Retailer Pick n Pay has launched a new pick-up point for online shop Takealot’s customers in one of its stores in Cape Town. This is part of a pilot aimed at giving customers the convenience of picking up their non-food online orders while shopping for groceries. 

The new in-store service pilot at Pick n Pay Table Bay Mall store launched a week before Christmas and reached collection capacity within two days, suggesting the potential of the concept. 

Pick n Pay aims to increase the number of in-store collections a day owing to the significant degree of customer participation so far, with plans to add more stores to the pilot in the coming weeks.  

“We aim to run the pilot for three months to gauge the value it provides customers, but the results after two weeks are already very promising,” Pick n Pay head of general merchandise: ominchannel Ansgar Pabst said on January 9.  

Takealot customers can pick up the majority of their orders in store, except for large appliances. The service is operational during store opening hours and customers can reserve a collection day. 

The pick-up point is aimed at creating convenience for customers who are not able to wait for a delivery or for those living in areas that do not qualify for delivery. 

“We see it as a great way to create more convenience for our shoppers by offering them a hassle-free, fast way to pick up their Takealot orders while shopping for groceries in Pick n Pay,” Takealot CEO Frederik Zietsman said. 

It is hoped that the venture can improve online inclusivity for millions of customers owing to Pick n Pay’s extensive network of more than 2 000 stores.   

“We always engage with our customers so that our stores and services adapt to changing online retail trends. As customers increasingly shop online, we experiment with new options to make it as easy and convenient for them to get the products they want,” Pabst said. 

He added that the stores had evolved beyond just being a place to shop for groceries.  

“They are a place for time-strapped customers to pay their bills, RICA their SIM card or do their banking, to name a few. We are now taking this a step further to let customers combine their other online purchases pick-up with their grocery shopping. We believe this will save them time and maximise convenience,” he said. 

Pick n Pay entered into a commercial services agreement with Takealot last year to scale its on-demand delivery with food delivery service Mr D. However, the retailer said that it remained open to new pilots that empower its customers with multiple options to shop online.  

For instance, in addition to its newly launched Pick n Pay Home online store, Pick n Pay also offers more than 500 general merchandise products on Takealot. 

The new on-demand grocery and liquor shopping experience – PnP Groceries delivered by Mr D – officially launched to customers in October last year and has already been rolled out to over 300 stores.