Can Superbalist grow?

Shein overtakes the SA retailer, while Bash is different kind of threat.

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It's rather amazing that Naspers Takealot unit managed to offload online fashion retailer Superbalist.

The unit has been shopped around for a while, with news of the sale first emerging in March.

You can be sure that everyone's had a look at the business, including the listed retailers such as The Foschini Group (TFG), Mr Price Group and Truworths.

Retailability, owner of Edgars, Legit and a number of other brands, would've likely had a glance too.

Of course, TFG has invested hundreds of millions in Bash, a single app and web-driven platform that brings together the group's dozens of brands in a single place. There's no point in buying Superbalist save for acquiring market share.

It no doubt believes it can continue taking share organically.

Very little is known about the consortium of "retail and private equity investors" led by Blank Canvas Capital that bought Superbalist, but it has moved swiftly to remove the direct links to the broader Takealot Group.