Guides

Step-by-step, South Africa-specific guides — from registering your first shop to getting Payfast set up and taking your first order.

4 September 2026

The One Field That Decides What Google Calls Your Shop

There is a single box in your settings that becomes the blue headline Google shows for your shop. Most South African shop owners have typed only their brand name into it — and nobody is searching for a brand they have never heard of.

A South African small business owner comparing two payment gateway options on a laptop before choosing one for their online shop.

4 August 2026

Payfast or Paystack? How to Pick the Right Payment Gateway for Your Shop

Shop Simply now supports both. Here's the honest, no-spin breakdown of fees, settlement, and setup — so you can pick whichever actually fits your business.

A South African small business owner sitting at a desk looking at a laptop showing a finished-looking online shop.

23 July 2026

You've Built Your Shop. Here's Why It's Still Invisible.

Loading products, setting prices, writing policies — that's the easy part. Here's why so many new shop owners stall right before the one step that actually gets them customers.

A South African small business owner packing handmade products into boxes for shipping.

17 July 2026

How to Start an Online Shop in South Africa (Step-by-Step Guide)

A practical, no-fluff guide to starting an online shop in South Africa — from choosing what to sell to registering your business, getting paid, and shipping your first order.