As South Africans, we take our fashion seriously! We’ve been known to always have our finger on the latest fashion trends. Whether it be inspirational local fashion pieces from our home-grown designers or some of the more famous international brands. This is among the many reasons why the popularity of online clothing shopping in South Africa has majorly increased over the last few years.

There’s nothing easier than buying and checking out fashion online, all from the comfort of your own home! And with plenty of online clothing stores for you to get your fashion fix, there’s hardly any reason to go shopping at the malls anymore.

We’ve recently discovered a platform that takes buying clothes online to a whole new level. It’s online shopping like you’ve never seen it before.

Crate|Ov Clothes is South Africa’s first ever online ‘try before you buy’ clothing platform, exclusively for men.

It has been developed by men, for men. Our purpose is to incorporate the latest fashion trends with the convenience of online shopping. Whether you’re a board meeting kind of guy or an artistic individual, our fashion experts will have you looking your best, any day of the week.

Here’s what you get with your FREE sign up:

1. A crate filled with various clothing and accessory items
2. The chance to try on every item in the comfort of your own home
3. Keep what you like, return the rest
4. Zero delivery or return fees
5. Only get charged for what you keep

How it works:

Once you’ve registered on our site, you will need to complete a style quiz. This will let us know what styles and colours you prefer, what your sizes are, your budget and what kind of looks you’re just not that in to. You will also need to set a delivery date for your crate that’s convenient for you.

Once that’s all set up, you will be assigned a professional, personal stylist who will fill the crate with awesome stuff based on your style profile. The best part is, you will be able to chat to your stylist on WhatsApp or Messenger if ever you need some style tips or advice.

The courier will deliver your crate to your door. The cost is on us. You have 7 days to try the items on, change your mind a few times and then decide what you’re keeping and what you’re returning. The courier will then fetch the crate with the returned items. You will need to fill in a short feedback form to let us know what you liked and what you didn’t, mainly so that we can up our game when packing your next crate. Only then will you be charged for the items you’ve kept.

No busy shopping malls, no long queues, no tiny fitting rooms. How cool does that sound?

Visit our website today to register: https://crateovclothes.com/

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 0114654750

With a history that spans some 34 years, the  family owned business, Rugs Original  began its retail  journey with its first store in Cresta Shopping Centre, and now operates across South Africa, supplying both the retail and wholesale markets with quality imported rugs for sale

Part and parcel of recent changes to the structure of the business, is to ensure that Rugs Original propels itself into the digital shopping space, which has grown considerably in the South African market. This has resulted in the creation of a fully integrated website buying platform, affording customers searching for rugs online South Africa to purchase a top quality floor covering from Rugs Original, delivered directly to them.

Further to this, the interior design market was tapped, with a portal being created for this industry, where, once completing a sign up form, login details and preferential pricing is provided, allowing for complete access to ranges and purchases from Rugs Original. The supply chain is serviced via this portal, as an additional business to business function.

The planning of the website takes into consideration the manner in which customers shop online, and ensures that the navigation of the site is simple, but effective, in ensuring customers are not only offered a host of choices, but that the process of finding their dream rug is simple. Rugs for sale categories are compiled by ranges, designs, shapes, areas of use, indoor versus outdoor options, and contemporary versus more classical ranges, and lastly by size.

This, combined with the active social media presence of Rugs Original, on Facebook and Instagram, provides customers with peace of mind when purchasing rugs for sale online. All imagery provides a room setting, a close up of the physical rug, and an even closer 45-degree angle, allowing customers to be shown every angle of their chosen rug, and how the rug would look in their desired space. Further advice is given on the composition of the rug, and its best areas of usage, and those customers who are unsure of their choice, can interact via social media channels, and be provided with the very best recommendations prior to purchase.

2018 saw the introduction and expansion of the Rugs Original brand into the children’s realm, with the addition of Kids Original, which has bought a new dimension to the brand, offering a host of machine washable rugs for baby nurseries, kids and tween bedrooms. Initially offering a small, “tester” range, the success of the Kids Original brand, has seen the offering grow substantially, to include a host of child-friendly décor items.

Rugs Original has retained its retail presence, with nationally based stores, some being of the new concept design, and some larger stores, that also act as clearance outlets.

Whether you’re looking for a simple door mat, Persian rugs for sale, a modern and funky design to be the groundwork canvas for your room, or outdoor rugs to complete your entertainment area, Oriental Rugs , machine woven rugs, machine washable rugs, the Rugs Original collections have something for everyone.  

The wait for uMhlanga’s latest business and lifestyle development is over as Park Square, an exceptional business and lifestyle destination for professionals and community members, finally opens its doors.

The R1billion Four Star Green Star-rated development, developed by Nedport Developments, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nedbank, features 36 000m² of commercial space, a 4 000m² retail area and a 3 500m² connected open square. The generous retail arcade with some of Durban’s finest stores, restaurants and coffee shops, connects the square with the lush Chris Saunders Park.

Indigenous trees, grass and planter boxes form part of the development’s design to create an attractive natural open space where a connected work culture and distinctive leisure and retail elements exist side by side. Designed with people in mind, Park Square connects the surrounding communities through considered stores, restaurants and services while simultaneously being a dynamic place for professionals to work and socialize.

Outlets to look out for include a brand new top tier Spar and Tops at Spar, Medstone Pharmacy, Armitage Men’s Outfitters, Pizza Hut, Postnet, Hello Hunny Beauty Studio, Seattle Coffee, Mike’s Kitchen, Sergeant Coffee, D’Lishious Shawarma, the Eye Gallery, Eazi Laundromat and International Bank Vaults. On the mix of retail outlets, Nedport Director, Ken Reynolds commented, “Selecting the right assortment of retailers for Park Square was a thorough process. We are confident that we have an excellent combination of fashion, food and coffee purveyors as well as great service providers that will attract people to the development to shop, relax and get things done.”

Located on the uMhlanga Ridge close to Gateway Theatre of Shopping, a GO!Durban Integrated Rapid Transport System stop and other attractions, and with ample parking, Park Square will benefit from excellent access in an upmarket, safe and convenient location. Office areas will enjoy a second, more exclusive breakout space which enhances the development’s people-centred approach. “We look forward to welcoming the community to see what our beautiful considered new space has to offer. We are sure they will be impressed!” concludes Reynolds.

Visit www.parksquare.co.za to find out more.

SOUTH AFRICA – Jan, 2015 – After much anticipation LiveBids Auctions has been launched in South Africa. LiveBids offers a unique online buying and selling platform that incorporates different aspects of various social media.

This means that a choice of interests, following friend’s, search hundreds of products while buying items for a fraction of the cost and selling them to make real profits.

LiveBids aims to help buyers and sellers fully connect in trade with seamless transactions. It is an online marketplace that is simple, interactive and social. It allows users to experience a real-time marketplace, buy products lower than the market value and socially follow buyers and sellers.

Two formats are used, namely online auctions and pay-per-bid. The first of these is the traditional online auction model, where items are sold to the highest bidder. The second is a pay-per-bid model, where would-be buyers purchase credits to bid on items. These credits go to the seller, which is how it is possible to purchase big-ticket items for nominal amounts.

The founders of LiveBids, Rory Vollmer and Paul Hoft, explain that “the idea was to create an online marketplace that was simple, interactive and social, helping buyers and sellers connect and trade. The marketplace is completely people driven”.

Visit www.livebids.co.za to empower yourself by becoming an online buyer and seller today!

For further information regarding LiveBids Auctions, or to schedule an interview, please contact: 

Contact Rory Vollmer,

Co-Founder and Head of Marketing

Phone: +27 (0) 21 300 8446
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.livebids.co.za

Shopify users in South Africa will be pleased to know that eSolutions, by DPD Laser, one of the premier sponsors at our eCommerce Confex, has launched the first free Shopify Shipping App specifically for the South African eCommerce logistics market. 

The app provides Shopify store owners the functionality to integrate seamlessly with one of DPD Laser's operating businesses, Dawn Wing. After signing up with eSolutions and receiving your Dawn Wing account number, the store owner will be able to download and install the free application directly from the Shopify application store and start shipping parcels. 

Shopify is an industry leading commerce platform that allows anyone to easily sell online, at their retail location, and everywhere in between. Shopify offers a professional online storefront, a payment solution to accept credit cards, a point of sale system to power retail sales and a card reader to process credit card transactions through a mobile phone. Shopify currently powers over 120,000 retailers in 150 different countries, including: Tesla Motors, Gatorade, Google, Wikipedia, LA Lakers, CrossFit, and many more. Shopify was founded in 2006 and it has received US$122 million in funding from OMERS Ventures, Insight Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, FirstMark Capital, Felicis Ventures, and Georgian Partners.  

Learn more about eSolutions, by DPD Laser and their new Shopify App at their stand at the eCommerce Africa Confex. Advisory panel members, Jaco Jonker, CEO of BidorBuy, and Paul Galatis, Director of Yuppiechef, will both be presenting keynotes during the 2-day conference sessions. Other speakers include Simdul Shagaya, CEO and Founder of Konga.com, Colin Fleming, eCommerce Executive of Massmart and Paul Casarin, Operations and Strategy of gumtree.co.za and eBay.

Join the experts on the 3rd and 4th February 2015 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for Africa's biggest eCommerce event. There are a limited number of delegate spaces still available, register for a VIP conference pass here or a general expo pass by contacting Greg Johnson on  021 180 4700 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Website: www.ecommerce-africa.com

The eCommerce Africa Confex is proving to be Africa's most influential eCommerce gathering as we bring you face to face with the key individuals in the industry. The conference agenda will cover all things eCommerce, from how to expand your business into Africa to the survival and flourishing of SME's and small businesses. 

Raphael Afaedor, Co-Founder of Jumia and CEO/Co-Founder of Supermart, together with Simdul Shagaya, CEO and Founder of Konga.com will both be sitting on a panel discussing how to sell into Africa and grow your business beyond South Africa. 

Raphael is part of the advisory panel that has been consulted to tailor the event agenda. He co-founded one of Nigeria's largest online stores, Jumia, in 2012 and has since left to start Supermart, an online platform that allows the consumer to shop from over 18 000 grocery items. Simdul is the CEO and co-founder of recently Naspers-invested, Konga.com which is known as Africa's answer to Amazon.com. He was on Forbe's list of "The 10 Most Powerful Men in Africa 2014" and also won "Entrepreneur of the Year" at the 2013 All Africa Business Leaders Awards. 

SME's and startups can gather valuable insight during a panel that will discuss what small businesses, without the big corporate budgets, can do to build a business that will not only survive but thrive and flourish in the eCommerce industry. Panellists for this discussion include:

• David Muller, Managing Director of CyberCellar

• Phaedon Gourtsoyannis, Founder of Cape Coffee Beans

• Gary Hadfield, CEO of loot.co.za

• Olivier Chas, Managing Director and Co-Founder of CitySlicker

The eCommerce Africa Confex takes places on the 3rd and 4th February 2015 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Should you wish to register as a delegate or are interested in sponsor or exhibitor opportunities, please contact Greg Johnson on 021 180 4700 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

{pp}Online lingerie shop reports that a significant proportion of its customers are men. Online lingerie shop ThingAmaThing reports that men account for more than 50% of its lingerie orders, despite selling a product traditionally worn by women.