South African Retailer, Makro Unveils Online Shopping App
The long-term digital and e-commerce transformation strategy of the parent business, Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Massmart, has announced the introduction of an online shopping app by South African retailer Makro.
Makro claims that the app already has over 120,000 products available and will allow users to quickly and affordably purchase items from all of its categories.
In order to provide a 2-day delivery and reduce courier expenses, it will also leverage automatic IP detection and GPS delivery address location.
The executive for B2C apps at Massmart, Jean Ochse, spoke about the app’s launch and noted that as the retail industry has developed, there is an increasing demand for the retailer to offer customers a variety of shopping experiences across multiple channels. The new app is intended to complement the retailer’s in-store and online shopping options.
Massmart asserts that its online sales have increased by more than 100% compared to the same period last year. It also claims to be the second-largest retailer in South Africa in terms of website traffic generation, with a projected increase in e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV) of 56% by 2021.
Statista data reveal that ecommerce sales in South Africa are predicted to expand at a rate of 17.81 percent annually, with a projected market size of US$13.83 billion by 2025.
If Makro can manage the rivalry from the nation’s established ecommerce players like TakeALot and Superbalist, it would appear that its wager in the online retail space is well placed.
