When I saw an unfamiliar Uber charge on my account, I quickly blocked my bank card. After that, it no longer felt secure to use my card to shop online. But, the online grocery delivery apps I use often—Checkers Sixty60 and Pick n Pay asap!—only accept card payments leaving shoppers like me locked out of convenient access.
In South Africa, online grocery shoppers who experience card fraud often become hesitant to use cards for payments again. For those who have grown accustomed to the ease of buying with a tap or click, returning to long queues and bulky trolleys at physical stores feels like a frustrating step backward.
“While I was at work, I noticed two unexpected payments to Shein on my card, plus some boat-related charges—all adding up to R2800. I blocked the card immediately. Ever since, I have stopped using my card details for online shopping. It feels safer, but it’s also a pain because I really do not enjoy going to stores,” said Thembi Zulu, a restaurant manager in Johannesburg.
In South Africa, 68% of total card fraud losses is due to card-not-present fraud, which is primarily associated with online transactions, placing South Africa among the world’s most affected regions.
This raises a question: if fraud makes card use riskier online, why have many online grocery retailers not responded with safer, more flexible options?
Both Checkers Sixty60 and Pick n Pay asap! have built their digital checkout experiences around card payments—accepting Visa, Mastercard, and select debit cards. This approach has served them well, supporting rapid growth and high customer retention. As of July 2025, Checkers Sixty60 had surpassed 5.2 million app downloads, expanded to over 600 locations, and posted a 47.1% surge in sales during the second half of 2024. Pick n Pay’s asap! app followed close behind, reaching 500 locations and growing 42.5% over the same period.
In-store, retailers offer payment options from QR codes and crypto to Buy Now Pay (BNPL) and mobile pay options. However, these services are not extended to online grocery shoppers. The State of Consumer Payment in South Africa report by Stitch in partnership with a global research firm, Censuswide, shows that consumers are quickly moving away from using cash and cards, and are choosing other digital payments alternatives instead.
Speaking to , Pick n Pay said the company was actively working to expand its digital payment capabilities. “We continue to enhance our full online shopping experience as seen with the integration of PnP asap! and Smart Shopper into a single app. Broadening our range of flexible and secure payment options remains a key priority,” a spokesperson said.
What alternatives do shoppers have?
In case shoppers find themselves in a similar situation as mine, I have done the homework for alternatives that exist. Mr D, for instance, offers groceries from Pick n Pay with both card and EFT options, and the delivery fee remains a modest R35. For shoppers who pick and choose from multiple stores, OneCart offers that flexibility with access to Woolworths, Makro, and Pick n Pay. It supports a broader range of payment methods including credit or debit cards and Ozow, though the delivery fee is slightly higher at R70.
Takealot does grocery deliveries too, charging R75 for next-day groceries, while offering a wide suite of payment choices. And Makro and Game promise next-day delivery and free shipping for orders over R500, also with diverse payment options including Discovery Miles, Instant EFT (bank kinked and Capitec Pay, Mobicred (BNPL), MyVirtual Card, and RSC (Store credit cards).
As fraud risks grow and consumer expectations shift, embracing fast pay options is not just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for sustained growth and customer trust.
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