Is Takealot selling dead?
Feb 8, 2026 by Dihan Stoltz · 10 min read
So apparently selling on Takealot in 2026 is dead. Well, at least that's what every single YouTuber was screaming at the end of 2025. Too much competition, can't make any profit, the fees are too high. Meanwhile, in 2025, we took one of our clients from R1.1 million in the first quarter to R2.3 million in the second — that's over 95% growth. Another client went from R600,000 per month to over R1.4 million per month in sales. So either we're lying, or everyone else saying Takealot is dead simply doesn't know what they're doing.
Why Everyone Said Takealot Selling Is Dead
If you're selling on Takealot and you've seen those doom-and-gloom videos towards the end of 2025, you probably panicked. Let's break down exactly what people were saying, why they failed, and what we did differently to help our clients make more money than ever before.
"The Fees Are Too High"
Yes, the fees are high — but that doesn't mean you can't be profitable. The problem is most sellers don't know how to price their products correctly. They add a random markup and then wonder why there's nothing left after Takealot takes their cut. Pricing isn't guesswork. You need to factor in Takealot's commissions, VAT, shipping, returns, and storage fees. There are so many aspects to pricing your product correctly, and if you don't get it right, you won't make a profit at the end of the day.
"There's Too Much Competition"
Competition means there's demand. The real problem is that these sellers try to compete by being the cheapest. They're selling generic products that 47 other sellers are also listing on the exact same page. You don't win on Takealot by being the cheapest — you win by standing out. Better images, better descriptions, better SEO, and better stock management. That's exactly how we grow our clients' stores to get the kind of results we've mentioned.
How We Grew a Business from R1.1M to R2.3M in a Quarter
So how did we actually do it? It wasn't luck, and it wasn't one magic trick. It was a combination of disciplined processes applied consistently across every part of the business.
Volume and A/B Testing
Most sellers add one product and hope for the best. We run daily A/B tests — multiple product listings, multiple titles, different price points. We do it all to find what works and eliminate what doesn't, at a quick and efficient rate. The sellers who fail are the ones who list once and never iterate.
SEO-Optimised Listings
Takealot has an algorithm. If your listings aren't optimised for it, you won't be shown when people are searching for your type of products. We build listings from the ground up — proper keyword research, benefit-focused descriptions, and copy that actually converts browsers into buyers.
Enhanced Images
This one is so important. Most sellers upload one blurry image, stick it on Takealot, and wonder why no one is buying. We create images that sell — lifestyle shots, infographics showing what the product does, and visuals that highlight the benefits. People buy with their eyes. If your images are weak, you won't get sales.
Warehouse Efficiency and Demand Forecasting
Products need to be always available when customers are ready to buy. We forecast demand, manage stock levels, and ensure products are viable and available at all times. Running out of stock on a winning product is one of the most expensive mistakes a seller can make.
Ads and Promotions Done Right
A lot of people think you just turn on sponsored product ads with an auto campaign and it'll work — which is exactly why it doesn't work for them. You need custom sponsored product ads targeting specific keywords, focusing on specific areas, and making sure your products are in stock when the ads are running. Organic traffic on Takealot is already massive, so positioning yourself in the right places at the right times is where ads give you the real edge.
Treating It Like a Business
We track metrics. We constantly monitor numbers. We pivot when something isn't working and we don't get emotional about it. We just follow the data. The sellers who make videos saying Takealot is dead are the ones who treated it like a side hustle and expected passive income.
The Proof Is in the Numbers
R1.1 million to R2.3 million in a quarter — that's 95% growth in a 90-day period. Another account went from R600,000 per month to R1.4 million per month. This isn't luck. This is what happens when you know what you're doing and you apply the right processes consistently.
Takealot's Platform Growth — The Numbers Don't Lie
While YouTubers were busy declaring Takealot dead, the platform itself was posting record numbers. The Takealot Group reported a 23% year-on-year revenue increase and a 16% growth in gross merchandise value in its Half-Year Financial Results for FY26. The platform now has over 4.8 million active shoppers — and that number keeps climbing. If the marketplace were dying, these numbers would be going in the opposite direction.
The Seller Success Network
In January 2026, Takealot launched the Seller Success Network (SSN) — a curated ecosystem of vetted service providers covering logistics, finance, product photography, and more. This isn't something a platform builds if it's winding down its marketplace. It's the opposite. Takealot is actively investing in helping sellers scale their businesses sustainably, because more successful sellers means more revenue for the platform.
Fulfilment and Logistics Infrastructure
Takealot has continued building out its fulfilment infrastructure, including the expansion of Takealot Fulfilment Solutions (TFS) with new distribution centres. Sellers now have access to cost-competitive logistics solutions and the scale benefits that come with them. Better fulfilment means faster delivery, happier customers, and higher seller ratings — all of which feed directly into Buy Box wins and repeat purchases.
Seller Tools and the Growing Ecosystem
Takealot has been hosting annual Seller Summits and investing heavily in empowering sellers with tools and insights to manage their operations more effectively. Third-party tools like TSeller have emerged specifically to help sellers handle the complexity of running a store at scale — from automated repricing and inventory management to real-time analytics and Buy Box tracking. The ecosystem around Takealot sellers is more mature and more supportive than it has ever been.
Market Dominance Despite New Competition
Even with the entry of Amazon South Africa and Temu, Takealot maintains its grip on the South African e-commerce market. The platform's established customer trust, national reach, and strong SEO presence give sellers a built-in advantage that newer marketplaces simply can't match yet. For small businesses, selling on Takealot means access to a national audience without having to build that audience yourself.
Why 2026 Is One of the Best Years to Be on Takealot
The data speaks for itself. A 23% revenue increase, 16% GMV growth, 4.8 million active shoppers, new fulfilment centres, the launch of the Seller Success Network, and a maturing ecosystem of seller tools. Takealot is the dominant South African marketplace platform — and it's still growing. Most of your competitors are now gone because they believed selling on Takealot is dead. The sellers who failed refused to adapt. But if you're willing to optimise, test, iterate, and treat it like a real business, there's no reason you can't build something significant. 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger and even better for sellers who take it seriously.
Conclusion
While everyone else was saying selling on Takealot was dead in 2025, our clients walked away with millions more than they'd ever made before. Takealot's own numbers tell the same story — 23% revenue growth, 16% GMV growth, and nearly 5 million active shoppers. So is Takealot selling really dead, or are people just doing it wrong? The answer is clear. Cut out the noise, implement the right processes, and there is serious money to be made. If you want help scaling your Takealot business, get in contact with us and let's see how we can take your store to the next level.
