

"This business venture has been one that I have been working on for over a year, so to launch it now feels absolutely amazing!" - Founder, Lolo Ntshiqa

Thrifting has become a term used when individuals shop for previously owned clothing, books or furniture. It has been an activity made popular by hipsters and those who love vintage wear. However nowadays, it is becoming less of a taboo to buy and wear secondhand clothing. This trend has been supported by online retailers such as Grailed, Poshmark, and Depop; as well as celebrities like Olivia Wilde whose secondhand clothing line seeks to reduce fashion waste.

Founder of Curated Fashion, Lolo Ntshiqa believes thrifting in South Africa is not a fad, but a dynamic industry that has potential to flourish among young people. She adds, "Wearing secondhand clothing used to be a dirty and undesirable choice when I was growing up, however I see that society is becoming more liberal and open-minded concerning fashion and style, as well as what one considers socially acceptable. As a generation, I believe we are becoming less superficial about what we wear, and we would rather choose clothing that expresses the truth of who we are".

The e-commerce website (http://www.curatedfashion.co.za) is built as a marketplace, allowing the interaction between buyers and sellers. Anybody can open a free shop on the platform and sell clothing straight from their closets. The option for young people to sell their clothes in exchange for money, will allow them the opportunity to reset their wardrobes without having to overspend. Operated by a young South African woman, Curated Fashion seeks to disrupt the consumption of fashion in the country, and make various fashion trends more accessible and affordable for every and any young fashion lover, "Price or geographical location should not be a barrier for young people to dress and wear whatever they like. It feels even better when I am dressed by my own peers [laughs]".

Cape Town, South Africa: Today WeSit, an online babysitting company connecting parents to professionally vetted babysitters, announced that they have signed up 1000 babysitters to service parents in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The company is growing at breakneck pace, having only begun operations in March of this year. Of the rapid growth in operations, WeSit CEO and cofounder Nqobile Msibi said “Reaching 1000 babysitters is a noteworthy milestone and we think the market for our service is only really starting to take shape.

Everyone on the team is excited about it and we’re happy to finally be able to service multiple cities. Personally vetting each and every applicant to our platform is how I know we’re delivering the highest quality of service to busy parents.”

About WeSit: WeSit is an online on-demand babysitting startup based in Cape Town, South Africa. Operating since March of 2019 and now available in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Dropstore makes it easier to find products to sell online by connecting retailers to suppliers from across South Africa.

Experience convenient e-commerce trading with seamless integration, user-friendly design and advanced search functionality on Dropstore.

1 April 2019 - Dropstore is an inventory marketplace that makes finding quality products easier for online store owners to sell by sourcing straight from distributors and wholesalers to your website.

While dropshipping remains an extremely popular business model for new entrepreneurs, challenges may arise if store owners are not affiliated with trusted suppliers that can guarantee top quality and care with the handling of orders.

Dropstore lists verified suppliers that have a proven track record of providing the highest quality service for users over a sustained period.

Choose from various packages or get started right away with a basic package from as little as R399/month. With unlimited orders, daily product syncing, and pricing automation, experience the ease of e-commerce today.

Visit dropstore.co.za for more information.

Founded by Adewale Adejumo & Olufemi Baiyewu, Dropstore offers technology and integration that provides comprehensive solutions to South African Suppliers and Online Retailers.

If you would like more information on Dropstore, please contact us via:
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Global commercial giants descend on Cape Town for the continent’s largest ecommerce gathering.  

Cape Town, South Africa: More than 300 companies within the African ecommerce ecosystem will gather in Cape Town on the 19th and 20th March to review the latest technology influencing online retail and fulfillment. Attendees will learn how to leverage the rapid growth of cross border payments; customer security and how African companies can compete with the likes of Amazon.  

The experts guiding the 2019 event are global leaders and game changers shaping the ecommerce landscape well beyond Africa. Google, Naspers, DHL and Jumia are among the giants who will be shaping the discussion. “The collection of thought leaders and the topics under discussion this year are aimed at creating an immediate impact for African ecommerce companies. From marketing to fulfilment, the world’s best will be on stage sharing best practice and innovative hacks to drive online growth”   

“It is quite remarkable to have all of these industry leaders on the same stage not only willing to share but actively working to grow the industry and ensure African customers receive a world class online shopping experience.” Terry Southam, Kinetic Managing Director. 

DHL partners with the conference for the second year running, extending their commitment to driving innovation within the fulfilment space as Lead Sponsor of the Show.  

Steve Burd, Vice President Sales for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, explains that the ongoing partnership between DHL and eCommerce Africa is a good fit. “As the market leaders in express logistics in Africa, we have extensive first-hand experience of the positive impact that ecommerce has on the continent. The massive growth in cross-border and international ecommerce in Africa sees DHL working with thousands more customers across the continent each year, helping them to expand their brand across borders.” 

He adds that the development of ecommerce in Africa continues to unlock major opportunities for growth. “E-commerce allows entrepreneurs and SMEs to connect with a large customer base and scale up rapidly which accelerates the need for support services. E-commerce growth therefore has a ripple-effect on many other industries on the continent.” 

“DHL’s partnership with eCommerce Africa provides us with an additional platform to connect with organisations and help them to understand key logistics considerations, and learn how to plan for and overcome any logistical challenges,” adds Burd. 

eCommerce Africa 2019 has taken additional care this year to ensure an event that is accessible to an extended audience, by offering an additional track agenda on the expo floor that educates business owners on how an effective ecommerce strategy can grow their business.  This agenda offers everything that startups and smaller businesses need to kick start and rapidly scale their business. These tickets are available at an inclusive price of only ZAR 350, to ensure every startup, small business owner and ecommerce dreamer has the opportunity to participate. 

Follow @eCommerceConfex on Twitter and join the conversation using the #ECO19 hashtag or register for the event here. 

For more information, please contact:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.+27 (0) 21 180 470014 Pickwick Road, Salt River, Cape Town. 

ABOUT KINETIC

Kinetic is a proudly South African conferencing company with an international footprint across East, West and Southern Africa. As the proud leader of the CX, ecommerce and IT conferencing industries, we strive to accelerate corporate and personal growth by connecting people, connecting companies and facilitating meaningful business connections.Established in 2008, we have produced over 100 conferences and exhibitions that have hosted over 100 000 delegates, 5000 speakers and 450 sponsors. Our mission is to inspire change in the industries we service, by leaving our delegates with fresh insights, new perspectives and real business opportunities. 

ENDS

Ecommerce business marketplace, XAfricaMart.com launched in Johannesburg today, 11 July 2017. The online service offers companies with products that businesses need on an ongoing basis, the ability to build its brand, promote its products and sell online to businesses nationally.   

“Businesses marketing and selling products such as office equipment, stationery, consumables, catering equipment, tools, hardware, cleaning products, supplies, computer hardware and software, security goods and more, now have access to a fully-hosted eCommerce Marketplace where they can set up and host an online shop. Sellers only pay a low 1.2% sales success fee. The site is set to change the face of online business in the country,” says Stephen Oehley, XAfricaMart.com’s CEO.  

Launching to small and growing businesses, XAfricaMart.com offers sellers and their customers a trade secure payment platform that mitigates online trading risks and non-delivery. Order payments are simply made to the PASA-approved TradeSafe escrow trust account. The customer takes delivery, inspects the merchandise, accepts it online, and payment is immediately made to the seller.  A safe and fuss-free transaction for both sides.  

“XAfricaMart.com is not only a new B2B marketplace, but it is also a sales and distribution channel on steroids. Sellers registering on the site, receive a number of benefits that usually come at a premium. These include automated sales leads, automated invoicing and financial reporting as well as national delivery backup support, free product catalogue displays, the ability to configure packaging and price packs by minimum order quantities. 

“We are excited to offer a place for those owners of small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods online without the usual restrictive costs involved to set up shop online,” says Oehley. 

All small and growing businesses are invited to register on XAfricaMart.com as soon as possible so as to start reaping the benefits that this marketplace offers. 

The B2B service connects international exporters looking for importers, importers looking for agents and distributors, suppliers of input products to manufacturers, manufacturers looking for sales agents and channels and suppliers of industrial and consumer products looking to increase sales into new local business markets affordably.

XAfricaMart has many well-respected sponsors, associates, and supporters. Visit the website to view this list, to find out more about the benefits of registering as a seller: www.xafricamart.com.  

Said Oehley: "CEO of Digital Planet, Neil Watson once said: ‘The percentage of B2B buyers completing their work-related purchases online, will hit 56% by 2017’, it is, therefore, clear that online trading is essential, especially as our economy continues to battle”.

'XAfricaMart holds all the right ingredients especially for SMEs seeking new markets and growth nodes', ~Elton Plaatjes: Brandenburg Small Business Engineering.To register as a seller and add products, go to  www.xafricamart.com/Home/BecomeSeller.

Johannesburg, Thursday January 12th, 2017-- Today, Furnitureshop.co.za introduced a revolutionary new way to connect furniture shoppers and craftsmen all across South Africa. Through Furniturespot, artisanal craftsmen get access to an online platform and shoppers finally are able to order their one-of-a-kind furniture with incredible ease. Why compromise, and buy expensive imported furniture from a big company, when you can have your furniture custom-made by local artisans at a fair price? Because local is lekker!

Only the best craftsmen are given access to the platform. Furniturespot’s makers make all types of furniture including tables, cabinets, chandeliers and even custom made braais.  

Furniturespot.co.za helps customers realise their furniture ideas by connecting them to talented artisanal craftsmen. Customers can upload a picture of their desired furniture they have seen on Pinterest or somewhere else. Furniturespot will send the customer three different quotations. Based on price and previous reviews, the customer decides which craftsman to take for the job.  

The founders of Furniturespot, Wouter and Lizet, spent months to find the best craftsmen Johannesburg has to offer for their platform. Wouter: “It took much more time than expected. We drove hundreds of kilometres in the city of Johannesburg. These artisanal craftsmen are difficult to find because they don’t have a website and there is no rating system available where you can pick the best furniture makers.”  

The founders got the idea when they were redecorating their home but couldn’t find what they were looking for. “It was either too expensive, too big, too small or just not the right colour. To create exactly the pieces we had in mind, we went custom. But we couldn’t find furniture makers to be trusted. This is how we got the idea to start Furniturespot.co.za,” said Lizet.  

Stimulating the local economy

Furniturespot.co.za wants to stimulate the local economy by bringing more business to craftsmen. Lizet: “When you go shopping at one of the major furniture stores you will find that most furniture is imported, and with a quality that is average at best. We believe that the lack of trust and the inconvenience to order custom made furniture are important factors for people not using local talent. Our platform connects talented artisanal craftsmen with all those customers looking for that one-of-a-kind piece of furniture. Furniturespot.co.za supports the “Local is lekker” movement.  

The website takes away the fear of trust that so many people have when they are looking for a furniture maker. Furniturespot’s craftsmen have been screened by Furniturespot on quality and trustworthiness. Wouter: “Customers want to go to a one-stop-shop they can trust”. Custom made is much more affordable than what people would think. Wouter: “Everybody thinks that custom made pieces are expensive. I would say it is quite the opposite. Our makers are much more affordable than your mainstream furniture shops, because we have cut out the middlemen. And when it is custom made, the pieces meet our customers’ exact specifications. Why buy something not quite right when you can have it custom made?”  

About

Furniturespot.co.za is a new online marketplace in South Africa for custom made furniture. Furniturespot.co.za has built an exciting platform for turning customer furniture ideas into reality by connecting them to the best artisanal craftsmen South Africa has to offer. By delivering great customer service through creative and manufacturing expertise at an affordable price point, furniturespot.co.za is making custom made furniture accessible to everyone. At furniturespot.co.za we bring one-of-a-kind ideas to life.

Cape Town, 12 January 2017 – Luxity is one of South Africa’s newest tech start-ups that aims to give everybody a chance to sport a stylish Louis Vuitton handbag, a pair of luxurious Gucci sunglasses or some trendy Louboutin’s at affordable prices. Causing quite the stir in the industry in only a few months, this young company from Cape Town focuses on buying and selling authentic used luxury goods that are still in great condition. Following the trends and making sure to always look stylish is not always easy and can quickly get very expensive. This is where Luke Calitz from Luxity saw an opportunity to step in and make everyone’s lives more convenient and feel like a million bucks! 

The Luxity online boutique provides access to some of the world’s most coveted brands, ranging from designer handbags, clutches, wallets and purses as well as other leather accessories, premium high heels and flats, high-end scarves, luxury sunglasses, and much more. “We pride ourselves in offering only 100% authentic luxury items that are still in excellent condition. At Luxity we take authentication extremely seriously and offer a full money back guarantee, should you ever prove that we sold you a fake or counterfeit item,” explains Luke Calitz, owner of Luxity. Going to an actual second hand store is not always the most pleasant of experiences and you never know what they might have in stock. On the other hand, going through a platform such as Gumtree or OLX might result in a counterfeit product. “With Luxity, our customers can browse from the safety and convenience of their homes, pay online and have a courier deliver a guaranteed authentic luxury item to their door in just a few days.” This added value of feeling safe and giving them ease of mind has led to many customers coming again and again.

Luxity’s social media channels keep customers up to date on new arrivals, which are all listed at their online boutique (www.luxity.co.za) where every item can be purchased with just few simple clicks. “To ensure that everybody can afford luxury, we offer our customers an interest free layby option where they can pay off their purchase within two months in as many instalments as they wish,” Luke explains further.

Luxity does not only cater to those with a desire to buy designer brands, but also to everyone who wants to sell designer luxury goods – whether it is to create space in the closet, by getting rid of items that do not fit or have never been worn. Like with their customers, Luxity strives to make the user experience as easy and convenient as possible: First, images and information are uploaded on the website. After Luxity’s experienced buying team checks and authenticates the item(s), the seller will be presented with the choice to either accept an immediate cash buyout, a store credit, or the option to list an item on consignment. All of this often takes place within 24-48 hours. 

In only four months this Cape Town based start-up has managed to stir up the second hand market, providing a safe, reliable and trusted service to customers and sellers alike.

In 2016, global eCommerce sales are expected to reach just shy of $2 trillion; Africa represents only about 2% of this. What is driving the eCommerce environment in Africa however, is the continuing rise of mobile connectivity and the rapid development of FinTech products. Just over 80% of African adults do not have access to traditional banking, yet the continent boasts more than 220 million registered mobile money accounts. Tapping into this increasingly connected and tech-savvy market is the focal point for all eCommerce vendors.

From our findings at the 2nd eCommerce Africa Confex in February 2016 it was clear that the next step in our evolution would be to include a FinTech/mobile payments focus. Out of hours of discussion with numerous industry leaders, the eCommerce Africa Confex 2017, powered by Kinetic, will now incorporate Money Africa.

The rise of telecom-driven financial services has left many banks and financial institutions chasing the market. FinTech products are creating a cashless society, facilitating borderless transactions, and encouraging frictionless peer-to-peer financing.

In East Africa alone, over $3 million worth of transactions are expected to take place through FinTech platforms every hour, every day. The future of financial services and payments is geared towards customer service, driving loyalty, creating new revenue streams and services, and banking the informal trading sector.

Money Africa 2017 will examine how your existing business should align itself with this junction of mobile, retail and financial services, marketing capabilities, customer data and peripheral technology.

The eCommerce conference sessions will examine various aspects of development in the industry: how online and mobile retailers are capitalising on growth opportunities; how omni-channel retailers are moving into a digital space; where the consumer is driving their own experience; the realities and challenges of cross-border expansion; and overcoming fulfilment concerns and driving logistics in the real world. 

The Annual eCommerce Africa Confex, powered by Kinetic for a 3rd year, will again take place at the CTICC on 22-23 February 2017. For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.ecommerce-africa.com  

CashBag, the cash back rewards program for online shopping, recently underwent a tune up. The site in addition to having a new look, now boasts more cash saving deals, more offers from local and international partners and more cash back in the consumers pocket.

In July, CashBag launched its CashBag Cash Back Button - A toolbar button that simplifies the process of activating rewards when shopping online. The plugin notifies the shopper each time they visit a CashBag partner website and shows them how much they can save by activating the reward. The CashBag Button also allows shoppers to compare cash back deals right on their Google search results page.

Signing up to CashBag is free and opens up a world of money-saving potential. Every time a shopper makes an online purchase through CashBag, CashBag pays a portion of the checkout total back to the consumer in cash.

“We’re trying to make it as easy as possible to earn money while you shop online, as well as ensure that consumers don’t miss out on any cash back rewards. The CashBag Button notifies you that a cash back reward is available at that particular site, they click on “activate” and continue shopping. It’s that simple, no forms to fill out or points to accumulate,” states CashBag GM, Kirsty Henderson.

The company launched in 2012 with the purpose of offering cash back to it’s members for shopping online; the more they shopped the more they’d earn. While the goal hasn’t changed, the consumer has as well as the playing field. Although reward programs are not a particularly new phenomenon they are becoming increasingly popular. According to The 2016 Truth Loyalty Whitepaper there are over 100 loyalty programs in South Africa with accelerated activity in the last 3-5 years.

Banks, insurance providers and many large retailers offer a variety of loyalty and rewards programs; cash back rewards, points, incentives, coupons and discounts. CashBag is not encouraging consumers to add to their daily activities in order to accumulate points etc. but merely continue doing what they already do i.e. shop online. In a recent report by Word Wide Worx, online retail is around 1% of overall retail in 2016, equating to roughly R9 billion which is up from R7,5 billion from last year. Consumers are shopping online, eCommerce in South Africa is maintaining it’s high growth rate year on year. CashBag is simply stating - keep on shopping and get rewarded for it.

CashBag rewards can be bundled together with other online loyalty and reward programs accumulating to considerable earning potential for the consumer. The Brandmapp Survey 2015 states, economically active South African consumers currently belong to an average of 4.6 loyalty programs meaning, CashBag members are able to earn cash back, loyalty points and discounts in one purchase from the various programs that they belong to. Every quarter consumers are then paid their cash back accumulated in their CashBag account.

CashBag offers cash back on everything from travel and accommodation both locally and abroad to fashion, homeware, gadgets and health and beauty. Boasting over 100 online offers and rewards of up to 30% cash back, savvy shoppers are able to earn cash back on just about any purchase they make online.

With growth come responsibility Who is responsible for your online security? Who's responsibility is it that you stay on the right side of the law at all times? Yes... you are! The latest e-commerce stats from Statista.com show that 40% of worldwide internet users have bought products or goods online via desktop, mobile, tablet or other online devices. This amounts to more than 1 billion online buyers and should continue grow steadily.

This shows us the tremendous growth of eCommerce. With this positive growth comes negatives as well, online scams are increasing, payment fraud is on the uptake, consumers are abusing the CPA when it comes to refunds, returns etc. Protection of personal information is becoming more and more important, information is being stolen and social media is full of schemes and fraudsters.

Thus... The eCommerce Law & Security Conference was born! By attending this conference on 3 & 4 June 2015 delegates will learn from experts how to avoid and prevent all of the above mentioned from affecting you and your company. Speakers will share their knowledge and expertise on industry topics to ensure you leave the conference with an updated wealth of knowledge and strategy on how to implement all of this including the POPI Act in your organisation. More information click here...

Expert speakers include: Robby Coelho - Webber Wentzel Andrew Kirkland - Trustwave SA Rosalind Lake - Norton Rose Fulbright Ashleigh van Kerckhoven - KPMG Rosalind Davey & Khomotso Makapane - Bowman Gilfillan  

Early Bird Registrations Open Register 2 delegates for ONLY R4798. Normal registration fee for the full 2 day conference is R3199 per delegate. Included in the registration fee: *Full access to the conference, panel discussion and workshop *Sit-down buffet lunch both days *Free Parking *3 Refreshment breaks per day *Digital copies of each presentation *Networking Opportunities with speakers and delegates *2 days full of informative up-to-date presentations   Register NOW!    

Exclusive Workshop Attendees will have the benefit of attending a workshop on 4 June inclusive in the conference package. Understanding & Managing the Risks of Social Media presented by Rosalind Davey and Khomotso Makapane from one of SA's top law firms Bowman Gilfillan. Read more