By John Churu, Gaborone, Botswana
The retail industry’s leading player wholesaler, Sefalana Holdings has followed its technology instincts by introducing online grocery shopping for the people of Botswana.
The technology was first tested in 2015 and was done in partnership with BotswanaPost, whose services were vital for delivery of the purchased goods, as well as Barclays Bank Botswana, whose sole duty is to guarantee cash safety during transactions through their partners, and United Kingdom-based Cyber Source.
The Group Finance Director Mohamed Osman was moved by the development and said it was just a matter of time before the country and his organisation heeded the call of the digital voice.
“The Botswana market has become sophisticated in the way they shop,” he said. “Our customers are looking to be able to get what they want in the easiest convenient way possible. Sefalana has recognised this, hence the reason we introduced the concept of online shopping.” Osman said the introduction of the online shopping was a way of improving their new branding, which they introduced in 2015. It took the retailers nine months to put together the idea.
Customers can order groceries online, and the shop will make the delivery for a fee of about P50. As is the case with most launches and new products in the country, the new service is currently available in Gaborone for a period of 18 months and will then be rolled out to other areas outside the city.
“We will not be able to roll out to all parts of the country due to logistics purposes but will ensure that we try to cover most parts of the country,” he added. “For now, we do not deliver perishables because trucks that deliver are not refrigerated.”|
Osman said the goods would be delivered within 24 hours and they will make up follow-up calls to ensure if the customer received the right products on time.
The retailer will deliver for free when more than five people in the same building order through their service.
