Pick n Pay’s online retail division has reported an impressive 60.6% year-on-year growth in sales, reflecting the company’s strategic advancements in its on-demand platforms and overall digital transformation.
Building on a robust 74.4% increase in full year 2024, Pick n Pay Online’s sustained growth has been driven by notable improvements in customer service, technological upgrades, and operational efficiency. This expansion has been primarily fueled by the popularity of Pick n Pay’s on-demand retail services, including the Pick n Pay asap! app and Pick n Pay Groceries on Mr D, both of which are now accessible through 550 Pick n Pay stores nationwide.
A key catalyst behind this growth has been the relaunch of the Pick n Pay asap! app in October 2023. The updated app now boasts significantly enhanced functionality, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities such as AI Search, Alternatives, and Personalisation, which make the shopping experience more tailored and efficient for each user. Additionally, the app has benefitted from a foundation of cloud-based technology and a scalable architecture, which has led to improved speed and reliability.
Pick n Pay has also directed considerable resources towards strengthening store operations, logistics, and marketing initiatives. These investments have streamlined order fulfillment, reduced picking times, and ensured on-time deliveries, contributing to a 24% boost in overall customer satisfaction.
“By investing in cutting-edge technology and expanding our on-demand services, we’re meeting the growing demand for seamless, convenient online shopping,” a Pick n Pay stated. “Our recent advancements ensure that we continue to be a leader in South Africa’s evolving digital retail landscape.”
As the company continues to innovate within the digital space, Pick n Pay’s performance illustrates a winning formula of technological investment, customer-centric improvements, and efficient operations, positioning the brand for continued growth in the competitive online retail sector.
Pick N Pay Partners With OpenText To Leverage AI
By Gugu Lourie
Pick n Pay, a retailer with over 1,650 stores across seven African countries, has partnered with OpenText to supercharge its software testing processes.
By leveraging generative-AI and private large language models (LLM), Pick n Pay has automated 95% of its software testing, cutting testing times by up to three days and significantly improving its digital services for ecommerce customers.
Pick n Pay integrated OpenText’s cloud-based value stream management (VSM) and DevOps platform, OpenText ValueEdge, with the pioneering AI capabilities of OpenText DevOps Aviator, to meet the escalating customer demand for innovative digital shopping tools.
By activating OpenText DevOps Aviator within its existing OpenText ValueEdge workspace, Pick n Pay unlocked a new era of efficient and precise software test automation, gaining a substantial information advantage to better serve its expanding online customer base.
A year after Pick n Pay pioneered Bitcoin payments at tills across South Africa, the retail giant is now generating R1 million in monthly sales from shoppers using cryptocurrency.
Customers are purchasing groceries, data, airtime, and even paying their municipal bills using Bitcoin. This marks a significant milestone in the integration of cryptocurrency into mainstream retail in South Africa.
The adoption of cryptocurrency payments has seen substantial growth, with four times more customers utilising Crypto QR codes each month at nearly 700 Pick n Pay stores. This adoption is particularly notable in the Western Cape, followed by Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. The majority of transactions involve amounts of R500 or less, although the transaction cap is set at R10,000.
Crypto payments are taking off, and Pick n Pay remains the first and only large retail store to accept cryptocurrency.
“We started from a low base of around R25 000 per month, and it has grown exponentially every month over the past year,” said Deven Moodley, Executive Head for Pick n Pay’s value-added services, financial services, and mobile division.
The payment method is also accepted at PnP Express and Pick n Pay Clothing.
To pay with cryptocurrency, customers need a Bitcoin Lightning, or Binance wallet, and the CryptoQR app from MoneyBadger, or they can scan the QR code directly through their VALR or Luno apps on Android or iOS mobile phones. Customers can pay with any cryptocurrencies supported by Luno, VALR or Binance.
