As Massmart prepares for the launch of Walmart in South Africa, the brand has announced plans to establish an online store, in the form of a mobile app, according to MyBroadband. The app will appease folks who can’t make it to one of the first physical Walmart locations, confirmed to open doors at Fourways Mall later this year.
“The app combines the best of global and local expertise by leveraging Walmart’s advanced technical capabilities, integrated with locally-developed pick, pack, and delivery systems,” the company said.
Walmart on your phone
Walmart confirmed customers can order their groceries, liquor, and a “curated selection of general merchandise.” It’ll utilise a fleet of both motorcycles and larger delivery vehicles — mimicking the likes of Checkers Sixty60, likely reserving the larger cars for merchandise, while bikes will handle the store’s perishables.
While Massmart is still determining the various delivery options and pricing, likely revealed closer to the app’s official rollout, the company says it is working to deliver a “very clean, uncluttered and intuitive user interface.” It would say that, though. Here’s hoping it can actually follow through.
“One initiative that may be of interest is that we have incorporated delivery driver areas that provide drivers with a place to rest, charge their phones, and take bathroom breaks,” Massmart continued. A nice idea that, in theory, will attract delivery drivers to the company — but one that will require effort to maintain in South Africa.
There’s no telling when the first Walmart-branded stores will open their doors, nor when the accompanying app is expected to appear on app stores locally. It makes sense for the two to be linked, as it would offer Walmart the best chance of penetrating a market that has become saturated in the years since the pandemic.
