The Sefalana Group has launched Botswana’s first Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) online shopping site.
Speaking at the launch, group finance director, Mr Mohamed Osman said Sefalana has been providing its customers and shareholders with exceptional value and performance for over 40 years. He said the online shopping website would bring a new way of shopping, adding that they were proud to be the leader in the field.
He said the local market has become sophisticated with customers looking to get what they want, when they want and in the easiest and most convenient way possible.
He noted that the use of alternative payment platforms was becoming more popular hence bank cards, e-wallet and money transfers were becoming a daily part of customers’ lives.
“Customers are increasingly becoming conscious about the pressure on time as lives are becoming busier,” he said, adding that traffic in cities and towns was becoming troublesome and that it places more pressure on their customers.
Mr Osman said they expect the new service to become popular as customers get used to shopping online from the comfort of their homes and offices.
He said the service already exists in South Africa, Europe, the USA and other parts of the world. Mr Osman said Sefalana has partnered with BotswanaPost for delivery of the service.
He said Barclays Bank was also offering customers a secure and safe payment platform for their new service.
The online shopping service is currently only available in Gaborone. There are plans to roll it out to other areas of the country in the next 18 months.
“To partake in online shopping, one has to register first then pick a basket from a range of over 20 000 products and click the checkout button,” he said.
He added that all in-store specials were available online with a minimum order value of P500 at a delivery charge of P50.
Mr Osman also said Sefalana has introduced a cluster drop feature where they deliver to a customer’s place of work for five or more customers at no delivery charges.
He noted that alcohol and perishable commodities were not offered online.
He also noted that they have already received online orders from P520 to about P14 000.
He said another order was made and paid through visa card online from overseas and was collected in Botswana.
