Hello Pretty describes itself as South Africa's largest online marketplace. Among their most popular items are art pieces made from pencil shavings, selling for up to $25 each.
Hello Pretty describes itself as South Africa's largest online marketplace. Among their most popular items are art pieces made from pencil shavings, selling for up to $25 each.
Hello Pretty
There are currently over 1,600 stores on the platform. Co-founder Sam Marx says: "We have people purchasing from all over, including farms in the middle of nowhere. Our largest customer base is from Johannesburg."
There are currently over 1,600 stores on the platform. Co-founder Sam Marx says: "We have people purchasing from all over, including farms in the middle of nowhere. Our largest customer base is from Johannesburg."
Hello Pretty
Bow Peep store owner Leila Badsha was Hello Pretty's first seller. "They have helped my business grow by providing a great platform for local creatives," she said.
Bow Peep store owner Leila Badsha was Hello Pretty's first seller. "They have helped my business grow by providing a great platform for local creatives," she said.
Hello Pretty
Company co-founder Marx says: "We didn't want people getting cheeky and putting Chinese imports on. In the beginning, we were limiting our approvals quite heavily because we had to be careful about the look of our site."
Company co-founder Marx says: "We didn't want people getting cheeky and putting Chinese imports on. In the beginning, we were limiting our approvals quite heavily because we had to be careful about the look of our site."
Hello Pretty
The platform's founders build close relationships with the designers they host, including fashion designer and founder of Lo Studio Elzanne Louw. "Elzanne was very instrumental in mentoring Hello Pretty when we got going, and showed us the ropes in the design scene. She gave us a great foot in the door," said Marx.
The platform's founders build close relationships with the designers they host, including fashion designer and founder of Lo Studio Elzanne Louw. "Elzanne was very instrumental in mentoring Hello Pretty when we got going, and showed us the ropes in the design scene. She gave us a great foot in the door," said Marx.
Simon Deiner / SDR Photo
Hadfield and Marx work closely with over 15,000 designers to create each Hello Pretty store. "We answer every e-mail ourselves," says Marx. "We look at every seller application ourselves. We review their stores and give them instructions on how to build their brand online."<br />
Hadfield and Marx work closely with over 15,000 designers to create each Hello Pretty store. "We answer every e-mail ourselves," says Marx. "We look at every seller application ourselves. We review their stores and give them instructions on how to build their brand online."
Hello Pretty
One of Hello Pretty's most popular products is from store Bamboo Watch Revolutions, who say they are one of the first companies to develop a watch face made from bamboo.
One of Hello Pretty's most popular products is from store Bamboo Watch Revolutions, who say they are one of the first companies to develop a watch face made from bamboo.
Hello Pretty
"These keyring sets have been flying off the shelves," adds Marx, of laser-cut decor store Hallo Jane.
"These keyring sets have been flying off the shelves," adds Marx, of laser-cut decor store Hallo Jane.
Hello Pretty
Cape Town-based Stacy Adriaans specializes in silver jewelry design, and set up her store 'a ring to it' on Hello Pretty.
Cape Town-based Stacy Adriaans specializes in silver jewelry design, and set up her store 'a ring to it' on Hello Pretty.
Hello Pretty
Hello Pretty also hosts well-established stores like Leg Studios, founded in 2006 by designers Leon Erasmus, Giulia Odendaal and Tim Richert.
Hello Pretty also hosts well-established stores like Leg Studios, founded in 2006 by designers Leon Erasmus, Giulia Odendaal and Tim Richert.
Hello Pretty
One store owner explains: "Hello Pretty offers what every seller wants: quick and easy shop set-up and management, fast payouts, local & international marketing and an amazing team that bends over backwards to promote sellers."
One store owner explains: "Hello Pretty offers what every seller wants: quick and easy shop set-up and management, fast payouts, local & international marketing and an amazing team that bends over backwards to promote sellers."
Hello Pretty
Confectionary-maker The Lollipop League has been built up from nothing into a successful small business, said Marx, who called the store's founder Brigette Barnett a "flavor scientist".
Confectionary-maker The Lollipop League has been built up from nothing into a successful small business, said Marx, who called the store's founder Brigette Barnett a "flavor scientist".
Hello Pretty
Cape Town-based Anne Hodgson quit her job to set up her own store with Hello Pretty selling wooden products.
Cape Town-based Anne Hodgson quit her job to set up her own store with Hello Pretty selling wooden products.
Hello Pretty
Hello Pretty store Take Charge creates leather bags with a built-in micro USB port, a smartphone adapter and a hidden battery to electronically charge mobile devices.
Hello Pretty store Take Charge creates leather bags with a built-in micro USB port, a smartphone adapter and a hidden battery to electronically charge mobile devices.
Hello Pretty
"House of Kallie are our top seller by a mile," said Marx. "They're the ultimate small-business success story. They make jewelry out of old South African coins and wood." South Africans adore Kallie's jewelry, said Marx, because it's "really sentimental".
"House of Kallie are our top seller by a mile," said Marx. "They're the ultimate small-business success story. They make jewelry out of old South African coins and wood." South Africans adore Kallie's jewelry, said Marx, because it's "really sentimental".
Hello Pretty
Hello Pretty: the South African digital start up that could rival Etsy

Story highlights

Africa's e-commerce industry is set to explode

Hello Pretty is an alternative to e-commerce giant Etsy

CNN  — 

What do a bamboo watch, a gin and tonic lollipop and a pug-shaped cushion have in common?

They’re all part of Africa’s growing e-commerce industry, which is estimated to boom in the next year.

Experts predict online shopping across the continent will be worth $50 billion in 2018, up from $8 billion in 2013. As Internet coverage expands, e-commerce could account for 10% of retail sales in Africa’s largest economies by 2025.

Cape Town-based Hello Pretty, a start up describing itself as ‘South Africa’s largest digital marketplace’, is already making headway in the industry.

Set up by Sam Marx and Scott Hadfield in 2012, Hello Pretty is an online platform for South Africans to buy and sell handmade crafts. In just one year, the site’s revenue and users have tripled, and now features almost 24,000 products.

“Most people in 2012 didn’t even know what an online shop was,” said Marx. “Now sellers and buyers are getting more familiar with online shopping. Our growth has been astronomical, our timing was just good.”

South Africa’s answer to Etsy

The e-commerce giant Etsy has been through turbulent times, with plunging shares and new competition with the launch of Amazon’s online store Handmade. In South Africa, Marx and Hadfield say Hello Pretty is the most viable alternative to international e-commerce platforms because it is more in tune with local needs.

“It’s hard to use Etsy because it doesn’t support the African rand,” explains Marx. “Everything is put into American dollars, which is a huge headache because of the exchange controls.”

Paypal, the online payment system used for Etsy transactions, is also “really an issue here”, with strict rules that require sellers to withdraw cash from their Paypal account after every transaction. “If you make fifty sales on Etsy you have to make fifty withdrawals on Paypal,” says Hadfield. Then it has to run through one of the major banks, which charges exorbitant fees, he explained.

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With Hello Pretty, Marx and Hadfield handle all payments directly, depositing funds into seller accounts without needing to resort to Paypal as an intermediary.

Deidre Luzmore also set up an online platform, known as Mzansi Store, to encourage South African craft sellers to go digital. She agrees that new models of e-commerce are needed to kickstart the industry.

“I interviewed crafters at markets and less than five percent had Etsy stores,” she adds. “Whether it’s displaying their items in dollars, or not knowing how to ship to the U.S., we need to help them overcome that. There is definitely still a gap in the market.”

Room for growth

Marx and Hadfield are a two-strong team, responding personally to every email and payment transaction for 25,000 Hello Pretty users.

“The guys who want to make a big business – I want to explain to them how to do it,” says Marx. “We already give advice around pricing, photos and store policies. It wasn’t the plan from the beginning, but it’s definitely required.”

Despite the huge workload, they plan to expand the platform this year, with a focus on giving customized advice to retailers on building a brand online.

“I would love to see African creativity at the forefront,” adds Luzmore. “Manufacturing is the next big industry for Africa. With the rise of mobile technology, I think it’s going to be a very exciting and innovative industry in five years’ time.”