RCS: Three Years After COVID: The Biggest Trends Driving the Evolution of SA’s Retail Sector

Posted on by Initiator | 22153 Views | 20 min read

By Gavin Lomberg, Chief Commercial Officer, RCS South Africa’s retail sector was undoubtedly one of the hardest hit by the onset of COVID-19. Lockdown regulations, reduced trading hours and the sudden, unexpected limitation of face-to-face contact required retailers to rethink the rules, in unprecedented circumstances. The industry saw retailers entering new product territories, pivoting their

Akelo Group Poised to Become Emerging Market Fintech and Engagement Powerhouse

Posted on by Initiator | 57346 Views | 22 min read

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

R7 Billion Saved in Six Months With Shoprite & Checkers Xtra Savings

Posted on by Initiator | 13299 Views | 8 min read

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

7 Key Retail Trends to Watch in 2023

Posted on by Initiator | 16118 Views | 21 min read

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

Africa’s Changing Shopping Trends Allow E-tailers to Meet Customers’ Evolving Expectations to Gain Long-Term Loyalty

Posted on by Initiator | 46958 Views | 17 min read

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

Pick n Pay Launches Online Homeware Store

Posted on by Initiator | 25574 Views | 13 min read

Pick n Pay Home offers new and exclusive online-only products and customers get an impressive new Smart Shopper benefit Customers across South Africa will now be able to shop online at a brand-new Pick n Pay Home shop for a range of exciting new products that will only be available online. The new online shop will be

Clicks Group Dividend up 30% as Retail Sales Increase 11.7%

Posted on by Initiator | 13217 Views | 11 min read

Group turnover increased by 6.0% to R39.6 billion, with headline earnings per share increasing by 33.5% Adjusting for the financial impact of the KwaZulu-Natal civil unrest and related insurance payments received by the group, headline earnings from continuing operations grew by 11.9%. The group generated cash inflows from operations of R4.3 billion and the return

Makro mRewards Partners with UCount Rewards & Caltex to Give You Up to R10* Back in Rewards Points Per Litre of Fuel and Oil

Posted on by Initiator | 11803 Views | 6 min read

Makro mRewards partners with Standard Bank UCount Rewards & Caltex to ease the fuel burden. As of 16 September 2022, Makro, one of South Africa’s longest standing retailers will offer its mRewards members up to R10* back in Rewards Points per litre of fuel and oil at participating Caltex forecourts around the country. According to

Celebrating 25 Years and Nearly R1 Billion in Sustainable Impact with MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet

Posted on by Initiator | 9978 Views | 18 min read

South Africa’s business, government and NGO leaders came together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet (MySchool), Woolworths innovative, multiple award-winning community loyalty and corporate social responsibility programme.  The programme has provided support of around R934 million to more than 8 000 schools and NGO beneficiaries across the country, who have benefited from

New Builders+ Benefits Programme Helps Shoppers Get More for Their Money

Posted on by Initiator | 11413 Views | 10 min read

The popularity of rewards programs among South Africans remains high, as many consumers continue to seek ways to stretch their pockets, and find ways to make the most out of their everyday purchases. As a result of this popularity, more and more South African brands are including rewards as part of their customer relations strategy.

The 2022 South African Digital Customer Experience Report

Posted on by Initiator | 11690 Views | 28 min read

The impact that online – in all its facets – has on offline sales is much greater than perceived This year the fourth 2022 South African Digital Customer Experience Report reveals the phenomenal impact that the combination of social selling, reviews and online browsing – in all of its facets – has on offline sales:

Have You Seen what OneDayOnly are Doing??

Posted on by Initiator | 9727 Views | 9 min read

OneDayOnly, South Africa’s biggest daily deals site, has just launched a brand new advertising campaign. “12 years ago, we started OneDayOnly with the mantra that every day was an opportunity to make someone feel like a big deal – bringing great deals on great brands to South Africans, every day”, Laurian Venter, Managing Director of

No Such Thing as ‘Too Much Loyalty’

Posted on by Initiator | 10705 Views | 17 min read

The overwhelming success of loyalty programmes amongst South Africa’s big retailers has encouraged many mid-tier brands to roll out their own offerings. While these can only help to attract and retain customers, many are missing out on the benefits of running the built-in loyalty programmes offered by QR payment platforms in tandem with their own.

How CRM Tools can Help you Build Customer Loyalty

Posted on by Initiator | 12487 Views | 17 min read

A loyal customer base is good for business. But how do you ensure customer loyalty and how can you both retain and grow your customer base? According to numerous studies and insights, one of the most valuable investments your company can make in terms of both retaining and gaining customers is to have an effective

SPAR International Selects Spaaza as Preferred Tech Partner to Power Next-Generation Grocery Personalised Loyalty and Savings Platform

Posted on by Initiator | 11763 Views | 9 min read

SPAR is working with a preferred tech partner, Spaaza, in a strategic partnership which will see the company support the retailer internationally with the development of the next generation of SPAR’s personalised loyalty and savings platform. Strategic Partnership Spaaza, an independent tech company based in Amsterdam, offers a powerful personalised loyalty solution that will help

Customer Loyalty Programs Going the Extra Mile

Posted on by Initiator | 9423 Views | 21 min read

As the pandemic shifted the retail landscape and pre-pandemic trends accelerated, new consumer behaviours evolved and market share see-sawed precariously. So to, loyalty benefit programs were placed centre stage as retailers had to examine the relevance thereof and how to innovatively retain and grow their relationship with customers. It’s been said that customer satisfaction is

Standard Bank UCount puts Money into Consumers’ Pockets over the 2021 Year-end Spending Period

Posted on by Initiator | 9629 Views | 10 min read

Through its popular UCount Rewards programme, Standard Bank managed to put money back into the pockets of its customers over the 2021 year-end spending period, helping to stretch the holiday budgets of millions of South African consumers amid a challenging economic environment. Fayelizabeth Foster, Head of Loyalty and Rewards at Standard Bank South Africa, says

Shoprite and Checkers Win Three Awards at SA Loyalty Awards

Posted on by Initiator | 9414 Views | 9 min read

The Shoprite Group’s Xtra Savings rewards programmes have scooped three awards at the 2021 South African Loyalty Awards, with both the Shoprite and Checkers brands recognised. Checkers won Best Programme of the Year in the retail sector while Shoprite won Best Programme of the Year among newcomers. Checkers also won the award for Best Strategic Use of

Standard Bank UCount Rewards Expands its Retail Partners

Posted on by Initiator | 13990 Views | 10 min read

As we near the festive season, Standard Bank is excited to announce that UCount Rewards members can now earn and redeem Rewards Points from more Rewards Retailers. This expansion of the Rewards Retailers is part of the bank’s key objective to give customers an array of retail choices aligned to their needs.  The Standard Bank

Pick n Pay Can Now Serve Millions of Customers on WhatsApp with Clickatell’s Chat Commerce Solution

Posted on by Initiator | 9685 Views | 7 min read

Clickatell, a leader in mobile communications and chat commerce, has been selected by leading African retailer Pick n Pay to manage their WhatsApp customer communication channel. Customers can easily access Pick n Pay services by sending “Hi” to +27 60 070 3037. The easy to navigate menu then allows shoppers to choose which action they

Checkers Launches Xtra Savings Deals on the Sixty60 App

Posted on by Initiator | 11218 Views | 6 min read

Checkers has announced the coming together of two award winning tech innovations, Checkers Sixty60 and the Xtra Savings rewards programme. Thousands of Xtra Savings deals are now available on the Sixty60 app for home delivery nationwide. “Customers have been asking us to offer all of the Xtra Savings deals they love in our stores on

Xtra Savings Members can Now Transact with Rewards Cards

Posted on by Initiator | 13327 Views | 10 min read

Xtra Savings members can now transact using their Xtra Savings cards following a significant update to the Shoprite Group’s Money Market Account. The Money Market Account, which has attracted 530 000 users since it launched just over a year ago, now provides customers with transactional banking functionalities, including sending money and making withdrawals. “The development

Smart Shopper Celebrates Customer Loyalty Over 10 Years with Over R1 Billion in Rewards

Posted on by Initiator | 9428 Views | 12 min read

South Africa’s most loved and awarded retail loyalty programme, Pick n Pay Smart Shopper, is celebrating its loyal members as the programme marks its 10th anniversary by offering them a share of more than R1 billion in rewards over the next few weeks. Pick n Pay Smart Shopper was introduced in 2011 and offered members

Pick n Pay Smart Shoppers Given a ‘Lift’

Posted on by Initiator | 9413 Views | 7 min read

Loyalty programme teams up with LIFT Airline to offer passengers added benefits  Pick n Pay Smart Shopper loyalty members have another way of earning loyalty points, this time on all their travel bookings with South Africa’s newest flexible airline, LIFT. Smart Shopper members who book a LIFT flight online or in-store at any Pick n

Yoyo Launches Bank Card-linked Loyalty

Posted on by Initiator | 11999 Views | 11 min read

A new era of loyalty for retailers, SMEs, and consumers. South Africa has a well-established retail loyalty scene, with over 70% of consumers belonging to at least one programme – according to Truth & BrandMapp’s annual white paper – but recent numbers show that this is declining year-on-year. Research shows that participants want the rewards

Hollard Partners with TymeBank to Leverage Digital Platforms Across Pick n Pay Stores to Address Access to Financial Services

Posted on by Initiator | 9698 Views | 20 min read

The Hollard Insurance Group, one of South Africa’s largest insurers, has partnered with TymeBank, the leading South African digital bank, to offer South Africans Family Protect, a funeral cover that provides a three-month income benefit for living expenses, with no delay or paperwork. The partnership leverages TymeBank’s superior banking platform technology and Pick n Pay’s

Iemas Financial Services is Turning Things Up a Notch to Offer a More Rewarding Shopping Experience

Posted on by Initiator | 9520 Views | 14 min read

With growing trends in digital evolution, personalisation and having a socio-economic impact, financial services cards and payment solutions have to evolve beyond swipes and complicated rewards. Iemas Financial Services has been in the game for over 80 years and has grown into the largest financial services co-operative in South Africa. One of Iemas’ flagship products

Shoprite, The First Retailer to Offer Outbonus Following Outsurance Partnership

Posted on by Initiator | 9892 Views | 6 min read

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

It’s Game on for Customer Loyalty, Satisfaction and Earnings Growth in 2020

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 10731 Views | 58 min read

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,

Vivo Energy Uganda Introduces the Shell Club, a Nationwide Customer Loyalty Programme

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 17214 Views | 9 min read

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

One Million Customers Sign Up for Checkers Xtra Savings in the First Week

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 9921 Views | 9 min read

Checkers has signed up the millionth customer to its new Xtra Savings programme, just a week following its launch on Monday 14 October. The Checkers Xtra Savings card is helping consumers to make huge savings in tough economic times and discounts are clearly marked in store. Some of the incredible offers currently available include: 750ml

Toys “R” Us First Retailer in the UAE to Introduce Scan & Go Across its 13 Stores

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 9834 Views | 14 min read

Toy retailer also set to open new store at Festival Plaza later this year and unveils the must-have toys this holiday season As part of its commitment to provide customers a better shopping experience, Toys “R” Us today announced that it has fully implemented its Scan & Go feature across all 13 stores in the

Checkers Launches Long-Awaited Rewards Programme

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 9759 Views | 11 min read

The wait is over – Checkers Xtra Savings is here! Africa’s largest supermarket group has introduced its latest initiative that shows their loyalty to customers, and not the other way round. There are no Points. No Tiers. No Levels. Just instant cash savings on your groceries and drinks. Partnering with SA’s biggest brands, Checkers Xtra

How Online Reviews are Shaping Buyer Decision-Making

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 9422 Views | 18 min read

An effective strategy for responding to online reviews is good for business and can help companies enhance their reputation and improve operations. Consumers are increasingly using online reviews as their primary source of recommendations for goods and services. Engaging effectively with online reviews is an important way for companies to improve relationships and customer loyalty

MACMobile has Launched its New FIELDPromote App

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 10989 Views | 14 min read

MACMobile, an innovator of niche mobile technology solutions for the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, has launched its new FIELDPromote app which revolutionises the last mile of customer loyalty. FIELDPromote offers a complete, intelligent solution for managing activations from conception to execution and beyond, to ensure maximum return on promotional spend. It can be deployed

R2.8 Billion Value Created for Clicks Group Employees through Employee Share Ownership Programme

Posted on by Staff Reporter | 11246 Views | 19 min read

Over 7 800 of Clicks Group employees will share in a R1.5 billion payment that has been created through the Group’s employee share ownership scheme (ESOP). This is in addition to the R1.3 billion already paid out under the scheme to beneficiaries in 2018. Vikesh Ramsunder, CEO of Clicks Group, says that this is the