E-COMMERCE

SA online shopping platform begins trialling one-hour deliveries

By our News Team | 2023

Select products such as laptops and beauty essentials are available with a one-hour turnaround time in certain Cape Town suburbs.

Takealot, the South African-based e-commerce platform, has begun trialling a one-hour delivery service for a select range of products such as laptops, smartphones, beauty essentials and toys.

Currently it is only offered in certain suburbs of Cape Town, but more areas may be added in the near future.

Photo credit: Takealot.com

The service, called TakealotNow, is available until 10pm and orders can be placed through Mr D, a delivery app previously known as Mr Delivery, that also delivers takeaway restaurant food.

“Online shoppers in South Africa are growing increasingly used to quick turnarounds on delivery for products like groceries and we’ve seen a steady increase in sales in certain categories when we offer our … same-day, next-day delivery or collection options,” said Frederik Zietsman, CEO of Takealot.com.

“TakealotNow will enable us to fulfil customers’ need for products, delivered faster than ever before, while offering [a] range across categories not yet available in the on-demand world.”

Customer-centric strategy to bring convenience

Adds Alex Wörz, Mr D CEO: “TakealotNow is a … new customer proposition that aligns with both Takealot and Mr D’s customer-centric strategy to bring … convenience that goes beyond food delivery to more South African homes.

“The proposition opens up the opportunity to scale across the country using our tried-and-tested distribution network of over 15,000 delivery partners.”

Takealot’s new service comes at a difficult time for the business, which is part of the giant Naspers group of internet, technology and multimedia companies.

Although it has grown its merchandise volume, it still made significant losses in the financial year ended March 2023.

Like all local e-commerce platforms, it also faces the challenge of Amazon’s planned launch in the country sometime this year.

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