3 minute read
Innovation
TECHNOPRENEUR LAUNCHES A LIQUOR DELIVERY STORE
Dark stores or dotcom centres are retail spaces focused on local delivery of goods to customers.
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By Matome Seketa
shopping practices as the continent fully embraces the digital sphere.
APPTO and its dark store are founded by technopreneur Madoda Khuzwayo, a South African-born serial tech entrepreneur with an enduring passion for eCommerce.
Khuzwayo aims to provide a convenient shopping experience to customers by affording them the ability to purchase goods from the comfort and safety of their armchairs. There is also a click-and-collect and in-store purchase options for customers still wanting to get a little road time.
Sandton-based app APPTO opened its dark store in the Sandton City Shopping Centre, which will carry a range of premium local and international alcohol brands that can be home delivered to customers in Sandton and the surrounding areas within 30 minutes.
APPTO is a South African created and developed shopping app currently focusing on liquor delivery. The app is available on Android, iOS, and Huawei app stores and is free to download.
Alcohol brands will now be delivered to customers’ doorsteps at a rapid speed, thanks to APPTO, which prides itself on its speed of delivery and competitive pricing.
Dark stores and delivery solutions are key players in the rapidly growing global services industry accounting for more than 70 percent of the global GDP. However, in Africa, the figures are still much lower.
APPTO answers the expectations of modern consumers who have quickly adopted new Madoda studied Electrical Engineering at Vaal University of Technology in South Africa, and Information Systems & eCommerce at Westminster College of Computing in London, United Kingdom, and his journey in the liquor industry started in 2006 when he won the SAB Kickstart Business Plan competition and had an opportunity to become a Service Provider to SAB thereafter and 10 years later, he became the Face of Rémy Martin One Life Live Theme campaign.
“Despite the lessening of restrictions, consumer shopping behaviour has radically changed, and we do not expect it to revert to pre-COVID-19 levels. From the effects of COVID-19 imposed restrictions, we identified an opportunity whereby our e-commerce platform can be a key partner in opening up new channels for sales and keeping the commerce going for shopping mall retail,” says Khuzwayo.
APPTO is Sandton City mall’s first-ever dark store tenant. “The pandemic forced a reset on how we do many things, including the way people shop,” said Preston Gaddy, General Manager at Sandton City. “We believe that APPTO has the potential to play a positive role in the future of retail and we are delighted to be trailing this innovative concept at Sandton City.” he added.
APPTO app is available on the App Store, Google Play as well as Huawei’s AppGallery. It is free to download and offers enhanced payment security with multiple payment options.
According to the App founder, Khuzwayo, APPTO also aims to become a significant job creator, following the successes of brands like Checkers Sixty60 and Uber Eats, with a fleet of APPTO drivers (scooters and cars) and, in the future, drone operators. “As we expand the service to other malls, townships, and rural areas across the
country, we envisage a corresponding growth of the APPTO delivery fleet. “Consequently, we are already in discussion with finance providers about preferential rates for vehicle leases for those who qualify.” He added.
Whilst COVID-19 has reset much of what we used to consider ‘normal’, it has also provided an enormous opportunity for good.
APPTO is also currently in discussions with several other retail centers across the country as it aims to expand.
How it works:
• Download and install APPTO onto your smartphone • Setup your delivery address • See stores within your delivery radius • Select a store, shop, and pay on the app • Track your order on the app in real-time • Receive or collect your order.
