ERA by DJ Zinhle recorded strong sales during its first pop-up store in Eswatini, with some products selling out over the weekend of Swazi Boy Entertainment’s 20th anniversary celebrations despite low crowd turnout.
The bold South African fashion and lifestyle brand made its first appearance in the country at Happy Valley Hotel as part of the three-day celebration, giving local customers an opportunity to shop its products in person.
According to ERA Sales Manager Kholiwe Jiyane, the response started building even before the pop-up opened.
The brand had announced its presence in Eswatini online ahead of the event, including promoting DJ Zinhle’s appearance at the 20th anniversary celebration. Jiyane said this generated interest from customers, with online orders already beginning to come through before the team arrived.
“From when we first posted, people were already asking and ordering online, the Besties meant business!”
That interest continued once ERA arrived in Eswatini, with some customers visiting the pop-up specifically to shop, sometimes without even attending the other anniversary activities.
“From the time we entered the border with the branded mobile pop-up, we were receiving such positive comments and excitement, some even asking where we’re headed and buying tickets just to come shop from us, some even telling us that they bought tickets, walked straight to our mobile store and will return out after buying,”
The strength of the response became clearer as the weekend progressed, with some products selling out to the point that even items used for display had to be sold.
“We sold out some of the items, and at some point we even had to sell the display pieces because people wanted them, the strongest sales were from especially the Go getter bag, Era logo hoops and studs”
Jiyane said the team brought a selection of ERA’s best-selling handbags and accessories rather than the full range. Tote bags were among the products that sold out, while the Go Getter range was also among the strong sellers.
The selection also included other handbags, jewellery, scents, eyewear and other accessories.
“We unfortunately couldn’t bring everything on our range because of the customs processes travelling from South Africa into Eswatini.”
The newly Launched convenience travel Luggage, for example, was not brought to the pop-up because of the weight and cost involved in transporting the larger products. Instead, the team focused on items that were easier to transport and already had strong demand.
This included handbags, tote bags and smaller accessories, allowing customers to interact with and purchase products that they would otherwise have had to order online or travel to South Africa to buy.
Jiyane said some of the products that performed well were also influenced by the current season, with certain styles proving particularly popular.
The response in Eswatini comes as ERA continues to build a brand identity closely connected to its founder, DJ Zinhle. For Jiyane, that connection is one of the factors that makes ERA stand out in a growing market of celebrity-owned brands.
““She’s the brand. She has her own Bestie community. Her visibility, and the way she wears and promotes ERA products, helps customers connect with the lifestyle that the brand represents,”
The relationship between the founder and the products was also visible during the Swazi Boy anniversary weekend, where DJ Zinhle was part of the entertainment programme while ERA had a physical retail presence at the same event.
The pop-up also gave ERA a chance to observe the local market directly, opening up a potential expansion of the brand internationally.
The sell-outs provided an early indication of that demand.
While it was the brand’s first activation in Eswatini, Jiyane said the response showed that customers were already familiar with ERA and willing to engage with it.
The experience also highlighted the role social media played in building interest before the brand arrived.
For ERA, the online announcement of its Eswatini appearance had already created interest before the first products were displayed at Happy Valley Hotel. That interest then translated into physical sales, with customers travelling to the pop-up specifically to shop.
By the end of the weekend, some of the products had sold out, with even display stock being purchased.
The pop-up has since given ERA its first direct experience of the Eswatini market, while customers got a chance to shop the brand without crossing the border.
Whether the activation develops into more pop-ups or other forms of local engagement remains to be seen, but the first outing has given ERA a clear indication of the interest it can generate in Eswatini.
