Retailers in South Africa provide a range of financial services that include credit, insurance, money transfer and savings products. By identifying the key factors that influence the decision to use financial services from retailers this study aims to position the current and potential role of retailers in servicing the financial needs of low-income individuals. The study explored these concepts through extensive qualitative and quantitative research across a range of retailer and product types.

The success of retailers in offering financial services reflects a strong alignment of supply and demand-side factors. Retailers appear well placed to offer services profitably using models that align well with consumer needs. Their extensive physical footprint, trusted brands, administrative infrastructure and customer-facing staff are key assets that can be leveraged at low marginal cost to provide financial products and services. Further, the close link between the financial services and the retail transaction enables retailers to design and deliver purpose specific services offered at the right time and price that are convenient to take up.