Choose the right partner for your retail technology journey
Although the local economy is creating a tough operating environment for South African retailers, technology is providing near infinite opportunities for savvy retailers to drive sales and bottom line growth. By Gareth Hawkey, CEO redPanda Group From seamless online...
Put the store at the centre of customer experience
Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company , has announced the next milestone for its SD-Branch solution that enables more secure, streamlined and simplified deployment and management of large distributed retail networks. A critical component of the company's...
2020 will see symbiotic relationships between shopper and technology
Consumer demands for a frictionless, personalised experience which caters for their lifestyle needs are set to drive online retail trends in 2020. The result is a focus on creating a customised experience that supports and enhances shopping in the virtual environment,...
Black Friday 2019 was anything but black
As an organisation that focuses on the digital payments journey, using technology and innovation to enhance the overall customer experience, Transaction Junction relishes the huge retail trading period that starts with Black Friday and ends with Christmas. A maturing...
Crypto can save retailers in card transaction fees
By 7am on Black Friday 2019, Superbalist had nearly 20 000 orders on its site – only a fraction of the total transactions completed over the entire weekend leading up to Cyber Monday – costing over R10 000 in payment processing fees. For sister company Takealot, which...
Prioritise customer loyalty during the festive season
As the festive season approaches, the retail industry in South Africa is preparing for the record sales and increased demand that are characteristic of the season. While this might be the first order of business, retailers also need to prioritise and focus on...
When it’s time to pay the piper
The evolution of retail payment solutions continues apace, with Transaction Junction insisting that modern consumers should be able to undertake a wide range of transactions at the point of sale (PoS). By Craig Duggan, commercial manager at Transaction Junction Since...
Retail success in 2020 will be defined by value
As the year comes to an end, it is clear that the role and function of brick and mortar stores has fundamentally changed. By Gareth Hawkey, group CEO redPanda Software Increasingly, physical stores have to become a seamless extension of an overall customer experience...
SA’s FMCG space can learn from Kenya’s example
The simplest way of optimising route to market is through pre-sales, which then creates a predictable order and allows for the best delivery routes to be calculated. By Andrew Dawson, commercial director at MACmobile However, for much of the market in South Africa...
Network cameras combat rising risks in retail
Crime is one of the biggest challenges facing retailers in South Africa today, however using technology to prevent it could not only help retail companies stop it in its tracks, but also open up customer service opportunities. By Brendon Hall, sales manager at Axis...
Self-service coming to a store near you
JSE-listed Altron's subsidiary Altron Bytes Managed Solutions (Altron BMS) has become the only South African company accredited to provide NCR self-checkout solutions to retailers. NCR FastLane Self-Checkout (SCO) is a retail offering that allows customers to scan...
AI a welcome boost for SA’s battered retail sector
Body language reveals a lot about what is going on in a person's mind. By Vian Chinner, CEO of Xineoh Crossed arms could be a sign defensiveness, clasping your hands behind your back is said to indicate anger or apprehension, while humans apparently pull their ear...