Shifting Shopper Demands Highlight Urgent Need For Reliable In Store Connectivity In South Africa

Tobie van Schalkwyk, Business Unit Lead at Duxbury Networking. Image supplied

Shoppers want speed, independence, and seamless access to the same product information and services they have online.

But while most South African retailers have embraced in-store Wi-Fi as a solution, the reality is stark: 85% of shoppers will not connect to Wi-Fi, no matter how easy or fast it is.

Customers expect their phones to simply work, anywhere, anytime. If connectivity drops inside a store, it disrupts the shopping journey and affects the bottom line.

The modern retail challenge: connectivity that works

Retailers invest in loyalty apps, QR codes, click-and-collect services, digital coupons, and mobile payments. But none of these systems deliver value if shoppers can't stay connected while moving through the store.

In-store Wi-Fi alone is no longer enough. To compete with well-connected competitors and meet rising customer expectations, South African retailers must consider a broader connectivity strategy, one that includes reliable public cellular coverage alongside Wi-Fi.

Real impact on revenue

A global study of mid-sized grocery stores (comparable to many South African chains) showed that improving cellular coverage in-store led to:

• Up to 11.7% revenue uplift per store
• Increased use of loyalty apps and digital coupons
• Faster checkout times and fewer abandoned baskets
• Better stock visibility, improving inventory turnover
• Higher discretionary spend, particularly among shoppers making calls or engaging on their phones while browsing

For example, in a store with daily revenue of R2.5m, even a 1% improvement in product availability or a small increase in dwell time can equate to hundreds of thousands in recovered or additional revenue annually.

What’s holding retailers back?

Many retailers are comfortable with Wi-Fi because it’s familiar and already in place. However, Wi-Fi is prone to congestion, limited in range, and vulnerable to interference. It also requires the shopper to actively connect, which most will not do.

Public cellular networks, on the other hand, are always-on, require no logins, and are trusted by customers. The challenge? Most buildings block external mobile signals, especially those built with thick concrete, metal roofing, or underground areas like parking garages.

The solution: in-building cellular systems

In-building cellular systems bring strong mobile signals inside the store by extending coverage from all major network operators. This ensures that shoppers and staff have uninterrupted mobile access—from the car park to the checkout.

Solutions like CEL-FI QUATRA and GO G43 are designed to fit retail environments, with fast installation, remote monitoring, and compatibility with South African mobile networks. These systems also support future-facing technologies such as private 5G and IoT sensors.

Why it matters in South Africa

South African consumers are no different to their international counterparts when it comes to digital expectations. They shop with smartphones in hand, rely on loyalty apps for savings, and increasingly expect frictionless omnichannel options.

Retailers already competing on price and product range now also must compete on experience. And experience starts with connectivity.

Final thoughts

As the lines between online and in-store shopping blur, reliable in-store mobile connectivity is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a competitive necessity.

Retailers who fail to offer consistent, seamless connectivity risk losing high-value, tech-savvy customers to those who do.

Investing in a cellular coverage solution may seem like an operational upgrade, but it delivers measurable financial returns. From better engagement to higher basket values and more efficient operations, the case is clear.