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A convergence of retail and e-commerce ideas at a must-attend event
The future of e-eommerce has never looked so bright, and tapping into the South African brains' trust around this topic is key. In light of this, GfK - an NIQ Company is participating as a Silver Sponsor at the three-day Converge Africa Event set to take place from 22 to 24 April 2024 in Cape Town. 25 Mar 2024 Read more

South Africans prioritise value for money in festive season spending
As the Black Friday promotional frenzy fades into memory, it's time to dissect the outcomes for South African retailers and analyse what we can expect to see over the festive season. Zak Haeri, MD for GfK and NIQ in South Africa, looks at sales volumes over Black Friday 2023 and how evolving consumer behaviours will affect retail spend in the run-up to Christmas. 19 Dec 2023 Read more

Black Friday 2023: Retailers and manufacturers will need to be agile to navigate a volatile landscape
With South African consumers holding back on big purchases throughout 2023 in anticipation of sales and promotions, the Black Friday period offers technical goods retailers and manufacturers a golden opportunity to capture revenue growth following a difficult year. However, ongoing economic volatility and low consumer confidence means that brands will need to be agile and ready to pivot to address unpredictable consumer demand. 19 Oct 2023 Read more

Omnichannel strategies: One size does not fit all in South African retail
Given the diversity of the market - with varying levels of digital maturity, lifestyle and income - it's important to understand the evolving needs and key purchase drivers of diverse consumer segments as one size doesn't fit all. 19 Sep 2023 Read more

Have you done enough to win over the consumers of the future?
Growing up in a period of radical technological and societal change has resulted in younger generations having vastly different expectations and behaviours than those that have come before. By 2030, millennials and Gen Z will likely outnumber baby boomers. These are the first generations to grow up with the internet, smartphones and social media as well as wider societal movements such as sustainability. 27 Jul 2023 Read more

Addressing the information gap in Nigeria's durable and consumer electronics retail market
With the largest population in Africa, including a sizeable if pressurised middle class, Nigeria is an attractive market for consumer electronic and durables brands. Yet only a handful of companies from the rest of the world have succeeded when they've entered this complex but dynamic market. One of the major challenges organisations face as they enter Nigeria is a lack of reliable consumer insights and market data - in turn, leading to suboptimal sales, marketing and merchandising strategies. 6 Jul 2023 Read more

Tomorrow's leading brands are busy writing the omnichannel rulebook
South African brands have spoken about omnichannel customer experiences and engagements for years. Yet despite the massive growth of digital sales and marketing channels during the pandemic, true omnichannel strategies remain far and few between. Many retailers and consumer brands are still struggling to catch up with the trends that emerged during Covid-19 lockdowns and are not ready for the next wave. 19 Apr 2023 Read more

Q&A with Sean O'Neill, chief product officer of GfK
In today's fast-changing business environment, organisations must be agile to keep up. They need to be able to extract meaningful signals from the noise to respond to market fluctuations quickly and to predict changes before they happen. 8 Feb 2022 Read more

How brands can win when markets are volatile
Before the pandemic struck in early 2020, we were already operating in fast-moving and uncertain times. But Covid-19 has exposed us to levels of market volatility that we have not seen since the Global Financial crisis more than a decade ago. Indeed, we've moved through such rapid cycles of infection, lockdown, and government stimulus that the heads of most business and marketing leaders are still spinning. 2 Feb 2022 Read more

#BizTrends2022: The year of purpose and premium
It's an understatement to say that the past two years have been challenging for brands in South Africa and the rest of the world. The pandemic has wreaked havoc, but it's by no means the only disruptor we have faced. 5 Jan 2022 Read more

WATCH: Unfolding consumer and market trends, and how brands can win in a volatile market
In this BizTakeouts interview we speak to Zak Haeri, managing director and Nicolet Pienaar, head of market insights at GfK South Africa, to find out more about the latest market changes and trends, how consumer behaviour is changing, and the importance of real-time access to the latest data and intelligent automation... 13 Dec 2021 Read more

Transform customer experience with AI-powered intelligent decision-making
Artificial intelligence (AI) is fast becoming an essential tool for every organisations globally. Whether your business is scaling up, building resilience or trying to boost profit margins, AI has a vital role to play in today's decision-making process. Companies across sectors in South Africa are seeking a competitive edge and greater efficiency in this time of uncertainty. In the wake of the pandemic, every organisation wants to extract the right signals from the noise to make better decisions, faster. 30 Nov 2021 Read more

Maximising data driven business growth: GfK launches AI-supported intelligence platform "gfknewron" in South Africa
  • Innovative market, consumer and brand intelligence platform combines data, analytics, and AI-powered forecasts
  • New platform offers guidance for strategic planning and predictions in one interactive source 10 Nov 2021 Read more

  • gfknewron 2.0: Exciting new features to boost product revenue and take market share
    AI-enabled features give better predictions at speed in highly unpredictable landscapes 7 Apr 2021 Read more

    Black Friday period shows disappointing growth for technical goods retail
    South Africa's technical consumer goods market sees subdued spending as consumers weigh up each purchase carefully, trade up for better value and make strategic purchases for the home. 23 Dec 2020 Read more

    Black Friday trends: Major appliances and click-and-mortar to thrive
    Technical consumer goods market softens in September as retailers and consumers prepare for year-end blowout; e-commerce to grow 169% post-pandemic. 20 Nov 2020 Read more

    Device penetration rises in South Africa as digital becomes the new normal
    Technical Consumer Goods market to bounce back in Q4 on the back of Black Friday specials 3 Nov 2020 Read more

    GfK research: Lockdown gives South Africa's online consumers an opportunity to prioritise what really matters
    52 percent increased their time on leisure activities and only 47 percent could work from home 21 May 2020 Read more

    Kali Moahloli
    With less than two months to go before Black Friday (29 November), South African retailers are scrambling to get their stock, websites and deals ready for the big day. Most will be hoping for a repeat of the success they have enjoyed over the past three years, with November growing into the second-biggest retail month for the technical and durable goods sector on the back of Black Friday shopping. 15 Oct 2019 Read more

    6 reasons tech and durable brands need a 360° view of their retail partners' business
    To stay ahead of the game as a consumer technology or durables brand or distributor, you need to excel at managing your retail relationships. That demands that you gain a 360° view of your retail partners' business - not just how your products sell in their stores, but also how competitors perform. With access to precise data for individual retailers, you can collaborate with them as an informed partner. 1 Oct 2019 Read more

    Health innovation is an opportunity for South African brands across multiple industries
    With government striving to pass legislation to create a National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme to serve all South Africans, the country's health and wellness market is in flux. Along with the global trends reshaping the sector, this is a recipe for massive change and disruption that could have wide implications for consumer brands in every segment. 25 Sep 2019 Read more

    GfK Consumer Journey blends POS data and consumer insights to offer a complete view of the path to purchase
    GfK South Africa has launched its Consumer Journey solution, one of the first offerings in the local market to give brands and retailers in the technical goods and consumer durables industries a complete view of the online and offline consumer path to purchase. GfK Consumer Journey combines social media listening, survey data and client point of sale (POS) data to offer a holistic picture of South African consumers' purchase behaviour and decisions. 17 Sep 2019 Read more

    Busting the gaming stereotype: South Africa's gamers are educated, healthy, well-off and live life to the full
    Perceptions that gamers are predominantly young, geeky, and male persist, despite the reality that playing videogames has become mainstream. 2 Jul 2019 Read more

    Smartphone revenues grow 3% in Q1 2019 - GfK point-of-sales data
    Lacklustre growth for South Africa's technical goods market as smartphone unit sales fall 28 May 2019 Read more

    5 ways digital technology is reshaping the needs and expectations of South Africa's young consumers
    We're seeing the needs, expectations and behaviours of young South African consumers evolve at a pace that threatens to leave brands behind. As centennials - or Generation Z - move into the workforce and become the next wave of consumers, brands will need to rethink many of their assumptions about what customers want. 30 Apr 2019 Read more

    A complex, multi-layered video ecosystem is taking shape in SA as consumers flock online
    YouTube dominates the free online video segment in South Africa, with nearly nine out of 10 connected, urban consumers regularly accessing free video on YouTube and just under half watching YouTube videos every day. 17 Apr 2019 Read more

    South African smartphone sales rise 7.2% in 2018 despite Q4 downturn
    Panel television sales enjoy strong momentum for the quarter and the year 22 Feb 2019 Read more

    If 'toxic' was the word of 2018, could 'trust' be the word for 2019?
    The Oxford Dictionaries chose 'toxic' as its annual "Word of the Year". For 2019, the winning brands in South Africa and the rest of the world will be those that work to restore consumers' trust in a toxic environment and show that they are driven by a higher purpose than making money. 24 Jan 2019 Read more

    Smartphone sales growth stalls while panel TVs soar during Black Friday week 2018 - GfK data
    Panel television sales soared in South Africa during Black Friday week, climbing by 66% to just over 93,000 units when compared to the same week in 2017, according to point of sale tracking data from GfK South Africa's Weekly Monitor. This builds on the 47% growth over 2016 recorded during the week of Black Friday in 2017. 13 Dec 2018 Read more

    South African smartphone unit sales rise 16% in Q3 2018 as consumer tech market shows resilience
    South Africa's technical consumer goods market enjoyed a boost from strong sales of telecom devices in the third quarter of 2018, with smartphone sales rising by around 16% to 3.15 million units in Q3 of 2018 compared to the same quarter last year and smartphone revenues expanding by 19% over the same period. The overall technical goods market grew in value by 6.9% for Q3 2018 when compared to Q3 2017, according to point of sale data from market research firm, GfK South Africa. 22 Nov 2018 Read more

    South Africa's new generation of dads are cool, committed and in charge
    Today's South African dad is different from dads of the past. Better educated and with more earning power than his grandfather or even his father, he is carving out a new social standing and position in the family. 16 Nov 2018 Read more

    SA brands start the countdown to Black Friday 2018
    The days are getting longer and hotter, suburban South Africans are firing up their braais and the malls will soon be filled with the sounds of Boney M. Yes, it's nearly time for the festive shopping season, preceded by Black Friday, an imported tradition that South African shoppers have made their own. With less than a few weeks to go before Black Friday on 23 November, technical goods retailers and manufacturers are scrambling to get ready. 24 Oct 2018 Read more

    South Africans browse on their smartphones, then purchase in a store
    Two-thirds of connected consumers use their smartphones in their purchase journeys 28 Sep 2018 Read more

    Smartphones and panel TVs lift South Africa's consumer tech market in Q2 2018
    Revenues in South Africa's technical consumer goods market climbed 8% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2018, boosted by a 16% rise in the telecommunications sector and a 17,4% increase in small domestic appliances, according to point of sale data from market research firm, GfK South Africa. The data also shows that the major domestic appliances and consumer IT segments grew by 3% and 6.6% respectively. 11 Sep 2018 Read more

    Technical goods revenues soar at SA malls, despite mall proliferation and rise of online shopping
    The launch of Midrand's Mall of Africa in April 2016 has helped to lift average quarterly revenue from technical goods across major shopping malls in Midrand, Pretoria and Johannesburg by more than 50%. This indicates that South Africa's richer and more densely populated urban areas have yet to hit saturation point for new shopping developments. 21 Aug 2018 Read more

    Brands should add to working moms' sense of wellbeing rather than contribute to their anxiety
    With unemployment rising in South Africa and slow economic growth, our country's households are under enormous pressure. The working moms who form the backbone of the nation are taking strain as they seek to manage the needs of their households and the demands of their jobs. 8 Aug 2018 Read more

    A cross-media view of the customer is the key to marketing success
    Think about your customer, walking into work with a smartphone in one hand and a briefcase in the other. He or she may be wearing a pair of jeans from a brick-and-mortar store, purchased on account using a store club card, and a jacket acquired on special after seeing a TV ad for a winter sale. 11 Jul 2018 Read more

    Online sales of technical consumer goods soar as South Africans seek bargains
    E-commerce retailers grew their share of the South African technical consumer goods market by 52% in 2017, accounting for 6.9% of total consumer spending by rand value for the year. This means they have nearly doubled their share of the market since 2015, according to research from GfK South Africa. 21 Jun 2018 Read more

    Linear broadcasting's share of screen time shrinks as SA tunes into free and paid digital video
    GfK launches its annual ViewScape study in Africa, showing how the rise of digital platforms is transforming consumers' viewing habits 3 May 2018 Read more

    Rachel Thompson
    South Africa's young people - those aged below 35 years - make up 66% of the country's population. They're rapidly changing the workplace with their search for purpose, the consumer landscape with their demands for authenticity and personalisation, and society at large with their belief in social justice. Brands need to understand what makes them tick to secure a long-term future for their businesses. 19 Apr 2018 Read more

    Smartphones shine in a difficult year for South Africa's consumer technology sector
    Smartphone unit sales in South Africa climbed by around 21% in 2017, even as South Africans reduced their spending in most categories of the consumer technology market, according to point-of-sale data from market research firm, GfK South Africa. Storage, media-streaming device, and speaker retail sales also saw healthy growth last year, while tablet computer, desktop computer and mobile computer sales experienced sharp declines. 23 Mar 2018 Read more

    A five-step plan to maximise media effectiveness and drive sales
    The media channels brands have at their disposal for marketing are growing more complex by the day; so is the consumer's path to purchase. To maximise media effectiveness and return on investment (ROI), marketers need an accurate way to measure the sales impact of below-the-line (BTL) and above-the line (ATL) media in a fragmented and complex landscape. 27 Feb 2018 Read more

    Five consumer spending trends to watch out for in 2018
    South African retailers and manufacturers face a significant shift in how consumers behave over the next few years, as economic conditions tighten, consumer confidence falls and internet shopping takes off. Our research shows that many South Africans are fearful about the future, with 46% saying they are not very or at all confident about the future. 7 Feb 2018 Read more

    The winning brands in 2018 will get their competitive edge from memorable customer experiences
    Consumers around the world are putting more value on experiences than they do on possessions, and South Africans are no different. Online shopping, commoditisation of once-expensive goods like smartphones, and a craving for simplicity among consumers are all factors that are helping to drive this trend. People increasingly agree that the thrill of a purchase fades quickly, but the memory of a great experience lasts a lifetime. 16 Jan 2018 Read more

    Consumer electronics sales soar in South Africa during Black Friday week
    South African retailers saw strong sales during the week of Black Friday this year. Panel television unit sales experienced 47% growth and smartphone sales leaped 63% compared to the same week in 2016, according to point of sale tracking data from GfK South Africa. The value of panel televisions sold during the week was up 41% over the comparable week in 2016, while the value of smartphone sales climbed by 34%. 8 Dec 2017 Read more

    Smartphone sales in SA rise 28% as average selling price falls
    South African smartphone sales climbed 28% year-on-year to three million units in the third quarter of 2017, while basic mobile phone sales were up 6% to 1.6 million units for the same period, according to point-of-sale tracking data from GfK South Africa. Smartphone revenues were up 27% compared to the same quarter in 2016, as the market accelerated its transition from basic phones. 22 Nov 2017 Read more

    Helping connected consumers to navigate your path to purchase
    South African consumer brands, like their counterparts in other parts of the world, face an uphill battle in meeting the growing expectations of their customers. They operate in a world where consumers continually want more convenience, more choice, lower prices and a better experience. 26 Oct 2017 Read more

    Capturing the Generation Z opportunity
    South Africa has a youthful population, with more than 66% of our people below 35 years old and 41% younger than 21 years old. Marketers who want to ensure the longevity of their brands and win the consumer of the future thus need to come to grips with what the under-21s - Generation Z - want and value. 11 Oct 2017 Read more

    Smartphone and notebook sales hold up in competitive South African market, but tablets experience sharp decline
    Retail growth in South Africa's mobile computer market has flattened out, though the market is performing reasonably well considering the tight economy, according to point of sale data from market research firm, GfK South Africa. However, the media tablet market has shrunk by about 40% in the first half of 2017, while smartphones continue to boom. 28 Sep 2017 Read more

    How to supercharge ROI from your retail marketing
    As a retail or manufacturing marketer in today's competitive landscape, you need a sophisticated understanding of which activities are driving your bottom line as well as how shoppers experience your product in context if you are to grow your business. 14 Sep 2017 Read more

    South Africa's township residents are driven by a sense of social duty and a deep-rooted cultural heritage
    New GfK research reveals how brands can connect with people in townships by aligning with their values 30 Aug 2017 Read more

    Converting browsers into buyers: the number one challenge for retailers and manufacturers in SA
    The South African non-food retail market is under growing pressure. Manufacturers and retailers face significant declines in sales volume and value as their markets mature, as the weakness of rand diminishes spending power and as a difficult economy erodes consumer confidence. 15 Aug 2017 Read more

    Sluggish economy dampens demand for small domestic appliances in South Africa
    • Value of market falls 17% to R3bn in 2016
    • Low-cost local brands to grow at expense of premium multinational brands
    • Coffee machines and juicers to sell well as SA embraces healthy lifestyles and at-home dining
     3 Aug 2017 Read more

    GfK becomes newest member of IAB South Africa
    German-owned global research giant, GfK, joins IAB South Africa in support of the local digital industry 5 Feb 2016 Read more

    Hidden market forces cause new products to flop
    Great products are floundering because suppliers don't know enough about their markets. As many as 75% to 80% of new products and services flop, according to research firm GfK. A lot of these innovations fail because suppliers lack vital knowledge about their markets. 7 Jul 2015 Read more

    GfK delivers Radio Audience Measurement data in Malaysia
    GfK is expanding its radio audience measurement (RAM) services to countries in the Asia Pacific region. 18 Nov 2014 Read more

    How FUNDI will help your small business thrive
    New app launched to assist small businesses 27 Jun 2014 Read more

    GfK (SA) welcomes Joe Boniaszczuk to the role of Director of Marketing Sciences. 26 Oct 2012 Read more

    GfK acquires South African market research company GlobalEDGE Marketing Consultants. 5 Oct 2012 Read more