As South Africa’s e-commerce landscape continues to mature, 2026 is shaping up to be a year defined by keener value expectations, mobile-first behaviour and experience-led shopping. Against this backdrop, South Africa’s first daily deals platform, OneDayOnly, says its experience offers a useful view into how shopper expectations are evolving. “By offering genuine one-day-only deals, we create a daily habit and emotional trigger that differentiates it from traditional marketplaces,” she says. More broadly, many of the shopping behaviours seen in 2025 are expected to carry into 2026, with mobile-first shopping firmly established as the default. Mobile first dominanceMany of the shopping behaviours seen in 2025 are expected to carry into 2026, particularly the continued dominance of mobile-first shopping.