The eCommerce industry in South Africa is growing at a significant rate. For you as a business, you need to join the trend, to gain some new customers and widen your revenue stream.

Incase you’re still trying to make up your mind, here are 7 cogent reasons why a reliable online payment platform is essential for your eCommerce plans in South Africa.

Cash in on impulse buying

Impulse buying refers to unplanned transactions being made based on a sudden whim, thought, or impulse – and these transactions represent a whopping 40% of money spent on eCommerce worldwide! While you won’t see shoppers browsing your products in-store at 3 am and thinking, “to hell with it, I’m treating myself,” before buying the latest headphones, this is precisely what happens when you sell online.

Its even better if you integrate a reliable payment platform like Flutterwave to your store, or you create a Flutterwave Store. They are safe, fast, and convenient, removing as many steps as possible between choosing a product and actually buying it. The less steps involved, the more likely your customers are to buy on impulse. You need a trusted partner because if your customers needed to research the safety of paying online with your site, that impulse would fade.

Expand your reach to global proportions

Payment platforms pave the way to scalable business opportunities, allowing you to expand your customer base locally and globally through secure online payments. However, this does depend on the platform you choose, as few allow you to cater to today’s wide variety of payment options.

At Flutterwave, we let you make and receive payments online, in-person (POS), on smartphones (Android and iOS), and everything in between. You can collect payments through several popular payment methods and in over 150 currencies, including Naira, Dollars, Pounds, Euro, and Yuan. So your customers an pay you in their local currency using their preferred method, such as, debit & credit Cards, bank account, mobile money, visa QR, bank transfer, USSD etc

Faster Transactions For Faster Sales

Payment platforms often process payment much faster than manual means, again depending on your chosen platform. With the responsiveness of Flutterwave Checkout, payments can be made and received in seconds. Not only is this convenient, but it is good for business. Less waiting times for your customers mean less time to change their minds and more reason to buy from you again, greatly increasing your transaction success rates.

Payment confirmation for peace of mind

The moment a purchase has been successful and payment made, you will be notified through an electronic payment confirmation message. No sleepless nights, no awkward phone calls with clients, payment platforms keep both you and your customers informed through the entire process.

Increased security

If you choose a legitimate payment platform that is recognised in South Africa, you and your customers’ sensitive information will be secure. They offer a fast way to pay online whilst ensuring stringent safety measures to keep this data safe.

For example, we guarantee that any payments made on our platform are 100% secure. Flutterwave boasts industry-leading safety measures (ISO 27001 & 22301 certification and PA DSS & PCI DSS compliance).

Diverse payment options

Some payment platforms will offer various payment options, like recurring billing, to cater to your business and customers’ needs. However, these services often rely on you having an established website. At Flutterwave, we let you create and send customised payment links without a website or integration for different payment schemes, from one-time payments to recurring payment plans and even donations!

Intelligent invoicing

Most payment platforms in South Africa have innovative invoicing features that allow you to send invoices to your customers and track their progress. For example, Flutterwave Invoicing allows you to create and send professional-looking invoices in over 150 currencies via email and WhatsApp. You can track payments, overdue invoices, send polite, automated payment reminders, and use easy tax and sales calculations.

Essentially, payment platforms remove barriers to purchasing. However, this relies on using the best one in South Africa. At Flutterwave, we make it easier, safer, and faster for consumers to buy goods online without any distractions or deterrents interrupting their purchase decisions.

Create your account here to start growing your eCommerce business now!

Published by Nonso

Marketing Storytelling Lead