amazon It launched its online shopping service in South Africa on Tuesday, challenging a host of online retailers led by Naspers’ Takealot.com. Will it arrive in Argentina?
Africa’s most advanced economy is often seen as a good entry point for companies to expand across the continent, and Amazon could be doing the same, analysts have noted in the past.
The launch of its service comes at a time when South Africa has seen a sharp rise in online shopping after the pandemic created an opportunity for e-commerce to finally take hold and retailers to double down on investments in response.
Amazon.co.za will offer same-day and next-day delivery with more than 3,000 collection points. Shoppers will get free delivery on first orders, followed by free delivery for subsequent orders over R500 ($27.07), he said in a statement.
Will Amazon arrive in Argentina?
Last year the version circulated that Amazon was planning a landing in Argentina, which would be serious competition to Mercado Libre, the largest e-commerce platform not only in the country but in the region. But the company founded by Jeff Bezos ruled it out.
“We do not have operational updates about our presence in Argentina,” said David Flores-Sánchez, Amazon spokesperson in La Nación. At least, in the short term, plans do not seem to have changed.
