The Rise of Click & Collect in South Africa

CAPE TOWN, FEB 21 – Click-and-collect is on the rise as a new logistic solution in South Africa. Online retailers are using the convenient delivery method as an alternative to traditional logistic options. Pargo, the leading click-and-collect company in SA, confirms this trend. “We’ve seen huge growth in 2016 of people using our click-and-collect service.” says Lars Veul, co-founder at Pargo. “An increased number of retailers are offering their user the option to collect their parcels at one of our Pargo pick-up points.” The rise of click-and-collect is in line with the overall growth of e-commerce within South Africa and follows the global trend that started in the US and UK.

Click-and-collect is a convenient delivery method that allows consumers to buy goods online and get those goods delivered to a collection point of their choice. Consumers are then free to collect their goods at their convenience.

Pargo launched in Jan 2015 and has since created a network of 1000+ collection points across the country. The parcel points are set up at trusted retail chains like Clicks, Freshstop at Caltex, Waltons and 7Eleven. Most stores are open 24/7 so you are not reliant on the business hours of the courier or post office anymore.

Many online companies, including Spree, TFG, bidorbuy and Onedayonly use Pargo as an alternative, convenient delivery option. “People don’t want to wait for their delivery all day” says Derk Hoekert, co-founder at Pargo. “By using our click-and-collect service they can buy online and collect when it suits them best, on their way home after work for instance.”

THE BENEFITS

• Save time and collect when it suits you best, no more missed deliveries
• Save money through consolidated delivery of parcels
• Better service through a secure and transparent IT tracking system
• Unique return solution by simply dropping off your parcel at a Pargo parcel point

Maurits Vermeulen, Director at OneDayOnly, added Pargo as a delivery option to his site last year and has seen a big increase in the number of customers that use the service. “The number of customers that choose click-and-collect doubles monthly, since we added the option,” says Vermeulen, “Pargo allows us to service customers that know that they are not at home to receive a delivery and there is a chance that these customers otherwise wouldn’t have placed their orders.”

Founders Lars Veul and Derk Hoekert, both with a background in e-commerce and logistics, decided to start Pargo after experiencing personal frustration with inconvenient logistics solutions in South Africa. “Optimal parcel delivery is about convenience, speed and reliability,” says Veul, “yet South African businesses and their customers frequently face late or missed deliveries. Disruptions at the Post Office have further complicated matters. By using our click-and-collect solution, we ensure you will never miss a delivery again – and that delivery costs remain affordable.”