South Africa Social Commerce Market: Omnichannel Retail, Social Integration & Growth Outlook

According to IMARC Group's latest research publication, South Africa social commerce market size reached USD 8.63 Billion in 2024. The market is projected to reach USD 74.38 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 24.04% during 2025-2033.

How AI is Reshaping the Future of South Africa Social Commerce Market

• Artificial intelligence recommendation engines on social media applications such as TikTok and Instagram help sellers promote their products, with over 30% of consumers in the region using social media to influence their purchasing decision in some manner.
• Companies such as the South African e-commerce platform Takealot are now integrating automation and machine learning technologies into daily work to expedite and improve social-linked shopping for the everyday consumer.
• This year, South Africa's social commerce market is projected to be worth around $1.54 billion, and tools powered by AI are helping small merchants on WhatsApp and Facebook optimize listings and attract buyers in a mobile-first economy.

Explore Updated 2026 Market Trends & Analysis

South Africa Social Commerce Market Trends & Drivers:

The South African social commerce landscape is growing rapidly as consumers spend more time on social media and buy directly from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Social commerce, or in-app shopping, happens when users scroll through their timeline and their social experience smoothly becomes a shopping experience without leaving the app via checkouts, shoppable posts or social selling. The high internet and social media use by South Africans, who prefer sharable and funny content, makes shopping feel like an extension of socialization. Business on these platforms is fueled by influencers and peer recommendations, which helps to build trust and impulsiveness in a country where customary retail already struggles with logistics. The convenience of working within an app that users are familiar with is especially appealing to younger users who are mobile-first.

A number of factors are driving the growth of social commerce in South Africa, including the increase in smartphone usage by South Africans and improved internet connectivity. As most South Africans access the internet mainly through their mobile devices, many social commerce platforms are also optimized for mobile use. Low data costs and increased availability of the internet enable greater levels of social selling and purchasing. Furthermore, the rise of these technologies made it possible for features such as live streaming sales and real time engagement to be eased by social commerce over customary e-commerce. With this growing connectivity, social media platforms have become fully fledged retail ecosystems, with large brands and entrepreneurial start-ups using social media to reach consumers directly.

Social commerce is gaining traction among South African consumers, driven by an increasing emphasis on personalized and community-oriented shopping. Consumers are more receptive to authentic influencer and peer recommendations than customary advertising. User generated content, group discussion features and the capacity for live broadcast create a social community for each product, easing the sharing of the experience of purchase. The spread of social bonding and word of mouth recommendations in popular culture means that social media is a natural fit for creating loyalty and repeat purchases. Consumers are looking for fun and interesting ways to learn about products, and brands can increase engagement, interactivity and convert views into sales with storytelling.

South Africa Social Commerce Industry Segmentation:

The report has segmented the market into the following categories:

Business Model Insights:

• Business to Consumer (B2C)
• Business to Business (B2B)
• Consumer to Consumer (C2C)

Device Type Insights:

• Laptops and PCs
• Mobiles
• Others

Product Type Insights:

• Personal and Beauty Care
• Apparel
• Accessories
• Home Products
• Health Supplements
• Food and Beverages
• Others

Regional Insights:

• Gauteng
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Western Cape
• Mpumalanga
• Eastern Cape
• Others

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players.

Recent News and Developments in South Africa Social Commerce Market

• February 2026: South African social e-tailer Nile launches to capitalize on high South African WhatsApp penetration to add shopping and content experiences to chat (WhatsApp is used by 93% of South African internet users).
• By 2025, the social commerce market is expected to grow at 35.2% yearly, reaching a total of US$1.54 billion, fueled by rising smartphone use and in-app shopping on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
• 2025: Social commerce with chat apps like WhatsApp allows chat purchases and payments, converging with quick commerce to engage more with FMCG where social commerce is already strong.
• In 2025, influencer-led shoppable livestreams, viral TikTok campaigns, and storefronts run by micro-influencers empowered fashion, beauty and niche MSMEs to drive product discovery and conversion.
• 2025: three-quarters of all online sales are made via mobile with social media sites seeing their role evolve into digital malls with in-post buying and conversational commerce tools.

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