Prices of Wits University merchandise are between 24% and 30% higher than the University of Pretoria and the University of Johannesburg, respectively.

Despite students being its primary target audience, the pricing of items in the Wits Shop based online and on campus are not budget friendly.
The average price point of jackets, hoodies, and sweaters at Wits are R617 per item; t-shirts and golfers sitting at R325; hats and headwear at R160, and other goodies at R186.
While this may seem reasonable in the grand scheme of the fashion industry in South Africa, being a university-based store has financial expectations, which are not currently being met.
In comparison, UP’s t-shirts and golfers are only R238 per item, with UJ’s coming in at R123. For hats and headwear, UP is approximately R30 cheaper than Wits, and UJ nearly R100 cheaper.
Shop Supervisor Sam Magena agrees, “pricing is too high for students” and he told Wits Vuvuzela that students have informally complained about the affordability of the regalia.
He explained the increased prices are partly due to ordering from South African companies in hopes of supporting local businesses despite overseas companies proving cheaper.
The Wits Shop is also a smaller outlet, meaning items are not bought in bulk which might otherwise afford more negotiation benefits of the cost prices.
Nevertheless, Magena says the shop only adds a mark-up of at most 35%, compared to the national norm of above 50%. The Wits Shop is not primarily a profit-making business, but rather focuses on the marketing and promotional aspects of Wits through students and alumni.
Head of Wits marketing, Reshma Lakha-Singh, says the department is in the midst of creating a new strategy which will see revamped stock and additional locations this year.
However, “given the current scale and operational scope of the shop, there are no immediate plans for significant changes in pricing structure” she says, but they are “developing medium and long-term strategies to upgrade the shop”.
Students should definitely keep their eye on this space, as the Wits Shop is rethinking its entire philosophy to start benefitting students more than anyone else.
FEATURED IMAGE: Wits Student, Ricardo Lopes, browsing through the racks in the Wits Shop. Photo: Victoria Hill
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