Cape Town - More and more locals are turning to online shopping in hopes to protect their families from the Covid-19 pandemic and local e-retailers are laughing all the way to the bank.
In a bid to cater to a previously overlooked target market local online retailers have become bold in their demand for providing convenient shopping to local high-density communities across Cape Town.
Imizamo Yethu resident Ntombi Dlilanga said shopping online was easier for her because being a working mother could be time consuming.
“Nowadays when you go to the shops, they’re always full and the lines long. Shopping online means I avoid all that and I get to purchase items that I need without putting my family at risk of contracting Covid-19 or straining my already busy schedule.”
Solomzi Mangweni, from Khayelitsha, said shopping online meant he could spend less time in public spaces and control how much he spends.
“When I shop online, I purchase items I need and nothing more.
“I also avoid going into public spaces where I can contract Covid-19,” said Mangweni.
One of the popular local e-retailers, Yebo Fresh, which delivers fresh food and household items to local communities said residents responded positively to its presence online and were supporting the business among other local businesses available online.
Checkers said since the launch of its online shopping and delivery service Checkers Sixty60, it has created 800 new jobs.
Shoprite Group chief of strategy and innovation, Neil Schreuder, said: “Since lockdown, order volumes have skyrocketed and Checkers rapidly expanded Sixty60 throughout the country to cater for the increased demand. Customers love the control of shopping from their couch, tracking the items as they are picked in-store as well as the delivery of the items in real-time from their phones.”
Cape Argus