A new partnership between Game Stores and Uber Eats will allow customers to order Game products online, and have them delivered to their doorstep. The partnership enables the retailer to provide food and other much-needed essential products to its customers more effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the country currently on a Level-4 lockdown. The
The acquisition of valuable, next generation clients has become a hot bed of innovation according to e4 CEO, Grant Phillips. In the wake of celebrating the company’s 20th anniversary, Phillips says one of the biggest evolutions over the past decade is the nature of the client relationship. He admits that technology lies at the heart
The service will give foreign national workers living in South Africa the ability to provide for their families back home with basic staples. Mukuru, one of Africa’s leading remittance providers, has launched Mukuru Groceries – a service that will give South African based customers the ability to send groceries to their families and communities back
The COVID-19 crisis continued to drive global eCommerce sales in April, with the general retail sector experiencing 209 percent growth compared to the same period last year, according to an analysis by ACI Worldwide of hundreds of millions of eCommerce transactions from global online retailers. Following general retail, the gaming segment saw the biggest bump, up 126
In a Mastercard global consumer study, 75 percent of South African consumers say they use contactless payments 88 percent of South African respondents view contactless as a cleaner way to pay, with 71 percent preferring to shop at merchants where contactless is accepted In South Africa, the number of contactless transactions grew 13X in March
The Coca-Cola Company has announced a five-year agreement with Microsoft Corp. to standardize its business operations on Microsoft’s cloud and deliver rich new digital experiences that will provide innovative solutions to modernize how the company engages with employees and customers. With this agreement, the companies will utilize the capabilities of Microsoft Azure, Dynamics 365 and
Jumia, the leading e-commerce platform in Africa has announced the launch of its portal in South Africa to help consumers access essential products at the lowest price (www.jumia.co.za). The launch of the Jumia portal will provide a steady supply of hygiene & sanitary products such as diapers, soap bars, disinfectants, and liquid hand wash at
It’s clear that the Coronavirus has changed the landscape for FMCGs – in some ways permanently. However, despite its similarities, the impact has not been the same across its subsectors and through the supply chain. Itumeleng Merafe, Head of Interest Rate Structuring, Investec Corporate & Institutional Banking says; “The lockdown has hit the economy hard
A number of innovative new online services recently launched by the Shoprite Group have been making life a whole lot easier. And the good news is, they’re here to stay – even beyond the national lockdown. Virtual Vouchers South Africans who wish to reach out and help those in need can now purchase a virtual grocery
37% of South Africans say they are shopping online more Permanent uplift in online shopping expected With the current lockdown and temporary ban of non-essential products and services, consumers have switched to digital shopping alternatives with 37% of South Africans saying they are shopping more online, according to a recent Nielsen syndicated study on the
New e-commerce store provides free website with integrated digital payments African digital payments company, DPO Group, has launched an e-commerce store. Powered by Mastercard’s payments gateway technology, the platform will enable merchants across Africa to swiftly move their businesses online and continue to trade with their customers. The end to end e-commerce solution, called
Leading e-tailer releases lockdown shopping trends and stats on new donation portal As the country enters into its fourth week of lockdown, South African consumers have embraced the concept of online shopping – not only for themselves, but also to assist the many families who are in desperate need of financial relief during the COVID-19
South Africans who want to reach out and help fellow citizens who are economically destitute, in a time where physical contact is severely restricted due to the lockdown, can now buy virtual vouchers via an electronic funds transfer (EFT). The EFT functionality adds to the convenience of buying virtual vouchers, which were recently introduced and
Tiendeo launches a cool new tool to avoid long queues and crowds in South Africa responding to the unique needs of RSA consumers and retailers “Is there a queue?”, integrates the data obtained from Tiendeo’s advanced geotracking technology with feedback from actual consumers in supermarkets. In this way, a real-time estimate of waiting times is
The Shoprite Group’s customers can now pay for groceries with their phones as the retailer continues to find new ways to keep its stores, customers and employees safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the first South African food retailer to offer dynamic QR payments which will be available at the tills in all Shoprite, Usave, Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores
Customers can download the Mr D Food app, phone their MediRite pharmacy, place an order and pay for it via EFT or medical aid. MediRite will process the order and customers can then order their delivery on the app to receive their medicine at home. The initiative will be rolled out initially across 55 of the
In keeping with its famous motto, Zambeef has vowed to continue feeding the nation, despite the Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) outbreak. The country’s largest food producer and retailer continues to stand true to its mission despite the COVID-19 pandemic that is adversely impacting the manufacturing sector in Zambia and beyond. The viral disease is threatening the
Vivo Energy Uganda has announced the introduction of a free home delivery solution for Shell Gas. This is in a bid to bring services closer and offer greater convenience, safe transportation and doorstep delivery of Shell Gas to customers. The move follows restrictions put in place by the Uganda government to stem the spread of
In light of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the retail sector is facing unprecedented challenges, as is every other industry to a greater or lesser degree. However, ScanZone, a technology supplier to the industry, believes that the current slowdown may be a window of opportunity for retailers to retrospectively look at their journey into e-commerce platforms.
Massmart announces a price freeze in all our Makro, Cambridge Food, Game and Cash & Carry stores for the duration of the 21-day nationwide lockdown. This will involve suspending price adjustments that were scheduled, as part of the normal course of business, before the lockdown was announced. Fresh produce, which is procured daily from fresh
Africa’s leading eCommerce platform Jumia has announced the implementation of ‘contactless’ delivery for prepaid packages on the platform. The company is taking additional measures to keep consumers, delivery agents and partners safe in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. To drive the initiative, the ‘contactless safe delivery’ option has been implemented on JumiaPay, the payment
After launching Euronews on its platforms in November, the MultiChoice Group has just launched Africanews (www.Africanews.com) – part of the Euronews group. The channel is available on DStv and GOtv and offers millions of households across Africa access to a pan-African multilingual news channel. As the COVID-19 crisis develops and spreads across the African continent, the
In response to government’s call on citizens to refrain from excessive purchasing and stockpiling goods as it intensifies its efforts to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19), Dis-Chem Pharmacies has advised that it will be limiting the number of items consumers can purchase. With immediate effect, shoppers will be able to purchase a maximum of six units
The Shoprite Group is committed to adhere to the strict measures put in place by the South African government following President Cyril Rhamaphosa’s announcement of a National state of Disaster, and are following any directives to stay abreast of information and required actions to be taken in relation to the effect of Covid-19 on its
Spur Corporation thanks you for the trust we know you place in us every time you choose to dine at our restaurants. These are unprecedented times for our industry, our country and the world. We would like to reassure our patrons that, their safety, health and wellbeing of all is our priority, and we are
Africa’s leading e-Commerce platform Jumia has offered the support of its integrated ecosystem which include a marketplace, logistics and online payments to governments in Africa, as part of the global action against the COVID-19. “We are proud to partner with relevant authorities to help fight against COVID-19 and support our communities which continue to support
The Shoprite Group will be the first supermarket retailer to offer an OUTbonus, following a partnership between Africa’s largest food retailer and OUTsurance, to bring consumers more accessible and affordable insurance products. A very competitively-priced funeral policy is the first product to launch under this new partnership, with numerous additional offerings in the pipeline. The
In a first for Shoprite Botswana, local producers sold their produce directly to the public at selected Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets in the country. Dubbed Market Day and held on 29 February, this initiative saw eight (8) farmers, who already supply to the retail group, being hosted at Shoprite Gaborone, Shoprite Kgale Hill and Checkers
Massmart has reported a total sales of R93.7 billion for the 52-week period ending 29 December, representing total sales growth of 3.0%, comparable sales growth of 1.5% and year-to-date internal sales inflation of 2.5%. Sales from our South African stores increased by 2.7%, with comparable store sales increasing by 1.3%. Total sales from our rest
Mastercard SpendingPulse shows a significant increase in retail spending in December 2017 as consumers benefit from a stronger Rand and lower inflation Mastercard SpendingPulse reports that South African consumer spending showed a healthy improvement over the festive season, with retail sales volumes rising 3.8 percent year-on-year after removing the effects of inflation. This marks the
South African consumers engage in both ‘talking and tapping’ when sharing brand experiences or seeking recommendations. The obsession around social media creates the illusion that digital reality rules, putting all real-life communication on the backburner. However, according to a consumer study conducted by global measurement company Nielsen, 98% of South African consumers like ‘talking’ versus
Lessons to be learned from top SA-csi performers 2020 looks set to be an epic fight for survival as numerous socio-economic factors come into play that will further challenge businesses and their ability to achieve greater levels of customer satisfaction in a bid to retain and grow their customer base – from a looming recession,
Ground-breaking study reveals more than half of consumers have encountered technical issues at checkout; shoppers’ desire for simple, secure transactions and maximized loyalty benefits is driving adoption of contactless. Ingenico Group, the global leader in seamless payment, and FreedomPay, the world’s leading consumer-centric commerce platform, revealed the results of a survey on merchant and consumer
Today’s consumers increasingly prioritize convenience when it comes to purchases, and expect retailers to continue to offer innovative ways to save them time and effort, according to the latest issue of the Consumer View report released by the National Retail Federation. “Time is a precious commodity for today’s consumers,” NRF Vice President for Research Development
MediRite, the chain of pharmacies located inside Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets, is piloting its first Smart Clinic. It aims to make healthcare more accessible and affordable by leveraging technological advancements in the medical industry. The new Smart Clinic, conveniently located inside the Checkers Hyper Parow in Parow Centre in the Western Cape, is able to
The 2ndannual Digital Retail Forumis set to take place on the 29thof January 2020, at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg. The forum is hosted by IT News Africa, under the theme; Digital Disruption in Retail: Apocalypse or Revolution. Following a successful 2019 event, #DigitalRetailForum will bring together over 200 local and international retail industry leaders to
Accenture is partnering with Edcon, one of southern Africa’s largest non-food retailers, to redefine and reshape their relationship to contribute to Edcon’s renewal and growth strategy. This reflects the firm’s ambition to work with local businesses to unlock South Africa’s economic growth. Edcon embarked on the recapitalisation of its business in March this year. “We
Economy and job security biggest concerns but small improvements in spare cash and spending intentions South Africa’s latest Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for the third quarter of 2019 showed a five point decrease to 88, presenting a less positive quarter on quarter picture for consumer sentiment in South Africa. Nielsen South Africa Connect MD Kerith
Impressive features available in Makro’s chat offering include tracking orders, viewing current catalogues, accessing a digital store card, locating nearby stores Makro has announced that shoppers at its 22 South African outlets and busy online store will now experience instant customer care and service by directly connecting with the retailer on WhatsApp. Impressive features available
Checkers has launched its exclusive on-demand one-hour grocery delivery service named Sixty60. It is South Africa’s first 60-minute grocery delivery service from a supermarket chain, as Checkers relentlessly innovates to respond to customers’ demands for hyper-convenience. The mobile app delivers groceries and drinks at the touch of a button and offers the same value for
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning is on the rise but it’s important to know which reputation management processes should and shouldn’t be automated. AI, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) models, allows computers to understand and decipher what a human is saying. This is starting to be used by companies in South
The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) co-chair Gareth Ackerman says South Africa has reached a tipping point which now needs everyone to roll up their sleeves to work together to grow the country, its people and the economy. In a statement at the annual CGCSA Summit in Johannesburg, Ackerman cited regulatory uncertainty, policy
Digital freight forwarder Saloodo! today launched its digital logistics platform for shippers and transport providers in South Africa First international digital road freight platform to be launched in the continent; Provides shippers and carriers a one-stop platform for road freight connections for domestic shipments within South Africa and international movements to several neighbouring countries; Further
By Andrew Dawson, Commercial Director at MACmobile The cash problem The simplest way of optimising route to market is through pre-sales, which then creates a predictable order and allows for the best delivery routes to be calculated. However, for much of the market in South Africa this is simply not the reality. To service the
Innovative consumer finance business RCS – a subsidiary of BNP Paribas Personal Finance, European leader in financing for individuals, itself part of the French bank BNP Paribas – has acquired the Absa funded portion of the Edcon Store Card debtors book, subject to regulatory approvals. It has also secured the right to provide consumer finance
As regional mobile subscribers increasingly come to expect near real-time, personalised products, services and customer support, telecom operators will require a transformative digital Business Support System (BSS) that enables them to control the full breadth of their operations. Using a ‘best of suite’ approach will allow them to quickly, successfully and cost-effectively meet these demands.
The Shoprite Group is whole-heartedly committed to employment in Africa, as their staff complement of 147 268 attests. The Group is proud to be the largest employer, after government, in South Africa. In only one week, almost 120 new jobs were created by the opening of three supermarkets in South Africa. Shoprite Stimela Barberton Shoprite
Trading profit up 15.8% to R641.5 million on a normalised basis Headline earnings per share up 11.6% on a normalised basis Diluted headline earnings per share up 13.1% on a normalised basis Turnover growth of 5.1% to R39.3 billion Internal inflation restricted to 3.6%, well below CPI food inflation of 6.9% R500 million investment in
Vivo Energy Uganda has today announced the introduction of a pioneering nationwide customer loyalty programme, designed by Shell, called the Shell Club. The user-friendly platform will enable customers to earn and accumulate points for all their purchases at Shell service stations, which can be converted into rewards. Speaking at the launch, Vivo Energy Uganda’s Managing
Online payment gateway, PayFast, has launched Split Payments, a South African-first that instantly splits a portion of an online payment with a third party. The service is designed to facilitate fast, safe payments for platform-based businesses, including online marketplaces. “PayFast has always seen itself as a business enabler. We realised that the growing platform economy
