Ébène, August 05, 2025: – In early April 2025, a consultative meeting brought together key stakeholders—including the Consumer Association of Mauritius, the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), and the General Retailers Association—to discuss how best to regulate ecommerce for improved consumer protection.
Just weeks later, on 23 May, the Mauritian Cabinet gave the green light to draft the Fair Trading (E-Commerce) Regulations 2025. The aim? To put in place a well-structured, enforceable framework that ensures safer online transactions for all.
It was swiftly followed by the government’s new ICT blueprint, unveiled on 26 May, which places strong emphasis on “digital skills for all”. It’s a clear signal that Mauritius is not only embracing digital transformation, but also making sure its people are well-equipped to thrive in this new era, safely and confidently.
And the timing couldn’t be better.
According to figures released by MCB earlier this year, 2024 saw a 13% increase in digital transactions. Contactless payments jumped by 19%, while QR code payments skyrocketed, doubling over the past year. With popular apps like Juice by MCB, POP by Bank One, blink by Emtel, and my.t by Mauritius Telecom making digital payments easier than ever, it’s no surprise that Mauritians are leaning into the convenience of online transactions.
Looking ahead, Statista forecasts ecommerce revenue in Mauritius will grow at an annual rate of 7.15% between 2025 and 2029. User penetration is also expected to climb from 23.3% in 2025 to nearly 27% by 2029. Clearly, ecommerce is not just a trend, it’s the future of business in Mauritius.
But as with any digital leap, there are risks. Almost 850 cases of online scams and fraud were reported in 2023 alone, highlighting the urgent need for merchants to build their credibility and trustworthiness with online consumers.
Says Uways Kureeman, Country Head and Managing Director at online payment gateway Peach Payments: “Building trust is key to success. Consumers are understandably wary about handing over their banking and payment details to brands they are unfamiliar with. Peach Payments supports the government’s efforts to build trust into the ecosystem, and work with merchants to contribute positively to the ecommerce environment in Mauritius.”
Below, Uways details five ways businesses in Mauritius can make their websites more trustworthy and put their clients at ease:
1. Show your good intentions
One of the best ways to build trust on an ecommerce site is displaying trust badges and seals. Some of these include the use of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates, antivirus and other security badges, money-back guarantee badges and third-party endorsements. Use a reliable payment gateway, displayed in the footer of your page, to offer customers the peace of mind needed to share their payment details with you. Consider having a Security section on your About Uspage, listing the different levels of security you and your service providers, such as your delivery partner and payment gateway, offer.
Also, make sure you feature all relevant product information such as size and weight specifications, shipping information, and your company’s contact information, such as addresses and phone numbers.
2. Professional looks matter
It is not only about stocking the right products or offering a valuable service, but presenting it professionally. As much as you want to avoid certain areas because you don’t feel safe there when visiting in person, the look and feel of your ecommerce site can have the same effect. One way to overcome this is to use well-known ecommerce building tools such as Shopify, Wix or WooCommerce to help lend credibility to your site.
3. Reinforce trust with reviews and communication
Once you’ve covered the basics, consider the ways you can reinforce and build on your customers’ trust through reviews and peer-reviews. Showcasing global trends, one study by PowerReviews found that 79% of consumers specifically seek out websites with product reviews, while the Local Consumer Review Survey 2025 notes that 62% of consumers check at least two to three review sites before making a decision.
But it’s not just about selling the product and getting strong reviews. The next step is post-sale support. Contacting customers after they’ve received a product opens up a line of communication that not only creates more trust, but allows immediate feedback.
4. Personalise customer service
One of the quickest ways to lose a customer is using the same generic response to numerous queries or complaints on social media. Having reliable and reassuring customer service that enables a customer to query an issue can build more trust than a generic reply.
Also, provide customers with a variety of payment and shipping options, so they have a choice of their preferred way of paying for and receiving your products or services.
Include general information about the company and mini biographies of key people in your About Us page, so customers can get to know you and your staff – and know they’re dealing with a legitimate business.
5. Detailed and transparent policies for when things go awry
When a customer wants to return a product they’re unhappy with, don’t make them struggle to find out how to do it or how long, if at all, a refund policy is applicable. It is critical to be transparent with customers regarding the shipping details, delivery information, and returns and refund policies. All of these policies need to be visible and easily accessible on your website.
/ends
About Peach Payments
Peach Payments is a fast-growing African payment solution provider (PSP) that makes offline and online payments easier and more accessible across Kenya, Mauritius and South Africa. The company works with growing enterprises to provide a complete toolkit to accept, manage and disburse payments through point-of-sale, web and mobile. Peach Payments’ merchant partners include your favourite food delivery services, whether you’re ordering in or using a meal kit, travel services that can help you book your next getaway adventure and even your home cleaning service. For these partners and their customers, Peach Payments aims to provide delightful experiences that make it as easy as possible to facilitate payments. Peach Payments recently agreed to acquire West-African payment platform PayDunya, which operates in six Francophone countries: Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Mali.
