Temu vs. Makro: A Tale of E-Commerce Efficiency in South Africa

The world of e-commerce is ever-evolving, and South African consumers are increasingly looking for reliable and swift delivery services. A recent case exemplifies this, where an online shopper ordered from both Temu, a platform based in China, and Makro, a well-known South African retailer. The results might startle retail giants and consumers alike.

The forum member's Temu order included a trio of items—a magnifying glass with an adjustable stand, soldering flux paste, and multi-function wire-stripping pliers—placed on 25 January 2024. The package, as per the efficient tracking updates, was promptly assembled, dispatched, and, in a seamless logistic display, was in South Africa by 1 February. Despite the international journey, the items were in the customer's hands in Cape Town on 6 February, eight business days post-order.

Contrastingly, the same customer's Makro experience paints a more cumbersome picture. Ordered on 9 February 2024, a Yeelight Staria Bedside Lamp with a 10W wireless charger estimated a 2–5 working days delivery. Despite initial rapid packing, Makro's follow-through faltered terribly with no updates post-packing, and the customer had to actively seek information.

Frustrations mounted as promised delivery windows lapsed without communication, as often the case, the ambiguity of third-party suppliers on Makro's platform contributed to the order's stagnation. The customer's initiative to cancel the order was met with administrative responsiveness, but even after order cancellation, a courier mistakenly appeared on 27 February to deliver.

Makro's failure to provide timely updates and to manage the expectations around their third-party suppliers is a concerning signal for all South African retailers that the benchmark for fulfillment is not local, but global.

MyBroadband reached out to Makro for comments on the lapse in service delivery, yet a response was not procured by the time of publication. It is worth mentioning, however, that parental company Walmart has previously enhanced the retailer's e-commerce capabilities, reflecting better service in past experiences.

The precedent that Temu has set—comparable to the likes of Shein and mirroring the product diversity that Amazon and Takealot boast—demonstrates the necessity of a robust logistics network and the quintessential role of effective communication.

The customer's experience encapsulates the growing pains of e-commerce in South Africa. This incident serves as a lesson for retailers, both domestic and international, that the crux of customer satisfaction lies not solely within the price or range of products but importantly within the realms of efficient logistics and transparent customer relations.