ORDERING online should be as simple as clicking through a checkout page of an ecommerce site, but as we know, waiting on delivery can flip the convenience of online shopping into a logistical nightmare.
Even if a courier informs you that delivery will take place on a specific day, figuring out when it will actually take place generally feels impossible. So, you hit pause on your day, wait on delivery and just when you think it’s ok to slip out for an errand, you get the delivery text of death — your courier is outside.
Perhaps that’s why many South Africans are opting for alternative delivery methods, like Click and Collect. In 2020, one of the largest Click & Collect providers in South Africa, Pargo reported a 153% growth in order volumes. The delivery method is likely to experience even greater popularity during the 3rd wave of COVID-19 infections as many South Africans aren’t sure whether they will be working from home or at the office.
According to Lars Veul, co-founder of Pargo, the smart logistics company is fully prepared for the coming uptick in orders.
“Our PUP [Pargo Pickup Point] network is always growing. We’ve recently celebrated a major milestone of over 3 000 pickup points, which are currently servicing over 87% of South Africa’s postal codes. Each of our PUPs is reinforcing their strict COVID-19 protocols to foster quick, safe and contactless parcel collections for customer convenience and peace of mind.”
To further facilitate quick and seamless customer collections, Pargo has also recently rolled out new bright yellow signage at pickup points.
“The new Pargo yellow signage is the result of our effort to align our visual identity even more with our brand archetype. The signage allows passing trade to easily identify Pargo Pickup Points and makes our in-store collection counters super visible — improving customer experience.”, says Michaela Gabriel, Head of Marketing at Pargo.
These pickup points can be found at several popular franchises, such as Clicks, FreshStop at Caltex and Lewis stores, as well as many independent retailers across the country. The points are strategically located to give consumers, who normally don’t have easy access to ecommerce, the ability to receive their orders where it is more convenient to them.
Apart from offering online shoppers the ability to collect their orders, pickup points also benefit retailers through the increase in customer footfall. Peter de Beer, Head of Pickup Points at Pargo, explains
“Though shoppers visit our pickup points to collect their online orders, we often see that many of them complete their collection while doing more shopping. One of our largest pickup point partners, Clicks, estimates that around 30% of all Pargo customers who visit their stores for Click & Collect delivery end up making additional in-store purchases.”
On becoming a Pargo pickup point, he elaborates; “We are continuously looking to collaborate with the right partners – this is key for us.”
Pargo has recently partnered with Global Oil petrol stations to turn more than 80 of their sites into pickup points.
“Our collaboration with Global Oil gives even more consumers convenient access to ecommerce. Through Click and Collect, our partners gain access to new customers and provide their existing ones with a new service offering. Our pickup point partners are also compensated for each parcel handled”
