Page 32 - Logistics News Oct Nov 2020

News

Local e-commerce
Plan community shares

ahead preferred service providers

for the
Courtesy www.bizcommunity.com
festive THE RECENTLY released Insaka eCommerce
retail Playbook offers insights into how South African
e-commerce companies set up and run their
surge businesses and lists the software and service
providers they prefer. The playbook was created
with input from the Insaka eCommerce Academy’s
Courtesy www.bizcommunity.com 14,000-strong community, who voted through a
series of polls. The crowdsourced e-commerce
THE HOLIDAY gifting season offers hope for retailers recommendations from the community were then
emerging from lockdown. With confidence in collated into a free directory.
e-commerce higher than it’s ever been, it’s critical that According to the Insaka eCommerce Playbook,
stores stock up, staff up and get their shipping systems South African online sellers favour PayFast when it
ready for the rush. comes to selecting a payment gateway. They rate The
The October-December period is usually the peak Courier Guy for local deliveries and DHL Express for
period for many businesses, but with stores now international customers, and they make use of uAfrica
emerging from COVID-19 lockdown, it’s more important when it comes to order fulfilment software and
than ever that they focus on seasonal planning to ensure Mailchimp for email marketing. When they are looking
smooth and profitable operations as they look to rebuild for a business banking offering, they most frequently
following the recent restrictions on trade and movement. turn to FNB.
Now is the time to rebuild and put measures in Creating the Playbook directory was, for Insaka
place to keep up with the expected growth in orders. founder Warrick Kernes, the culmination of an
From cash flow to continuous customer engagement, ambition to produce an objective and useful tool
effective planning and preparation are critical to meet for those new to the e-commerce world. It is also
the sales demand in the run-up to what is likely to be a a handy guide and reference point for established
celebratory holiday season. sellers keen to keep up with industry trends and the
FedEx Express offers the following insights for supplier choices being made by others in the growing
businesses wanting to prepare for the festivities and to e-commerce sector.
successfully manage this upcoming peak period: Playbook highlights include:
1. Consider hiring seasonal staff to support the rise in • 64 percent of respondents to the Insaka Playbook
customer demand poll use the Dropstore shipping app.
“Having seasonal staff to focus on important tasks, such • 69 percent prefer to source their Chinese goods
as sales and customer service, will ensure your core team from Alibaba.
can continue to manage business operations without • 57 percent opt for PayFast when it comes to
service levels falling,” says Taarek Hinedi, VP Middle East choosing a payment gateway.
and Africa operations at FedEx Express. • 52 percent source their boxes, tape and other
2. Pre-planning is critical to manage supply and packaging materials from Merrypak.
demand, and cash flow • 58 percent recommend the services of Aramex for
While the festive season brings increased sales, it also their freight forwarding needs.
results in additional costs for items like additional staff • 77 percent use WhatsApp’s on-site chat software.
and resources to ensure deliveries reach customers on • 39 percent recommend the services of ROI Solutions
time. Retailers also need to purchase stock in advance for digital marketing.
to ensure they have enough product on hand to fulfil • 55 percent single out Takealot as the best local
orders. “Having a forecast based on previous years’ sales marketplace on which to sell.
will help you to manage cash flow more efficiently to Access the complete Insaka eCommerce Playbook
identify new or growing revenue streams,” says Hinedi. for free at https://www.insaka.co.za/playbook. •
3. Maximise sales by collaborating with customers and
service providers
“During peak periods, it’s essential your business is fully
equipped with the resources so that every opportunity
for a sale is picked up and processed – from the initial
order, through to final delivery,” Hinedi explains. •

30 October/November 2020 | Logistics News