Tier 1 retailers are leading the way with innovation that will enhance CX with consistency across channels, more self-service options, and less friction It was great to be back at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Retail’s Big Show in 2023. One of the primary reasons is — after a remote-only event in 2021 and lower-than-normal
Leading home improvement, DIY and building materials retailer, Builders has announced the appointment of Karen Ferrini as Vice President of Builders and member of the Massmart Executive Committee. Effective 1 February 2023, Ferrini takes over Herman Venter’s position following his appointment to Group Chief Merchandise Officer (CMO). With almost 25 years’ experience in retail and
Annual ACI Holiday Spending Report reveals surge in use of mobile devices, digital wallets and buy now, pay later (BNPL) payment methods during 2022 holiday season, as shoppers sought out cheaper, more convenient alternatives eCommerce transactions increased 21%, as fraud attempts decreased by 0.5% during holiday season Q4 2022 versus 2021 BNPL transaction values increased
PnP Offers free dietary guidelines from in-house dietitian at PnP Pick n Pay has taken significant steps to improve the health of South Africans by removing over 3,500 tonnes of salt and sugar from its private label range over the last five years. Consumers the world over – and South Africans are no exception –
Global research over more than two decades by institutions such as MasterCard, Visa, The World Bank, commercial banks and mobile network operators (MNOs) affirms that the most powerful tool to drive revenue and impact is to connect consumers, merchants, banks and brands to drive financial inclusion and deep customer engagement, and ultimately maximise value for
3D Secure is now available as part of CR2’s platform to prevent fraudulent transactions while delivering a positive customer experience CR2, a world leader in the digital banking and payments platform industry has partnered with M2P Fintech, a global leader in embedded financial infrastructure. This partnership provides banks with an innovative solution to secure e-commerce
Online demand for products is growing rapidly, but amid supply chain disruptions there is a greater need to deliver items to customers effectively. Technology, however, is finding a way Transport and logistics are soaring in Africa, with further rapid growth predicted for years to come. That’s the word from the World Economic Forum and African
By Andrew Dawson, MD of MACmobile Mobile penetration is exceptionally high in the Kenyan market, and the adoption of mobile technologies is well accepted. The strength of this market presents a massive opportunity to grow and optimise the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) space, but several factors need to be considered to drive successful adoption. The
The retail world is set for yet another period of accelerated change as the digitally native generations start to make their mark on the world. Generations Alpha (born post 2012) and Z (born between 1997 – 2012) bring new perspectives to the world, with their outlook heavily shaped by growing up with the Internet, and
According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Africa’s informal retail sector accounts for more than 70% of food, beverage and personal care products provided to consumers across the continent. However, despite their importance, local informal shops throughout Africa have been consistently held back for decades by a host of major challenges including frequent stockouts, limited access
According to the December 2022 Household Affordability Index, low income households are changing their purchasing patterns in response to increasingly challenging affordability conditions. This varies from home to home according to each one’s social standards with one thing being synonymous – the impact of food inflation and the general increase in the cost of living
Tiger Brands was recently certified as a Level 2 B-BBEE contributor. Tiger Brands first achieved Level 2 contributor status in the 2021 review period following year-on-year improvements. The achievement is attributed to a deliberate cross-functional drive focusing on empowerment initiatives that include skills development for unemployed individuals, management control at Board and Executive Director level
Retailers are ramping up digital transformation to keep pace with the demanding, connected post-COVID consumer and improve operational efficiency in a time of rising inflation. As they accelerate migration to the cloud and evolve towards an omnichannel business model, retailers often find that costs and wastage in their IT and telecoms environments start to rise.
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), a leading enterprise technology provider, has been recognized as the number one global point of sale (POS) software vendor in research and consulting firm RBR’s Global POS Software 2022 report. NCR had the highest share of global POS software installations – 15% – ranking first for retailers and restaurant operators. NCR was
Despite the impact of COVID-19 on supply chains and cash usage, investment by retailers in devices that count, verify and store banknotes is increasing worldwide Efficiency of cash management is key for retail and hospitality operators RBR’s brand new study, Retail Cash Automation 2023, reveals that the number of cash automation devices installed at retailers
By Heath Turner, Digital Platforms Transformation Lead at Altron Karabina The events over the past two years have seen a shift in how brands and consumers interact and engage with each other, with rapid growth in eCommerce necessitating the need for underlying digital transformation within organisations. Changing user behaviours means that this trend is here
By 2025 the value of ecommerce transactions in SA is expected to reach R225bn as reported by IOL with the market itself estimated to reach R400bn the same year “Chatting to industry experts at the end of last year at the GIBS SA Retail Industry Conference – the general consensus was that innovation, flexibility and
ACI Instant Pay provides access to lower-cost payments, instant liquidity, reduced risk of fraud and enhanced shopper experience ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), a global leader in mission-critical, real-time payments software, today announced the launch of ACI Instant Pay, a new real-time payments solution that enables merchants in the U.S. to accept online, mobile and in-store payments instantly. The expansion of ACI’s
The Top Employers Institute announced Massmart as a Top Employer in South Africa for the second consecutive year, ranking the organisation in the top 25% of participating employers globally. The program has recognized and certified 2051 participating employers in 121 countries, across 5 continents and being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organisation’s dedication
Ingenico, a global leader in payments acceptance solutions, and Klarna, the global leader in the generational shift away from credit cards, today announced a global strategic partnership that will facilitate the roll out of Klarna’s flexible payment options at the point of sale using PPaaS, Ingenico’s innovative, cloud Payments Platform as a Service. In-store shopping
More than 25 million South African consumers saved a combined R7 billion on their grocery bills during the past six months (July to December 2022) through the Xtra Savings programme at Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets. It has contributed to fending off soaring living costs with Xtra Savings members swiping their rewards cards over 238 million times to benefit from
Online retail in South Africa passed the R50-billion milestone in 2022, driven by an ongoing boom in demand for home deliveries, according to new research findings released today. “Online Retail in South Africa 2022”, a study conducted by World Wide Worx with Mastercard, reveals that the total growth for online retail in South Africa in
Retail success in a highly interconnected, data-driven world requires a balance of multiple dimensions, including providing value to customers at the right time and in the right place, while also reducing friction, and increasing engagement. This is according to some of the findings in the ‘Future of retail’ e-book that contains insights from retail and
You might soon be able to pick up your Takealot order at your nearest Pick n Pay Pick n Pay has launched a new pick-up point for Takealot customers in a store in Cape Town. This is part of a pilot giving customers the huge convenience of picking up their non-food online orders while shopping
The overriding retail trend for 2023 will be convergence of technologies and this trend will have widespread significance. This is according to Ajay Lalu, Director and co-Founder of Q-HOP – exhibitor at NRF 2023 – who adds that retailers must wake up to the implications—and opportunities—of profoundly disruptive technology trends. “5G will continue to lead
South Africa’s leading payment gateway provider Payfast has undergone a major rebrand. Having joined forces with PayGate and SiD under Network International, the company has created a new home for its consolidated offering. With a renewed focus on enabling growth – for the brand, its merchants, and the broader ecommerce industry – this milestone represents
As we enter 2023, it seems the year will not be any easier for South African retailers or consumers than 2021 and 2022. Fitch forecasts that real household spending will decelerate in line with a wider economic slowdown, while higher inflation and interest rates will provide headwinds for the economy. Volatile exchange rates, continued electricity shortages and high
South African retailers have come to regard quick access to financing as key—and a new breed of agile fintech has emerged to respond to these demands. These progressive providers of finance offer retailers access to opportunity capital so that they can move rapidly in response to emerging business trends. That’s according to Steven Heilbron, CEO
The V&A Waterfront warmly welcomes visitors to the renovated Alfred Mall; aiming to redefine the African retail shopping experience. The newly refurbished Alfred Mall, which adjoins the Victoria & Alfred Hotel in the Quays District in the heart of the V&A Waterfront, has reopened its doors in time for the festive season. The revamped Alfred
Cash remains one of South African consumers’ favourite ways to pay because it’s convenient, easy, and offers low transaction costs for customers and retailers alike. That means that every small and medium sized retailer should be preparing itself to manage an influx of cash over the festive season as consumers splash out on treats and
From next year, 2023, Jumia customers in Nyanza and Western regions in Kenya will benefit from the Jumia City Penetration program giving them access to millions of products on the online platform at a reduced delivery fee. Jumia plans to expand its reach to rural areas by 15% in the coming year as part of
Clickatell conducted research on customer service trends and preferences for travel and retail and identified that brands that personalize both their digital and in-person commerce experiences can generate more meaningful and lasting customer relationships. In 2023, mobile messaging will emerge as the ideal channel to create these holistic commerce experiences for consumers as well as
The Tribunal has conditionally approved the proposed merger whereby Clover S.A. (Pty) Ltd (“Clover”) intends to acquire the business and assets used or owned by Dairy Farmers of South Africa (Pty) Ltd (“DFSA”), in relation to the procurement and supply of regular raw milk to Clover (“Milk Procurement Business”). The conditions imposed on the merger
Massmart has implemented a significant technology enablement and logistics network reconfiguration project over the past 4 years that has contributed to increased stock availability across its Game, Makro and Builders stores. This has proven to be a timely intervention at a time when supply chains locally and globally have faced a number of headwinds, including
Ortega replaces Bruno Pietracci, who has been named president of Coco-Cola’s Latin-America operating unit The Coca-Cola Company (www.Coca-ColaCompany.com) announced today that Luisa Ortega will become president of the company’s Africa operating unit, overseeing markets across the continent. Ortega currently serves as president of the company’s central zone in Latin America, which includes Colombia, Venezuela, Peru,
Mastercard’s partnership with payment gateway, PayFast, increases Priceless possibilities by supporting SMEs within the PayFast ecosystem Consumers who pay using their Mastercard card, Masterpass or any other Masterpass-enabled banking app at any PayFast online checkout point stand a chance to win R10000 For the second consecutive year, Mastercard and PayFast have partnered to support SMEs,
The Futuregrowth Community Property Fund (“Comprop”) has acquired KG Mall, which brings the Comprop portfolio to 23 shopping centres, with a total gross lettable area of more than 392 000m2 valued in excess of R6.6 billion. KG Mall is a quality shopping centre situated at the entrance to the Kwa-Guqa township in Emalahleni, which is approximately
The Tribunal has approved, with conditions, the proposed merger wherein Shoprite Supermarkets (Pty) Ltd (“Shoprite”) intends to acquire certain retail supermarket stores, wholesale and retail liquor stores, wholesale stores and the Massfresh business from Massmart Holdings Limited (“Massmart”). The conditions imposed by the Tribunal seek to address identified competition and public interest concerns and include
Sarah Moseley, head of vertical solutions and business development, retail and consumer goods at BT, shares her insights on how retail and consumer goods businesses can strategically leverage their digital transformation ambitions to retain consumer loyalty, and empower consumer purchasing decisions and repeat business. By supporting real-time decision-making, combining edge computing with digital signage improves
Big ticket items and new payment methods deliver surprising data Black Friday and Cyber Monday came and went with a positive bang and a bag full of surprises, despite the concerns of pressure exerted by inflation and loadshedding. Chairperson of the ECommerce Forum of South Africa (EFSA) and PayU CEO, Karen Nadasen, shared, “Following trends from
The South African retail space has seen some dramatic changes in a relatively short time. Online shopping has become the new normal bringing with it new payment opportunities and some key challenges yet to be overcome. In this fast-changing landscape it is important for merchants to find their preferred e-commerce partner of choice who will
By Darijan Bošković, Sales Director: Africa at Infobip The African continent is widely considered retail’s next big gold rush, based on its population of 1.4 billion people, which includes more than 500 million internet users and over 330 million eCommerce consumers. Additionally, with 19 of the top 20 fastest-growing countries in the world, the continent’s
Hot on the heels of yet another interest rate increase adding more yet squeeze on businesses and consumers alike, South Africans showed they still have an appetite for retail spend, with data from leading omnichannel payment solutions provider Ecentric Payment System’s 2022 Black Friday Payment Gateway Dashboard showing whopping increases in both transactions volume and
Makro Pietermaritzburg store officially re-opened its doors to customers and traders on 23 November. “We have been inundated with requests from the Pietermaritzburg community to re-open the store and have gone through an extensive renovation project over the last 12 months to give them an even better shopping experience at Makro. During the rebuild, we
There are more than 400 businesses and outlets using Tingg by Cellulant’s solution across Nigeria Tingg, Cellulant’s (https://www.Cellulant.io) acclaimed payment platform has been recognized as the ‘Merchants Payment Company of the Year 2022’, award at the BAFI Awards. The recognition was bestowed at the 10th BusinessDay Banks and other Financial Institutions (BAFI) awards event, which was
Leading retail group Truworths International will list its shares for trade on A2X Markets from 5 December 2022. Truworths will retain its listings on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) and neither of these listings, nor Truworths’ issued share capital, will be affected by the secondary listing on A2X. Truworths is
ECONOFOODS™ a highly successful provider of frozen and chilled foods plus a wide variety of grocery products has selected leading warehouse management software (WMS) specialist, CQuential Solutions to fulfil its warehouse management needs as it expands its distribution network. ECONOFOODS™ currently has seven distribution centres and twenty-seven retail outlets that span six provinces in South
Naspers Limited (JSE: NPN) has announced a solid set of results for the first half of the year. Despite a turbulent period during which industry growth expectations and valuations came under significant pressure, we have increased ecommerce revenues and continued organic investment into those segments where we see the highest growth potential. This investment is
RFG Holdings increased headline earnings by 57% to R361 million in the year to September 2022 as its international division capitalised on higher global demand for canned fruit products and delivered a strong recovery in profitability. The Western-Cape based food producer, which owns market-leading brands Rhodes, Bull Brand, Magpie, Squish, Hinds and Today, increased revenue
Lewis Group increased merchandise sales by 4.3% to R2.1 billion in the six months to September 2022 as trading conditions weakened significantly in the second quarter of the financial year. Credit sales grew by 16.4% while cash sales declined by 8.1%, reflecting the pressure on consumer disposable income. The group increased headline earnings by 4.4%
