The reality that there might be no end in sight for loadshedding for the foreseeable future is starting to sink in for most South Africans. Since the start of 2023, every day of the year has seen power disruptions, causing frustration for consumers and operational pressures on most businesses.
“Our data tells an insightful story about how South Africans are becoming intentional in how they adjust to loadshedding,” says Fredrik Zietsman, CEO of takealot.com. “On our platform, we’ve seen a surge in sales of loadshedding mitigation products, such as generators, invertors and uninterrupted power supply units. In fact, “UPS” was the third most-searched term on the Takealot platform in 2022,” adds Zietsman.
Takealot has prioritised sourcing and competitively pricing loadshedding solutions to ensure that all South Africans are able to mitigate loadshedding, with products priced from only R30 to holistic solutions aimed at taking an office or home off the grid. This includes everything from budget-beating rechargeable light bulbs to comprehensive inverter setups and petrol generators.
Over the past two years, the online retailer has nearly doubled the number of brands that offer loadshedding or power solutions on its platform. And since December 2020, Takealot has seen a 3000% GMV growth in the sales of generators, inverters and UPS devices alone.
Besides offering a wide range of products, Takealot has also made it easier for everyday South Africans to decide which device best fits their need through a virtual assistant. This easy-to-use tool guides shoppers through the buying process, providing loadshedding advice and tailoring product selections based on their specific needs and budget. For example, comparing an entry-level UPS device to a portable charging station, or which product is best suited to a specific wattage appliance.
Shopper reviews have also proved invaluable for South Africans collectively experiencing the effects of loadshedding. As loadshedding solutions become increasingly complex and based on technical understanding, these trusted reviews – all submitted by actual Takealot shoppers – act as a knowledge base for other shoppers, allowing them to base purchase decisions on real-world experiences.
Helping SMEs Survive Loadshedding
In terms of eCommerce platforms, the opportunity for SMEs is two-fold. SMEs can seamlessly procure essential loadshedding products to keep their business running from a range of brands online on Takealot, and have them delivered to wherever they are. These same SMEs can also sell their products to over 3 million online shoppers through the Takealot Marketplace platform, allowing them to trade regardless of loadshedding stages and location.
SMEs are under the most pressure in the current economic climate. Power outages negatively affect their operations and livelihood. They also don’t have the same resources to compete with bigger players in their market, so it’s critical for them to find ways to adapt effectively.
“What we’ve seen on our marketplace is how the platform serves as a connector for businesses and consumers. The biggest reason why this matters, in our view, is because it brings a greater sense of ease in doing business, and can also significantly decrease costs for everyone involved. If this opportunity is leveraged correctly, it could lead to solutions that empower consumers, businesses, and the national economy.”, says Zietsman.
