Shoprite expands into B2B e-commerce

Shoprite Farms launched an online shopping and wholesale delivery service aimed at small businesses, including spaza shops.

The move marks the first foray into e-commerce for the Shoprite-owned cash & carry wholesaler.

“Bulk customers can now browse and purchase a wide range of goods at highly competitive prices via a fully automated online shopping experience, with free delivery within a 50km radius,” Shoprite said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Spaza shops and smaller retail businesses often face significant obstacles, including high transportation and fuel costs and difficulty meeting demand from the informal sector. Excess inventory can also result in high maintenance costs, increased risk of theft and cash flow problems,” it added.

Mark Cotton, Head of Business-to-Business Ecommerce at Shoprite, said: “The new Cash & Carry digital platform provides customers with reliable and visible access to stock and a delivery service that eliminates the need to store excess stock, frees up much-needed cash flow and gives business owners more time on the shop floor to focus on their customers and growing their business.”

Acquisition

He explained that the new system also streamlines the purchasing and order fulfillment process for Cash & Carry store salespeople, allowing them to log in, access customer and product information, and create and fulfill orders more efficiently. Orders can be saved for future use.

The move into B2B e-commerce comes after Shoprite acquired a number of retail and wholesale brands from Walmart-owned Massmart, including Rhino Cash and Carry and Cambridge Foods. © 2024 NewsCentral Media

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