Shopping Season Strategies: How South African SMBs Can Drive Growth

As South African consumers increasingly turn to mobile-first platforms for entertainment and shopping, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are rethinking how they connect with their audiences. With smartphones now the primary tool for media consumption, businesses that embrace this shift are better positioned to capture attention and drive growth, especially during the shopping season.

Insights from TikTok's latest Shopping Season Report reveal significant changes in how consumers engage with brands. From October through December—often referred to as the Golden Quarter—shoppers are moving beyond traditional sales days like Black Friday and Christmas to embrace a more sustained, digital-first approach. Popular hashtags such as #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt (6.6M+ video posts) and #SmallBusiness (24.3M+ video posts) highlight the platform’s role as a powerful tool for discovering and supporting SMBs.

The shopping season presents unique opportunities for SMBs to connect with their audiences. The Golden Quarter highlights the need for sustained campaigns that engage audiences consistently throughout the season:

• 61% of purchases occur outside traditional sales events, demonstrating the importance of always-on campaigns.
• TikTok has become a hub for unplanned product discovery, with 77% of users enjoying discovering unexpected products.

For SMBs, understanding these trends and adopting strategies that prioritise creativity and connection are key to standing out. As businesses face rising operational costs and the challenges of a competitive market, cost-effective and scalable marketing solutions have never been more critical. Platforms like TikTok offer a unique opportunity to connect with audiences in ways that are both impactful and budget-friendly.

TikTok’s Influence on Consumer Behaviour

TikTok continues to outperform other platforms in capturing consumer attention. Unlike other media, where multitasking is common, TikTok commands a level of focus that’s unparalleled. A study by Toluna found that TikTok users are less likely to engage in “second-screen” behaviour, creating a captive audience for brands.

Key insights from TikTok's Shopping Season Report reveal:

• 71% of TikTok users discover products on the platform.
• 62% of shoppers make immediate purchases after exposure to TikTok ads.
• 66% influence friends and family to buy the products they’ve seen.

Moreover, TikTok users in South Africa demonstrate significant purchasing power:

• They spend 1.3x more than users on other platforms.
• They spend 2x more on fashion and home goods, 1.5x more on beauty and personal care, and 1.4x more on groceries.

These stats underscore TikTok’s ability to drive product discovery, encourage impulse purchases, and foster peer influence. For SMBs, this means the opportunity to leverage TikTok’s power goes far beyond visibility—it extends to meaningful conversions and lasting customer loyalty.

Real-World Examples: SMBs Embracing Digital

To understand how these strategies play out, we look at two South African entrepreneurs who have successfully leveraged TikTok to grow their businesses. Their stories demonstrate the power of authenticity and storytelling in capturing audiences' attention and driving results.

Jade Oliver founded her natural haircare brand, Afrolecia, after struggling to find products that met her needs. By sharing her journey online and engaging her audience, she turned her passion into a thriving business. Her content resonated with her TikTok audience, driving 55-60% of her monthly sales. Sales grew from just seven in the first month to over 40 by the third, illustrating the power of authentic storytelling. Jade’s experience highlights how SMBs can create content that not only promotes their products but also builds trust and community among their audiences.

As the founder of CloudHaus, a much-loved furniture design brand, Jared Fynn uses TikTok to bring audiences behind the scenes of his creative process. By incorporating audience feedback into his designs, Jared has built a loyal following while scaling his business organically. Viral TikTok content consistently leads to sales spikes, making TikTok his most valuable platform for both exposure and revenue growth.

Both Jade and Jared demonstrate that with the right approach, SMBs can transform storytelling into a powerful business tool, even in a competitive market.

Practical Strategies for Succeed

For SMBs navigating the shopping season, adapting to digital-first trends is not just an option—it’s essential. Here’s how businesses can make the most of this shift:

1. Embrace Authenticity: Consumers value real, relatable content. Showcase your journey, highlight your team, and connect with audiences in meaningful ways.
2. Focus on Consistency: Build sustained campaigns that extend beyond specific sales days, keeping your brand visible throughout the shopping season.
3. Engage Your Audience: Encourage two-way conversations by responding to comments, incorporating feedback, and fostering a sense of community.
4. Leverage Trends: Identify trends that align with your brand, using them to create fresh, engaging content that feels organic.
5. Optimise for Mobile: Ensure content is designed to capture attention on small screens, using visually compelling, short-form formats.

As SMBs prepare for the future, adopting these strategies now can lay the foundation for success in 2025 and beyond.

The lessons from this Golden Quarter offer a valuable blueprint for SMBs looking to stay ahead of the curve. By fostering authentic connections, leveraging digital trends, and planning for year-round engagement, businesses can position themselves for sustained success in 2025 and beyond. For SMB owners ready to embrace the future, the tools to connect and grow are already in your hands.

_Sources:

• TikTok Marketing Science South Africa, Q4 Holiday Season Report 2024, conducted by Redseer

• _{From TV to Mobile: The New Form of Entertainment by Toluna}