With its online store performing well, Orange is set to open its first physical retail store in South Africa. The new store will open tomorrow (26 June) is Claremont, Cape Town.
“The opening of a physical store is a logical step for us,” says Orange Horizons CEO Sébastien Crozier. “The response to the Orange Online Store by South African consumers exceeded all or expectations, which led to a local warehouse being established to service this market. We therefore have sufficient stock levels to justify the opening of our first retail store in the country.
“We are excited about the store, as it not only provides a further platform for the brand’s growth into Africa – which is a key market for us – but is also an additional step in our commitment to our customer base in the region.”
In addition to offering consumers a wide range of the latest gadgets and accessories, the store will also offer click-and-collect facilities, act as a drop-off point for repairs and returns, act as a point of sale for Orange’s Top-Up products and provide customer service for Orange’s travel products. These travel products are of great benefit to South Africans travelling abroad who wish to take care of their communication requirements before departing.
Orange franchisee, Greg Dunbar, explains: “I have been in the franchising business for many years, and it has been my experience that consumers are looking for personalised service from a provider they can trust. While the store will provide a platform for the promotion of new products into the local market, it will also provide a physical point of contact for customers, which I believe will make them feel more comfortable when using the Orange Online Store and purchasing from Orange in general.”
Crozier says that, in future, the store will also act as a point of service for the brand’s soon-to-be-launched ISP activity in the country.
“Having a physical retail presence in the country not only offers an improved experience for our consumers, but facilitates for further growth into the region,” he says. “Further to the Orange WiFi offering in South Africa, our plans to launch as an ISP in 2015 will be made easier by having a point of service and contact with our customers,” he concludes, noting that Orange plans to open additional stores in the future, in key provinces and geographical areas.