Top Insights From the First-Ever Study of South Africa’s Merch Market
ASI’s Michele Bell and Nate Kucsma share key stats and analysis from the groundbreaking report that holds relevance for promo companies everywhere.
Golf shirts, T-shirts, corporate wear, drinkware and notebooks.
That quintet represents the top five selling promotional product categories in South Africa. How can that be said with assurance? Thanks to a groundbreaking report from ASI Research – the first-ever study of the South African promo products market.
Released in May 2025, the study is full of deep insights into the composition, workings and opportunities that exist in South Africa’s merch market. Michele Bell, ASI’s senior vice president of content and global alliances, recently presented the data at a biannual conference in South Africa hosted by Amrod, that nation’s largest supplier and an essential partner to ASI in compiling the study.
Attendees were highly engaged, expressing excitement over having actionable market intelligence for the first time, underscoring the study’s transformative impact. “The South African markets never had macro data on their own market before, so this research was received as highly valuable,” says Bell.
In this Promo Insiders hosted by ASI Media’s Christopher Ruvo, Bell and Nate Kucsma, senior executive director of research who spearheaded the number-crunching on the study, discuss key findings and more. At a time when promo is becoming ever-more interconnected globally, the insights here carry relevance for distributors across continents.
This episode is brought to you by S&S Activewear (asi/84358).
Key Takeaways
• A True First: ASI Research’s pioneering study marks the first comprehensive look at the South African promotional products industry – an underserved yet vibrant market that as of today has no central trade association, data resources or trade shows.
• Strategic Collaboration: The study was made possible by a partnership between ASI leaders and leading South African supplier Amrod, which granted access to 7,000 distributors. ASI led the data collection and analysis, leveraging prior experience with similar European studies, while Amrod provided vital local insights and contacts.
• Market Characteristics & Key Findings: Research revealed a fragmented market with many small distributors, a dominance of apparel in product sales and an extraordinary demand for speed – 75% of orders require fulfillment within five days, far outpacing North American standards.
• Top End-Markets: As in North America, the primary market in which South African distributors generated sales was education. Ad agencies/marketing firms were big buyers of promo, too. A difference between the U.S. and South Africa? Mining was among the markets in which South African promo pros generate notable business, something not seen in America.
• Digital Opportunity in South Africa: Only 5% of South African distributors offer company web stores, compared to much higher adoption in North America. Providing such solutions could represent a significant growth opportunity for South African firms – and foreign promo companies active in the market.
• Globalization Demands Global Knowledge: U.S. promo distributors benefit from understanding international promo markets as clients expand globally. Studies like ASI’s South Africa report help identify trends, foster global partnerships and uncover unique product ideas – ultimately increasing competitiveness and revenue potential.