What do I need to start an online store?

1. The first thing you need is a domain name (URL). You can secure a name for as little as R79/year. The monthly hosting cost for a secure eCommerce website is R99 pm. You will be the registered owner of your domain name. When choosing your domain, consider the following:

• Is it relevant to your brand name and what you do?
• Is it easy to spell and remember? (Avoid hyphens, numbers, and deliberate misspelling).
• If your brand name is taken, you can always use your company slogan or motto, or a unique sub-brand name.

  We recommend Xneelo as your web hosting company as they are the most trusted company in South Africa for eCommerce websites and known for excellent customer support. They offer 24/7 assistance, which is crucial when you encounter issues. We can help you to register your new domain name.

2. We will also need a logo and personal information for your website as indicated on the application form
3. We will provide you with web hosting, an e-commerce platform, and a payment gateway.
4. You will need reliable whole suppliers to sell their products on your website.
   Our pre-loaded website will enable you to apply for dealership at the following wholesalers who specialize on popular fast selling products:
   a) Casey
   b) Selected popular products from Syntech

How Long Does Domain Registration Take?

Paying with PayFast is almost instant, EFT payment is manually approved. Domains can take up to an hour to propagate after the registration is processed.

What features does Swiftweb web hosting offer?

View features here…

Which goods and how many will you be selling online?

You will be able to sell more than 1,000 popular fast selling goods inline. See summary or product categories with links included here… 

Stock Control and Sold-Out Settings?

We do daily price and stock control updates which will show if stock is still available from the supplier.

How do I handle returns and refunds for my online store?

We create a return and refund policy for returns and refunds and make sure it is easily accessible on your website. The eCommerce shopping platform have built-in return and refund features that allow you to manage returns and issue refunds from one control panel.

Which courier service will I use?

The Courier Guy offer pre-paid shipping options, meaning load credit into your account. The benefit of the pre-paid shipping is reduced possibility of surprise charges. It is also typically easier to open a pre-paid account.

Which website platform are you using?

We use WordPress with the Elementor WooCommerce theme.

Will my website be viewable on mobile devices?

We offer responsive website design and layouts to provide your online customers with an optimal viewing experience while browsing your website on desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets.

Do I Need to Register an Online Business in South Africa? 

Whether your business is online or not, business registration processes remain the same in South Africa. If you run a small sole proprietor business and your profits fall within a certain tax bracket, then you don’t need to register your business with the CIPC or SARS.

Do you upload my categories and product’s?

We upload all your Categories with more than 1,000 popular fast selling products with descriptions, images stock availability and prices.

How do I get paid?

As soon as a shopper pays you into your PayFast account, you may ship the order. Then transfer the money into your bank account via a payout request.

 How big is the eCommerce market in South Africa?

There are currently 32.55 million ecommerce users in SA with an additional 6.38 million users expected to be shopping online by 2024. Online spending sits at a predicted average of R1648 per user shopping online. 47% of offline shoppers should shift online within the next year.

How long does it take to build a new eCommerce website?

You can have your new fully functional eCommerce website ready to start selling within 5 business days.

Is your website SSL Secured?

Having an SSL secure website is crucial for customer trust. SSL is standard technology for securing an internet connection by encrypting data sent between a website and a browser (or between two servers). It prevents hackers from seeing or stealing any information transferred, including personal or financial data. Check your domain – if it starts with “HTTPS,” you’re secure; “HTTP” without the “S” means you’re not. Your website will be SSL secured.

How do I know if an order has been placed on my store?

You will receive an email from your website and an email from the payment gateway to confirm a successful order.

How does the shopping cart calculate delivery/shipping costs?

The shipping calculator automatically lists the delivery charge when the client checks out the products. Integration with the courier company makes it possible to get a real-time shipping price from their database and a tracking number.

Do I pay a monthly fee?

You can check the pricing and monthly fees here…

How many emails can I have?

We supply 5x domain emails.

What is your turn around time to complete my store?

We normally complete the website within 5 – 7 working days.

What are the advantages of your own e commerce store?

Read more about the advantages here…

How much will my eCommerce website cost?

You can view price summary here…

When must I pay for the website?

You only pay for the website after we handed over the fully functional secure website pre-loaded with more than 1,000 popular fast selling products from Casey Lifestyle Store and selected products from Syntech Distributors.

Get your own fully functional website now.

For sole proprietors you can apply here….