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Smollan
Source: Smollan |

A New Era of Digital Retail in Africa

According to Google Africa, the continent is home to 19 of the top 20 fastest-growing countries in the world, and its internet economy has the potential to grow to $180 billion by 2025

Exploring innovation coupled with cutting-edge tech is on the up as brands and retailers consider what, when and how to ride the new wave of consumerism in Africa. With the future of digital retail in Africa an exciting and ever-changing landscape. Africa Overview Customer expectations are forcing retailers to reassess…

Smollan
Source: Smollan |

Trends Predicted to drive the retail industry in 2023

By 2025 the value of ecommerce transactions in SA is expected to reach R225bn as reported by IOL with the market itself estimated to reach R400bn the same year

“Chatting to industry experts at the end of last year at the GIBS SA Retail Industry Conference – the general consensus was that innovation, flexibility and agility are in the driver’s seat this year. It’s about finding the balance in delivering value vs profitability as well as sourcing locally, bedding…

Smollan

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    • The ‘NEW INFORMAL’ – The Role of Technology in Africa (By Mike Smollan)
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Source: Smollan |

The ‘NEW INFORMAL’ – The Role of Technology in Africa (By Mike Smollan)

Mike Smollan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Smollan looks at how technology is unlocking informal sector growth in the Region along with the emerging themes driving sector transformation

By Mike Smollan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Smollan (https://Smollan.com/) Around the developing world, informal retail continues to be a powerful social force, employing millions of people who might otherwise not have jobs, driving economic activity in spaces that formal business has not penetrated, and providing essential goods and services…

Smollan

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    • The Effect of ‘Lights Off’ for the Retail Industry (By Mike Smollan)
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Source: Smollan |

The Effect of ‘Lights Off’ for the Retail Industry (By Mike Smollan)

Mike Smollan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Smollan looks at the impact that loadshedding has on the retail and e-commerce industry

By Mike Smollan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Smollan (https://Smollan.com/) As we flip flop between candles powering up and diesel drumming to a now common beat - with the longest run of loadshedding in South Africa recently under our belts - the massive impact this has had on business has…

Smollan
Source: Smollan |

Reduce, Refill and Reuse - How Sustainability Could Change the Face of Africa’s Informal Retail

The market opportunity to provide low-cost dispensing solutions exists

The informal retail sector represents almost 40% of all retail in Sub-Saharan Africa. This vibrant market is innovative in meeting the requirements of its consumers, especially when it comes to meeting ever more stretched pockets. From loosies (single cigarettes) to small tablespoon bags of sugar, coffee, atchar, sweets and more,…

Smollan
Source: Smollan |

Retail Trends - 2022 & Beyond

Mike Smollan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Smollan looks at retail trends for the third and fourth quarters of this year and beyond, and what these means for growth

Gears switched at the beginning of 2022 as we entered a new phase in a retail eco-system that was still massaging aches and pains and playing catch up with new consumer behavioural patterns evolving as - ‘new ways of doing things’, ‘adaptability’ and ‘having an evolving mindset’, became the rallying…

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    • Elevating the Customer Experience – Focusing on a Sustainable Future
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Elevating the Customer Experience – Focusing on a Sustainable Future

Enabling service excellence must be part of the customer experience for brands and retailers in the telecom space, from the moment a customer searches for a product

Michael Smollan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer, Smollan (https://Smollan.com) looks at how the customer experience has changed in the telecom industry and what brands can do to offer a differentiated experience. Back before the ‘great staggering’ that affected everything in all ways, there was already a shift within the telecom industry…