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In the year ending March 31, 2021, Takealot increased its revenue by about 65%.

That amounts to $606 million, or roughly R8,7 billion, although it does include the Mr D Food delivery business, as well as fashion retailer Superbalist.

Mr D saw a 117% increase in food order volume, and Business Insider SA reports that Superbalist’s gross sales were up 45%, but that total revenue spike was largely due to the success of Takealot.com.

Despite those impressive numbers, the Naspers-owned company actually traded at a loss. This via MyBroadband:

“Takealot had an exceptionally strong year reporting Gross Merchandise Value (total value of sales) growth of 84% and significantly improving profitability,” [Naspers] said.

Takealot’s trading loss was reduced from US$43 million (R618 million) to US$7 million (R101 million) over the last year.

Gross Merchandise Value increased from US$603 million (R8.65 billion) to US$1.022 billion (R14.66 billion) over the last year.

Takealot’s GMV is significantly higher than its revenue because a portion of the sales go to sellers on its marketplace.

The sales figures are even more impressive when you consider that Takealot was actually banned from selling “non-essential” items for a few months lat year by trade and industry minister Ebrahim Patel.

At the time, then Takealot CEO Kim Reid called the ban “incomprehensible”, and labelled the government “short-sighted”.

So, what are people snapping up from the online retailer?

MyBroadband has the stats for June, and there’s definitely a winter theme on that top 10 list.

1. TVs
2. Xbox Series X
3. Air fryers
4. Samsung Galaxy phones
5. Apple Airpods
6. Sim cards and data
7. Disposable and reusable masks
8. Red Wine
9. Gas canisters and heaters
10. Solar lights

Air fryers at number three.

Nice to see all that talk is actually translating into sales.

Pro tip – if you visit a friend’s place and spot an air fryer, do not ask about it, no matter how curious you are.

If you do, there’s a high probability you will be drawn into a lengthy conversation about how virtually everything humankind has ever eaten can now be done in an air fryer.

I’m sure gas heaters are always a big seller in the winter months, but hitting stage 3 and 4 of load shedding would also have helped move a few units.

Props to those ordering red wine as well. If you’re staying in, do it in style.

[sources:businsidersa&mybb&mybb]