Events Media Evolution

South Africa’s connected commerce push accelerates integration of offline and online retail

Monday, 27 October 2025 10:35AM UTC

IAB South Africa's new Connected Commerce Committee aims to unify online and offline retail experiences through collaboration, advanced measurement, and AI, adapting global trends to local consumer behaviours amidst a fragmented retail ecosystem.

Report: Integration of Online and Offline Commerce in South Africa – IAB South Africa’s Connected Commerce Initiative

Introduction

IAB South Africa has established the Connected Commerce Committee with the goal of aligning local commerce practices with the global IAB Connected Commerce agenda. This initiative prioritises smarter measurement, AI-powered personalisation, shopper-centric design, and media convergence across platforms and retailers, with an emphasis on addressing South Africa’s unique retail dynamics and consumer behaviours ^[1].

The New Retail Landscape

South Africa mirrors global trends where the distinction between physical and digital shopping channels is increasingly blurred. Consumers exhibit channel-agnostic behaviour, navigating seamlessly between mobile browsing, social media research, in-store comparisons, and purchases through whichever channels offer the most convenience. Examples such as grocery store apps, TikTok Shop, and the buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) model illustrate the merging of online and offline experiences ^[1].

Despite these behavioural shifts, the supporting retail ecosystem remains fragmented, with retailers, marketing agencies, publishers, and digital platforms often operating within isolated silos. Such segmentation hampers cohesive progress and impedes the creation of truly integrated consumer experiences ^[1].

Collaboration as a Catalyst for Innovation

The Connected Commerce Committee’s creation seeks to mitigate this fragmentation by fostering collaboration across industry players. The committee advocates an ecosystem where creativity, technology, and commerce function in concert, ensuring seamless interplay between consumers, products, and touchpoints through the entire purchase journey ^[1].

The committee identifies three critical pillars for transformation:

Connection: Bridging gaps between retailers, brands, media, and technology to optimise growth opportunities and partnerships.
Clarity: Developing accurate, comprehensive, and unified measurement frameworks that integrate retail data comprehensively.
Centre of Excellence: Building a collaborative hub for continuous knowledge-sharing, capability development, and the establishment of best practices ^[1].

By engaging agencies, brands, publishers, and retailers in workshops, roundtables, and training, the committee aims to unify diverse stakeholders behind a collective vision and shared benchmarks for connected commerce ^[1].

Measurement and Data Integration

Accurate measurement is emphasised as a foundational requirement for meaningful progress. The Connected Commerce Committee is collaborating with IAB South Africa’s Research & Measurement Council to incorporate retail data into the annual IAB SA-PwC Online Advertising Revenue Report (AdSpend Report). This move signals an intent to advance beyond traditional digital marketing metrics and towards a comprehensive understanding of commerce performance across channels ^[1].

Role of Artificial Intelligence

AI is recognised as a transformative force capable of redefining shopper experiences through personalisation and automation. However, the committee underscores that effective AI deployment depends on the availability of robust data, sound analytics models, and shopper-centric design principles. Responsible use of AI promises enhanced precision targeting and the potential to unlock new levels of retail innovation ^[1].

Local Context and Industry Outlook

The committee stresses the importance of tailoring global best practices to South Africa’s specific market realities. While international strategies provide a framework, the success of connected commerce initiatives requires adaptation to reflect local consumer behaviours and retail conditions ^[1].

Additionally, transformation is depicted as a collaborative journey rather than a top-down mandate. The committee encourages open collaboration and shared intent across the digital media, marketing, and retail sectors to collectively define what successful commerce will look like in South Africa ^[1].

Verification and Industry Context

While the lead article outlines the strategic direction and initiatives of IAB South Africa’s Connected Commerce Committee, related sources do not provide additional independent analysis or alternative viewpoints. The absence of conflicting perspectives or critical assessments from other industry reports or commentators leaves the claims of fragmentation and the committee’s role largely unchallenged ^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7].

However, the global IAB Connected Commerce agenda referenced aligns with broader industry trends observed internationally, lending contextual credibility to the committee’s focus on measurement, AI, and cross-platform commerce convergence ^[2].

Conclusion

IAB South Africa’s Connected Commerce Committee is proactively addressing the evolving nature of South African retail by promoting integrated commerce strategies that bridge online and offline channels. Its emphasis on collaboration, data-driven measurement, AI enablement, and local contextualisation reflects a comprehensive approach aimed at modernising retail ecosystems.

Nevertheless, as most commentary stems from committee communications and affiliated sources, further independent studies would be beneficial to evaluate the real-world impact of these initiatives and measure industry-wide adoption and outcomes. Meanwhile, the committee’s work signals a clear commitment to aligning South African retail practices with global digital commerce evolution while respecting local market nuances.

More on this

https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/how-to-integrate-online-and-offline-for-a-seamless-customer-experience-848993a - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.iab.com/events/2025-iab-connected-commerce-summit/ - The IAB's third annual Connected Commerce Summit, titled 'Retail Reimagined', convened executives from across the commerce ecosystem for keynote presentations, peer discussions, and breakout sessions. The event delved into the rapidly evolving world of commerce, highlighting trends in data collaboration, commerce media technology, and consumer engagement. Key takeaways included the expansion of commerce media beyond retail, the growth of retail media networks, the convergence of digital and physical channels, the importance of data collaboration and measurement, and the increasing role of AI in shaping the shopping experience.
https://www.iabsa.net/iab-news/shape-the-future-of-connected-commerce-in-south-africa-with-the-iab/ - IAB South Africa has announced the formation of the IAB Connected Commerce Committee, a cross-functional initiative aimed at unlocking the full potential of the digital commerce ecosystem. The committee seeks to unify South Africa's digital commerce landscape and drive measurable growth through collaboration, innovation, and standards. It focuses on areas such as commerce media convergence, AI-powered retail innovation, shopper experience design, unified measurement and ROI, and data collaboration and omnichannel strategy. Nominations are open for senior leaders across media, retail, tech, and data to join the committee.
https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/agency-expands-commerce-division-as-shopping-habits-evolve-621001a - Publicis Groupe Africa has expanded its commerce division to address evolving consumer shopping habits across digital and physical channels. The expansion aims to provide clients with a broader set of connected commerce services, focusing on optimising product visibility on digital shelves and linking media investment directly to sales. Paula Hulley, Publicis Commerce lead, expressed enthusiasm about creating spaces where brands can connect more meaningfully with their customers, emphasising the importance of cutting through complexity to help clients grow through better data utilisation and sharper creative strategies.
https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/how-to-integrate-online-and-offline-for-a-seamless-customer-experience-848993a - The article discusses the importance of integrating online and offline shopping experiences to create seamless customer journeys. It highlights the blurring boundaries between physical and digital shopping, with consumers browsing on phones, researching on social media, comparing in-store, and buying wherever convenient. The piece emphasises the need for brands and retailers to move beyond mere presence and address the fragmentation in the industry, advocating for collaboration to drive innovation and growth in the South African commerce sector.
https://www.iabsa.net/iab-news/iab-sas-content-marketing-committee-relaunches-as-branded-entertainment-content-committee/ - IAB South Africa's Content Marketing Committee has been relaunched as the Branded Entertainment & Content Committee to better reflect the evolving nature of content marketing. The committee aims to spotlight and reward excellence in brand-funded content, including content marketing, branded content, native content, and digital publishing across media formats. Its objectives include inspiring creativity, promoting best practices, defining branded and native content, developing measurement frameworks, and using its expertise to grow industry knowledge in these areas.
https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/iab-sa-announces-3-new-committees-calls-for-nominations-to-eight-committees-672371a - IAB South Africa has announced the formation of three new committees and called for nominations to eight of its research advisory groups. The new committees include the AI Committee, Media Committee, and Digital Marketing Transformation Committee. The AI Committee aims to monitor and guide the indexing of generative AI tools within the digital media and marketing industry, while the Media Committee seeks to discover new solutions to address the needs of media agencies. The Digital Marketing Transformation Committee will guide brands, agencies, and specialist organisations in navigating the new era of marketing.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative appears to be original, with no evidence of prior publication. The earliest known publication date of similar content is July 2024, when the IAB South Africa Connected Commerce Committee was announced. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The content has not been republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The report includes updated data and new material, justifying a higher freshness score. No similar content has appeared more than 7 days earlier. ([bizcommunity.com](https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/agency-expands-commerce-division-as-shopping-habits-evolve-621001a?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: The report includes direct quotes from the IAB South Africa Connected Commerce Committee. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. No variations in quote wording were found.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative originates from Bizcommunity, a reputable South African news outlet. However, the IAB South Africa's Press Office is listed on Bizcommunity, which may indicate a close relationship between the two. This proximity raises questions about the independence of the reporting. ([bizcommunity.com](https://www.bizcommunity.com/PressOffice/IABSouthAfrica?utm_source=openai))

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims about the IAB South Africa Connected Commerce Committee's initiatives align with broader industry trends observed internationally. The report lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a concern. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. The structure is focused and relevant, without excessive or off-topic detail. The tone is formal and appropriate for corporate communication.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative appears to be original and timely, with no evidence of recycled content or significant discrepancies. However, the close relationship between Bizcommunity and the IAB South Africa's Press Office raises questions about the independence of the reporting. The lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets further contributes to the uncertainty. Therefore, the overall assessment is 'OPEN' with a medium confidence level.

Retail
Digital transformation
South Africa
Connected commerce