Business
Takealot leads SA e-commerce sentiment race against Amazon, Shein, and Temu
If you have shopped online in South Africa over the past year, chances are you have clicked on at least two of these names: Takealot, Amazon, Shein, or Temu. The competition has become impossible to ignore. From flash fashion deals to same-day grocery deliveries, the digital checkout has never been busier.
Now, a new media sentiment report suggests that when it comes to public perception in the business press, Takealot is still wearing the crown.
Takealot leads the conversation
According to the latest findings from PressPulse, a media sentiment tracking platform that monitors South Africa’s leading business publications, Takealot ranked highest among major e-commerce players. It outperformed Amazon, Shein, and Temu in overall sentiment.
PressPulse uses a custom artificial intelligence system to analyse how companies are covered in the media. It measures whether articles are positive, neutral, or negative and weighs that against the reach and influence of the publication. Each company is then given a sentiment score. A positive score reflects favourable exposure, while a negative one signals more critical coverage.
In this latest snapshot of the South African e-commerce market, Takealot not only received the most media coverage but also achieved the strongest positive sentiment score.
Part of that positive momentum has been linked to improved financial results, which have strengthened its standing in the local business landscape.
Amazon gains ground in 2025 and 2026
While Takealot remains the dominant force, the gap is tightening.
After its relatively quiet launch in May 2024, Amazon has steadily built momentum through 2025 and into 2026. The global retail giant has expanded its network of pickup points across the country and introduced same-day delivery in major metros, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.
In 2025, Amazon also moved into high-frequency categories such as groceries and pet food. That decision placed it in more direct competition not only with Takealot but also with established rapid delivery services like Checkers Sixty60.
For Joburg shoppers used to near-instant convenience, this shift has made the online battlefield feel far more local and personal.
PressPulse ranked Amazon second overall in media sentiment, with improved coverage noted in recent months.
The rise of Shein and Temu
If Takealot and Amazon represent the structured, large-scale end of online retail, Shein and Temu are the disruptors.
Both Chinese discount platforms have dramatically reshaped South Africa’s fashion and small goods sectors by shipping directly to local customers at ultra-competitive prices. Their impact has been especially visible among younger shoppers and price-conscious households.
Shein remains particularly popular with lower-income consumers seeking affordable fashion. Temu, meanwhile, has seen a surge in adoption among wealthier South Africans, broadening its reach beyond bargain hunters.
However, despite their rapid growth, both companies received mostly negative media coverage in the latest PressPulse analysis. The critical tone is largely linked to the ongoing controversy surrounding their operations in South Africa.
Image 1: MyBroadband
A fiercely competitive future
Roughly 45 percent of regular online consumers in South Africa still use Takealot as their primary shopping destination. That figure underlines just how entrenched the homegrown platform remains.
Yet the landscape is shifting fast. Amazon is investing heavily in logistics and product range. Shein and Temu continue to lure shoppers with low prices and aggressive marketing. For consumers, it means more choice and sharper pricing. For retailers, it means a relentless fight for loyalty.
In a country where convenience and cost matter more than ever, media sentiment may not be the only battleground, but it is a telling one. For now, Takealot holds the advantage in how it is perceived in the business press. Whether that lead holds as competition intensifies is a story that will continue to unfold.
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Source: MyBroadband
Featured Image: TechCentral
