Brief
Retailers urged to fix checkout friction before Black Friday 2026
A study finds card declines, fees and account creation as top reasons for abandoned carts, and offers four quick fixes.
By Felo News Desk · Published
South African retailers have a narrow window to address checkout problems that cost sales ahead of Black Friday 2026, according to a study released on 16 October 2026.
What happened
The Online Retail in South Africa 2026 study, conducted by World Wide Worx, Mastercard and Peach Payments, surveyed 201 retailers. It identified card declines as the leading cause of abandoned carts (61.2%), followed by shipping fees (51.7%), compulsory account creation (43.8%) and complicated checkout flows (40.3%).
What the report adds
The report notes that only 42.8% of retailers let customers switch payment methods after a failed transaction, and merely 36.8% offer digital wallets. It also records a rise in Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) offerings, from 15.9% of retailers in 2025 to 54.7% in 2026, with strong performance on basket sizes between roughly R800 and R8,000.
What was said
"These aren’t necessarily technology problems, but they are friction points, and there’s still time to fix them," Tracey‑Lee Zürcher‑Campbell, CMO of Payflex, told Bizcommunity. She added, "A failed payment doesn’t have to mean a lost sale. If the customer understands what went wrong and has another way to complete the purchase, you still have a chance to keep them." On payment options, Zürcher‑Campbell said, "More payment options don’t automatically mean a better checkout. The important thing is giving customers the options that make sense for how they shop and what they’re buying."
How it came about
The study was released as retailers finalize Black Friday preparations, echoing earlier Felo News coverage that highlighted the need for confidence‑building tools and operational basics for the festive season.
Key facts
- Card declines caused 61.2% of abandoned carts in the 2026 South African online retail study (bizcommunity.com)
- Only 42.8% of retailers allow customers to switch payment methods after a failed payment (bizcommunity.com)
- BNPL offerings rose from 15.9% in 2025 to 54.7% in 2026 among surveyed retailers (bizcommunity.com)
- Tracey‑Lee Zürcher‑Campbell, CMO of Payflex, said checkout friction points can still be fixed before Black Friday (bizcommunity.com)
Sources
- [1] bizcommunity.com — originally reported as “4 Black Friday fixes retailers still have time to correct”
