The numbers that define South African commerce in 2026
From increasing demand for one-click checkout, to further blending of online and in-person, and the rise of agentic commerce, there are several factors shaping this year's commerce landscape.
tried a new payment method
Nearly all consumers tried a payment method beyond cash and card in the past year. Digital wallets led at 57.5%.
shop online as much or more than in-store
Online has become the default. Only 2.2% of consumers still shop almost exclusively in physical stores.
tried digital wallets for the first time
Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay led all new payment methods tried in the past year, ahead of BNPL (38.9%) and bank-native apps (38.6%).
shop on Temu, Shein or AliExpress
International low-cost platforms went from negligible to nearly half of all online shoppers in two years.
There is no single dominant payment method anymore
What consumers choose depends on what they're buying, where they're buying it and how much it costs. Digital wallets and bank-native methods are closing the gap on card.
New payment methods adopted for the first time in the last 12 months
of card users switched to wallets within four months
Apple Pay became the most-used payment method for e-commerce on Stitch in Q1 2026, surpassing card by volume.
Median wallet transaction time
Compared to 15 to 30 seconds for card, with higher conversion rates.
Capitec Pay preference for online shopping
Now the second most preferred method across purchase categories, just three years after launch.
Online retail continues to rise
South Africans that are digitally active are buying everything from groceries to furniture to travel through digital channels, often across multiple platforms in the same week.
spend more than R2,000/month online
Nearly a quarter (22.7%) spend over R10,000 per month on digital purchases.
buy clothing and apparel online
The most purchased category, followed by groceries (67.8%), electronics (54.5%) and health and beauty (53.9%).
shop on brand websites
Direct brand sites lead all platforms, ahead of retailer sites (68.0%) and marketplaces (61.8%).
48.5% now shop on Temu, Shein and AliExpress
International low-cost retailers are quickly gaining in popularity, but many South Africans still prefer to shop directly on known brand websites.
Where customers prefer to shop online (multiple responses permitted)
71% of credit-active consumers now use BNPL
BNPL has moved beyond big-ticket items into everyday categories, including groceries, and consumers want it available everywhere.
projected SA BNPL market in 2026
Rapid growth as BNPL shifts from occasional use to everyday payment method.
want BNPL online and in-store
Omnichannel demand that most merchants aren't meeting yet. An opportunity for early movers.
cite convenience as top reason
Followed by interest-free terms (49%) and cash flow management (44%). These are consumers who can afford to pay. They just choose not to all at once.
"I had the full amount, but I didn't want to use all my money."
– Consumer interview participant
"When I hear buy now, pay later, what comes to mind? Problems."
– Consumer interview participant
When South Africa shops and pays
Stitch platform data reveals clear rhythms tied to salary cycles, day of week and time of day.
busiest shopping day of the month
Tied to early salary payments. The last week of the month accounts for around 35% of monthly transaction volume.
higher basket value around payday
Average basket on the 24th is 46% higher than on the 8th. Fewer, larger, planned purchases.
peak shopping hour
South Africans shop in the evening, after work. Checkout systems and customer service need to perform beyond 17:00.
more transactions on Friday vs Sunday
But Tuesday has the highest average basket value: fewer, higher-value purchases mid-week.
Convenience wins, but security is a close second
When asked what matters most in choosing a payment method, consumers are clear: it needs to be fast, easy and feel safe.
Primary factor driving payment method choice
Agentic commerce is already in motion
31 to 34% of South Africans are active ChatGPT users, and some are already using it to research and compare products before buying. As AI agents move from research to transaction, businesses with structured product data and API-first payments will be best positioned.
AI-referred shoppers convert at nearly 50% higher rates and carry 14% higher average order values than organic search.
(Shopify May 2026)