Takealot has changed its Buy Box to give greater prominence to products with the fastest delivery times, a move that could benefit South African sellers competing with overseas merchants on the e-commerce platform.
The Buy Box is the section of a product page that highlights the main offers available to shoppers. Under the latest arrangement, the fastest-delivery offer appears first, while the cheapest offer is shown separately.
If the same seller offers both the fastest delivery and lowest price, that listing appears as the main offer.
Takealot’s change comes amid growing complaints from local sellers about increased competition from Chinese merchants, some of whom do not keep stock in South Africa and can take several weeks to deliver orders.
Local sellers have previously complained that overseas merchants were able to secure prominent positions on product listings by offering lower prices, sometimes undercutting local sellers by as little as R1.
The Competition Commission ordered Takealot in 2023 to adjust its Buy Box after finding that about 90% of shoppers purchased the offer displayed in the section. The commission wanted both the lowest-priced and fastest-delivery offers to be presented to consumers.
Takealot had previously prioritised faster delivery, but the commission raised concerns that this could favour the company’s own products because they were generally stored in its warehouses.
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The latest arrangement is already reflected on Takealot product pages, where offers are labelled “Fastest Delivery” and “Best Price”. Current listings show the fastest-delivery offer appearing ahead of a lower-priced offer in some cases.
Takealot has not publicly explained the reason for the latest adjustment.
The company previously denied giving preferential treatment to foreign sellers, saying differences in delivery times reflected international logistics rather than the sellers’ country of origin.
Takealot has also said all third-party sellers must comply with South African laws and regulations, including applicable product certification and ICASA requirements.
The company said it may request supporting documents as part of its marketplace compliance and onboarding processes and can remove products that do not meet local requirements.
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.
