South Africa’s eCommerce industry is facing a major shake-up ahead of Amazon opening their digital doors in 2024. The arrival of the international giant promises to drive eCommerce innovation and growth, as they take on local marketplaces. Unpacking how local entrepreneurs can navigate and take advantage of the changing status quo, the Insaka eCommerce Virtual Summit takes place on the 6^th and 7^th of March 2024.

Hosted by the Insaka eCommerce Academy, the online event is free for anyone with an interest in eCommerce. Celebrating its fifth year, attendees can expect to learn from over 30 industry experts through a range of short and informative sessions, accompanied by longer-form courses and specialised masterclasses. Representatives from the likes of Amazon, Takealot, Makro, Google, and Shopify, will be sharing their expertise and insights about taking an eCommerce business to the next level.

“With significant changes on the horizon for eCommerce businesses of all sizes, adaption and innovation are going to be key components for success. Whether it is picking the best online marketplace for your business, improving last-mile delivery to reach new markets, or learning how to scale successfully through social media, the Summit will give attendees all the tools they need to thrive in the local eCommerce landscape,” says founder of the Insaka eCommerce Academy, Warrick Kernes.

The role of logistics will take centre stage at the summit, with speakers unpacking how merchants can drive the expansion of the eCommerce market – not only in numbers, but in physical reach; “With over two-million households in informal settlements underserved by delivery services, there is still significant room for development in the local eCommerce sector. This will encourage economic growth that can help uplift the nation’s entrepreneurs, and economy as a whole,” says Kernes, who will present on the four key levers to grow online sales.

In such a competitive market, entrepreneurs need to take a deep dive into understanding exactly what their consumers want, and what will push them over the finish line of making a purchase, says Kernes; “This is why the Summit exists – to enable all entrepreneurs, whether they’re in the early stages of their journey, or a well-established business, to take themselves to the next level,” says Kernes.

Attendees will have access to all courses and masterclasses for the full two days of the Summit; “With so many incredible speakers, it is up to each individual attendee to decide which courses to take. Every business has different needs. For attendees to get the most value out of the Summit, they’ll need to decide which courses will help them fulfil their specific goals and targets,” says Kernes.

Other key speakers at the Summit include Suzelle Abe, Head of Marketplace at Amazon South Africa; Neha Revankar, Partner Growth Manager at Shopify; Laura Hartnady, Head of Marketplace at Makro; Joshua Shimkin, Head of SME Growth and Marketing at Peach Payments; Motladi Songo, eCommerce Content and Analytics Lead at Nestle; Lauren Dallas, CEO of Future Females; Toluse Akinlabi Retail Account Manager at Google, amongst others.

To register for the free event, visit www.insaka.co.za/summit.