A former senior software engineer at South African e-commerce company Superbalist has launched a new online shopping platform designed to help small businesses sell their products online for as little as R159 a month.
Eamon Boonzaaier, who has worked in software engineering and e-commerce for nearly 18 years, launched ShopEazy as a subscription-based platform targeting small businesses and informal traders that may lack the resources or technical expertise to build and manage their own websites.
Speaking on Cape Talk, Boonzaaier said the platform was created to give smaller businesses an affordable way to establish an online presence.
“ShopEazy is essentially a platform that allows the little guy to start selling online,” he said.
The platform allows merchants to connect existing payment services, including Yoco and SnapScan, enabling them to receive payments directly through their preferred providers.
ShopEazy also integrates with WhatsApp Business, allowing businesses that primarily sell through the messaging platform to manage their online operations without relying on a traditional website.
Boonzaaier said the platform includes an artificial intelligence-powered product scanner that can create product listings from photographs.
Users can point their phones at products and have the system generate listings, suggest prices, assign tags and categories, and create search engine optimisation content.
The platform is particularly aimed at businesses that operate mainly through mobile phones and social media rather than computers and dedicated websites.
See also: 3cat Raises $4m to Expand Refurbished Device Business in Philippines
Boonzaaier said ShopEazy was also designed with cybersecurity and data protection in mind.
He said the platform runs on SOC-certified infrastructure and that its authentication and underlying systems follow established security standards.
However, he noted that some security risks depend on users, including cases where customers share their passwords with other people.
On compliance with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act, Boonzaaier said ShopEazy had taken steps to meet the necessary requirements and was a verified Meta technology provider.
Boonzaaier previously worked as a senior software engineer at Superbalist from November 2020 to June 2023.
He currently works as a technical solutions architect at South African fintech company iKhokha while running ShopEazy.
The platform’s launch comes as small businesses and informal traders increasingly use mobile platforms such as WhatsApp to promote and sell products, creating demand for simpler digital tools for online commerce.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
