As Black Friday approaches, WigWag is excited to unveil new payment methods that will ensure your e-commerce business is ready for the busiest shopping season of the year. WigWag is now the first plug and play payment gateway in South Africa to offer Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Capitec Pay in Shopify and WooCommerce, completing our comprehensive suite of payment solutions. This addition brings together card payments, smartphone wallets, pay-by-bank solutions, and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)—all designed to maximize your sales during Black Friday and the festive season.

Why This is Big for South African E-commerce

With the addition of Google Pay and Capitec Pay, WigWag is positioning itself as a force to be reckoned with in the ecommerce payment space. Apple Pay, which has been a popular payment option for a while, is now joined with the launch of Google Pay and Capitec Pay, expanding the variety of payment options available to South African merchants and shoppers. This is crucial, as the demand for efficient, innovative solutions continues to rise, especially as Black Friday approaches—a critical time for both e-commerce merchants and consumers.

In 2023, Black Friday sales in South Africa amounted to R4.5 billion.This event remains a significant contributor to boosting retail performance and customer morale. WigWag aims to continue supporting its clients and welcomes new clients to increase their basket size and checkout speed, all while moving closer to a one-click checkout experience.

The Rise of Digital Wallets

Digital wallets are revolutionizing the way South Africans make payments. By linking debit or credit cards to a smartphone, users can enjoy the convenience of seamless payments without the need to carry physical cards. Additionally, security is enhanced through PINs or biometric authentication like fingerprint and facial recognition, making it a safer option for both merchants and customers.

Recent data from South Africa’s major banks shows the growing popularity of digital wallets:

• Absa reported a 75% year-on-year increase in digital wallet transactions, with Google Wallet seeing particularly strong growth.
• Capitec, which joined the digital wallet market in 2022, saw a staggering 238% increase in wallet values and 225% growth in transaction volumes between June 2023 and June 2024. Apple Pay accounted for 77% of its digital wallet spending.
• Standard Bank recorded an 86% share of digital wallet transactions made via Apple Pay.

These statistics show how fast Apple Pay, Google Pay, and now Capitec Pay are becoming integral to the daily lives of South African consumers.

A Breakdown of WigWag's New Payment Methods

WigWag has been laser-focused on simplifying the checkout experience, ensuring that every payment option added is designed to enhance—not complicate—your customers' purchasing journey. As Dani Laity, WigWag's General Manager, shares, "We aren't just adding payment methods for the sake of adding them, but rather carefully selecting high-converting methods that offer more options without cluttering or complicating the checkout page."

1. Apple Pay
   Apple Pay has been a game-changer in South Africa. Its popularity across the country is undeniable, as four of the largest banks reported a surge in its use in the first half of 2024. It allows users to make payments securely with just a tap of the finger, eliminating the need to carry cards or remembering details.
2. Google Pay
   Google Pay works similarly, allowing users to make payments using any Android device with NFC capability. With more affordable smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy A55 supporting NFC, Google Pay opens up digital wallets to an even larger audience. Whether paying in-store, in-app, or online on WigWag-powered sites, Google Pay is set to be a hit among Android users.
3. Capitec Pay
   Capitec Pay is a unique offering designed for simplicity and convenience. With Capitec Pay, you don’t need to enter card details or share sensitive banking information. All you need is your cellphone number or ID number, and you can approve payments via the Capitec app. It's fast, secure, and perfect for quick checkouts, making it a strong alternative to traditional card payments.

The Future of E-commerce with WigWag

WigWag’s goal is to ensure that merchants can offer the most innovative, secure, and customer-friendly payment solutions. With the addition of Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Capitec Pay, WigWag is further committed to providing competitive pricing, stellar customer support, and cutting-edge payment technologies.

As Black Friday and the festive season draw near, now is the perfect time to integrate WigWag’s new payment options to boost your checkout experience, increase conversions, and maximize revenue.

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