Welcome to this edition of INSIGHTS, a newsletter by Reveal.

In this week’s edition:

With great e-commerce offerings well established in SA, getting a customer to switch has a lot of friction to it and can be expensive. 

This makes customer retention one of the most important metrics for any e-commerce retailer. So, who is actually winning at getting its customers to come back? 

This week, we look at what the data reveals about customer retention in the e-commerce space.

To reveal customer retention, we looked at our entire data set and uncovered the % of customers, per retailer, that have at least 1 transaction in the last 12 months at said retailer. We also look at those with 2 transactions and those customers who have 3 or more transactions.

Unsurprisingly, Takealot has the largest customer share, with more than 10% of the customers in our dataset having shopped there at least once in the last 12 months.

Interestingly, Temu, with its estimated global marketing spend of $3 billion, managed to attract close to 7.5% of the customers to spend at least once. And with its clever retargeting and gamification plays, they see the same amount of retained customers (those with 3 or more transactions per annum) as Takealot.

Although it’s working off a lower base, Amazon leads the pack, with around 41% of its customers returning to shop three or more times in the last 12 months.

Shein, on the other hand, does not manage to retain its customers well, with only 13% coming back for more. Perhaps it’s got to do with sizing or the complexity of having to return clothing when it’s shipped from China. 

Local player Bash also does a good job at retention, getting as many as 32% of its one-off buyers to come back for a repeat purchase.

Local clothing retailer, Mr Price, has delivered revenue growth of 5.4% and added 91 stores in the first half of 2026, taking its store footprint to 3’100, as net profit climbed 7.7%.

Pepkor is exploring a move into banking, planning zero-fee accounts delivered through its 6,000-store network. The retailer is in talks with Investec as it targets lower-income customers and takes aim at Capitec’s stronghold.

The Braai Republic has opened its first store in Northgate with Springbok star Ox Nché as franchisee and ambassador. The Shisanyama-style concept serves flame-grilled A-grade cuts, hand-cut chips and classic Mzansi sides, backed by the team behind The Fish & Chip Co.

Reveal is transforming how businesses understand and act on consumer behaviour through powerful, transaction-based insights.

By analysing billions of rands in real-world spend data from over 350,000 South Africans, Reveal uncovers the patterns, shifts, and opportunities that traditional research often misses. 

Our intuitive dashboards and custom analytics empower retailers, brands, and agencies to make faster, data-driven decisions. Whether it’s 

✅ spotting category winners, 

✅ identifying high-value customers, or 

✅ tracking real-time market changes. 

For anyone needing a sharper lens on how South Africans actually shop, Reveal is the edge.

Keen to learn more? Book a meeting with data consultants.