Who is the biggest ecommerce player in Africa? Yes you guessed it, MTN. At least PriceCheck seems to think so with its new co-branded MTN app. According to price comparison app the partnership proves how important the relationship between mobile in retail and ecommerce really is.
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“This is further emphasised by the fact that smartphones are outselling feature phones for the first time in Africa, opening up and expanding the already booming ecommerce sector,” says PriceCheck.
MTN has been quite busy in the ecommerce space lately with partnerhsips with various entities most notably the ecommerce behemoth Rocket Internet.
“The partnership with MTN puts PriceCheck directly in front of end-users when they are looking for product information,” says PriceCheck CEO André de Wet. “We are making shopping easier and more relevant for the consumer, all the while mimicking real life behaviour. Less than 1% of retail happens online, yet as much as 40% of the buying decision process starts on mobile.”
“We are now in a position to impact that crucial moment of influence. The future of commerce is on mobile and together with MTN, PriceCheck is closing the loop,” he adds.
PriceCheck notes that the app will remain as it, and that users will still be able to compare product prices, use the barcode scanner and find reviews and store details. There are however some nifty new things for users to play with, such as a direct link to the MTN online Shop, where subscribers can conveniently upgrade mobile devices, buy airtime and compare contracts.
“MTN is continually exploring opportunities to deliver a distinct customer experience to our customers,” says MTN’s group chief commercial officer Pieter Verkade. “The partnership with PriceCheck marks another important step in our expansion into the digital space, particularly into ecommerce, and will allow customers to find the best deal wherever they go.”
The app is currently live in South Africa but the duo will expand it to other regions in due course.
“Whereas our customers in South Africa will be first to enjoy the benefits of this relationship, plans are already underway to introduce a local version of the app in other markets in the region,” he added.
