Digital Visibility: The Currency Township Retailers Need This Holiday Season

The South African township economy is valued at R900 billion[1]. This thriving commerce sector represents nearly one-third of the country’s population and directly employs around 7.5 million people[2] [3]. And yet, these informal and township retailers remain largely invisible online which, as the holiday retail quarter begins, is a challenge because this digital invisibility inhibits their ability to build and service their customer base. These retailers face a familiar dilemma – how do they serve their increasingly mobile-first customers when they are struggling to build their own digital presence?

In 2025’s festive retail quarter, which is predicted to be the biggest one in South Africa yet, this digital disconnect is a missed opportunity. According to Mastercard, ecommerce, which includes mobile commerce, is anticipated to reach 10% of total retail sales in South Africa – more than R130 billion – by the end of this year with mobile shopping currently the fastest growing channel[4].

According to the FinMark study, around 60% of South Africa’s informal small to medium micro enterprises (SMMEs) are classified as ‘basic segment’ enterprises with turnovers of below R100,000 and extremely limited digital adoption[5]. Even when retailers own smartphones and have access to banking services, they often lack the means or infrastructure to market themselves, promote offers or reach nearby mobile users.

This growing exclusion is a very real problem in 2025. This year, the holiday shopping season will be mobile first as shoppers search for deals, store hours and location-based offers on their mobile devices. As these behaviours accelerate, it is time for informal enterprises to gain access to the digital realm and resources that can transform their skills. If they gain digital access, they can create their own digital microsystems which focus on expanding their customer base and creating connections that deliver engagement and loyalty.

In this realm, discovery is the differentiator and visibility the currency, and for small and informal retailers this means becoming present in systems people already use such as telco or banking apps. If they can become findable through simple, localised tools that don’t require new hardware, advertising budgets or technology skills, then they can expand their footprint and gain momentum this festive season.

Flood was developed to provide this level of discovery and visibility. The SuperApp-as-a-Service platform enables trusted and established apps to offer embedded digital discovery tools to small retailers. These tools allow them to become searchable, to share offers and alert nearby mobile customers to their physical location. The system is so smart it’s simple, empowering retailers to joining in digital commerce without needing to code, advertise or onboard new and complex platforms.

The informal sector doesn’t need to be disrupted. It needs to be recognised. This holiday season, as consumers spend time in mobile apps browsing for deals and insights, Flood helps retailers position themselves in those search moments. In doing so, the app is turning existing apps from established companies like banks and telcos into community commerce tools where customers can find traders and traders can build trust.

This simplicity underscores how digital inclusion doesn’t have to be high effort, high complexity. It can be a neat and easy solution that gives SMMEs with small margins and footprints the ability to create a digital footprint that captures customers within their locale. Flood doesn’t require retailers to do anything new or for companies to create anything new, it just slips into place and allows for companies to show up digitally.

Now, for 2025, SMMEs in the informal sector can join in the record-setting sales and expand their customer communities using an app that makes them easy to find.

For more information on Flood, visit www.flood.finance