Should South African's use EBay as a platform for online purchases???

I have been one of the people who always take the tech risk of testing out new software or going the extra mile to see whether certain new things are worth going after. Over the past few years, South Africa has developed and progressed with regards to expansion when it comes to technology. With that being said, many online shops and malls have developed and have gained some traction in Africa, but it still seems to me that many people in the continent are reluctant to experience the convenience and rewarding sensation of purchasing goods online.

I've been an active user of Ebay and Aliexpress as my choice of online malls for two main reasons. Firstly, when comparing the price of the items online versus at a store, you find that you can save quite a large sum of money. Secondly, you have the ability to save time and the monthly shopping rush by placing your order and spending the rest of your time on something more enjoyable.

I must confess that i ABSOLUTELY hate going to malls for shopping, whether it may be for clothing or food. It really bugs me and turns my insides into mince.. Now that that is out of the way, ever since i discovered Ebay, I was delighted to see that I can get whatever I need using a few clicks, and I'd save myself the energy of even leaving the space I am in.

I ran into a problem, one MASSIVE problem of Ebay in South Africa, and assuming, Africa at large. The delivery time for the goods took about a MONTH!!! WHAT...?!! At first I was furious and did not understand why... But as time went on, I discovered that our import laws and the Post office are not the best in the world. Having said that, I haven't had major issues with purchases online, especially Ebay. The seller's are always informative of the products being sold, they are willing to help and have, twice, even gone to the extent of sending the product again after the first was defective. That to me is better than the service delivery in most stores in SA. Best part was that I had saved quite a bit of money.

I took it upon myself to see whether the online purchasing was really beneficial by putting this to a test. I have been looking to purchase a set of LED strips for my bedroom and study and decided I'd go do the shopping in the malls and then check for the same item on Ebay.

The cheapest price I was quoted for 5m LED strip with the 24 Button remote and receiver but without the power supply was R400. WHAT...??? This was not even the waterproof LED's!!! The waterproof LED's on Ebay with the power supply AND FREE SHIPPING came to approximately R250, and that was not even on Auction. With an auction, I saw LED strips (5m) with all inclusive for about R150 with free shipping!!! Products are so inflated in South Africa that I am even tempted to get food shipped to me from the rest of the world!!

Now, the only issue I do have with Ebay is the fact that if you're buying clothes or shoes, you never really know if they fit well until you actually receive the items. I think I have come up with a solution. Purchase all your tech and miscellaneous items that you can wait for on Ebay and the rest of the items in physical stores. Did I mention that Ebay IS SAFE and has a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE...??? Your card details are not stored in your Ebay Account but a third party such as Pay Pal is used to purchase items on Ebay.