The number of new shoppers introduced to e-commerce over lockdown boosted Black Friday weekend total online transaction volumes by 50% compared to 2019, data from online payment gateway PayFast shows.<\/p>\n
The company said that it\u00a0processed a 283% increase in total payment volumes on Black Friday alone compared to a normal busy day such as payday.<\/p>\n
“This year\u2019s Black Friday spend surpassed the volumes we\u2019ve seen in previous years.<\/p>\n
“The rapid adoption of e-commerce over the course of 2020 has meant that we\u2019ve seen more people shopping online, especially amid fears of a Covid-19 resurgence,” said Jonathan Smit, managing director of PayFast.<\/p>\n
The highest transaction for the day was R299,950 <\/strong>– and online shoppers spent more per basket at R1,243<\/strong>, compared to the 2019 average basket value of R803.<\/p>\n “Alongside big-ticket items like TVs and gaming consoles, more purchases were made online for items that are traditionally brick-and-mortar, retail store focused, like toiletries, cosmetics and essentials,” said Smit.<\/p>\n As seen with other buying trends during the coronavirus lockdown, 66% of purchases were made using a mobile device.<\/p>\n “Smartphone usage means you can shop literally from anywhere, any time. We\u2019re seeing merchants and payment methods better cater towards the demand for mobile too,” said Smit.<\/p>\n Smit said that over the past six months, retailers have invested in their online platforms to offer better user experiences for first-time shoppers.<\/p>\n “This Black Friday offered a more considered and improved customer experience across the board. Lockdown was a good test for many e-commerce businesses, with lessons carried into this peak period,” he said.<\/p>\n This year, 66% of transactions were made using cards, but the data shows that alternative online payment options are also on the rise.<\/p>\n “Instant EFT, QR codes and mobile wallets are becoming more popular as consumers become more comfortable shopping online,” said Smit.<\/p>\n
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