Array ( [episodeID] => 388 [featureSeriesID] => 1 [featureSeasonID] => 14 [featureEpisodeID] => 32 [featureTitle] => Robert Koen on Amazon Prime, Prime Day and South Africa's e-commerce future [featureDescription] => Amazon Prime and Prime Day are reshaping South African e-commerce. Robert Koen explains what Amazon learned from its first local Prime Day and what it means for shoppers, sellers and the future of online retail.\r\n\r\nRobert Koen, Managing Director of Amazon Sub-Saharan Africa, joins Business Talk to discuss Amazon's expansion in South Africa following the successful launch of Prime and the country's first-ever Prime Day. He shares insights into customer adoption, repeat purchasing behaviour, and why reliable delivery, competitive pricing and Prime membership are helping change how South Africans shop online.\r\n\r\nThe conversation explores the products South Africans bought most during Prime Day, the growing demand for everyday essentials, and how Amazon is encouraging more frequent online shopping. Robert also discusses the economics behind Prime's R59 monthly subscription, the benefits of bundled services including Prime Video, and the opportunities Amazon Marketplace creates for South African businesses to reach customers nationwide. The discussion concludes with Amazon's plans to expand product selection, improve customer experience, and continue investing in South Africa's fast-growing e-commerce ecosystem.\r\n\r\nFor South African consumers, entrepreneurs and retailers, this episode provides valuable insight into how Amazon is building its local business and what the future of online shopping could look like in one of Africa's fastest-growing digital markets.\r\n\r\n0:00 Intro\r\n1:42 Amazon's first Prime Day in South Africa\r\n3:44 What South Africans bought during Prime Day\r\n6:46 Building long-term customer loyalty\r\n10:17 Why Amazon Prime costs R59 per month\r\n13:08 The value of Prime membership in South Africa\r\n15:29 Lessons from Prime Day and what's next\r\n\r\nFollow BusinessTech:\r\nX - https://twitter.com/businesstechSA\r\nFacebook - https://web.facebook.com/BusinessTechSA\r\nInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/businesstechsa\r\nWebsite - https://businesstech.co.za/news/\r\n\r\n#AmazonPrime #Ecommerce #SouthAfrica [featureEpisode] => https://player.vimeo.com/video/1211581427 [featureDuration] => 18:50 min [featureImageMobile] => img/guests/ET-001-0028-032.jpg [featurePublication] => 2026-07-21 07:33:16 [featureLogo] => img/logos/SL114.png )