Guides / Shipping in South Africa
Shipping in South Africa: a practical guide for Vesse vendors.
SA logistics can be confusing. Here's what you need to know about couriers, rates, and how to structure your delivery options on Vesse.
Popular couriers
Rates are approximate for a 1–2kg parcel. Always get a quote for your exact size.
The Courier Guy
POPULARMost popular with SA small vendors. Door-to-door. Good tracking.
Aramex
Reliable nationwide. Slightly pricier. Known for fragile item handling.
PostNet
Budget-friendly. Branch drop-off required. Good for outlying areas.
Pudo
Locker-to-locker system. Very affordable. Growing network of locker points.
Dawn Wing
Express specialists. Good for Gauteng and Western Cape same-day/next-day.
How to add delivery options on Vesse
Takes under 5 minutes. Go to Dashboard → Your Store → Delivery.
Click "Add delivery option" in your store's delivery settings.
Name it clearly — e.g. "Standard delivery (3–5 days)".
Set the price. Use the rate your courier actually charges you, plus R10–R20 buffer for packaging.
Add an estimated delivery timeframe — e.g. "3–5 business days".
Optionally set a free-over amount — e.g. free delivery on orders over R800.
Save and toggle it active. It appears at your checkout immediately.
Tips from SA vendors
Charge what you actually pay
Check your courier's rate card for your typical parcel size and weight. Charge that. Don't guess — undercharging eats your margin.
Add a free delivery threshold
Set free delivery at 1.5–2× your average order value. This nudges customers to add one more item.
Offer two tiers
Standard (3–5 days, cheaper) and Express (1–2 days, more). Customers who need it fast will pay for it.
State your processing time clearly
If you take 1–2 days to pack and dispatch, say so. "Ships within 2 business days" prevents complaints.
Weigh and measure your parcels once
Get a kitchen scale and measure one packed order. Use that to get accurate quotes from your courier.
Remote area surcharges
All major SA couriers charge extra for remote or outlying areas. If your order seems under-charged on delivery, check whether the customer's address falls into a surcharge zone. Build a small buffer into your rates.
Ready to set up your delivery?
Configure your delivery options directly from your store dashboard.
Get started