Takealot is giving new meaning to TakealotNow, the online retailer’s delivery service via the Mr D app that’ll get you select items, fast. TakealotNow has been locked into the Mr D ecosystem since its inception, but now it’s bringing a new “Get it Now” feature inside the Takealot app to deliver your items “in minutes” with Mr D’s help.
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“We’re building the ultimate e-commerce ecosystem that understands what makes South Africans happy,” said Karla Levick, the group’s chief marketing officer. “And nothing delivers happiness quite like getting what you need, when you need it most, all in minutes.”
That’s the idea, anyway. Not every product on Takealot will be eligible for the speedy delivery, but those that are — matching the offerings available via the Mr D app — will feature a “Get it Now” tag to indicate the retailer’s willingness to have the product at your doorstep within the hour. Other products will move at their usual pace.
You may have to wait before you get a turn with “Get it Now”, however. The retailer plans to trial the service’s expansion before making it available everywhere, meaning only “select regions” in Cape Town, Joburg, and Pretoria. The company hasn’t mentioned specific areas, nor offered any indication of how long the trial will last.
The retailer, which doesn’t appear to be much threatened by the launch of Amazon in South Africa, aims to turn a profit for the first time since its launch. Takealot CFO Tessa Ackermann reported the group had declared profit for the current six-month period, but that it was planning to reach full-year profit by the end of 2025. The launch of the new “Get it Now” may jeopardise those plans as the retailer faces its busiest month of the year.
