In addition, during 2016, it moved warehouses, celebrated being one of the oldest e-commerce companies in South Africa and joined forces with the eventing site, Quicket.
It has stocked the store with fine wines, spirits and craft beers that consumers could struggle to find at most other retail outlets. Everything that is available on the website is available in the new store. The deal is sweetened with weekly specials and great discounts on premium brands.
The opening of the store is an important move forward for e-commerce in South Africa, as it is the first time an e-commerce store has moved into a physical space. Historically, the market has seen retail outlets moving online to expand their reach and enhance the shopping experience for the consumer. The bricks-to-clicks phenomenon has taken the country by storm with most large retailers providing the option to order and pay online and have the product delivered.
Gavin Forsyth, chief marketing officer of Cybercellar notes the importance of the opening of the store. “E-commerce businesses need to stop thinking of themselves as ‘online only’. We are retailers and compete for the same share of wallet as brick-and-mortar stores but have chosen to specialise on a single channel. However, these days, more and more businesses are launching their own stores, and e-commerce is no longer a business model, but merely one channel in which to do business.”
The move to a physical liquor store is indicative of the company’s growth over the last two years. It encapsulates the strategic growth of the brand by creating more awareness of a customer base that might have not been previously affiliated with the company. Not only is the reach to a new and unique audience important to Cybercellar, but so is the perception of the brand. This move has allowed the online wine retailer to create a touch and feel element for customers to associate with. In many cases, the customer feels a sense of disassociation with purely e-commerce stores due to the lack of the human element. The liquor store is a means to overcome this by allowing the customer a physical presence to visit.
The timing of the opening of the store could not have come at a better time in the international world of e-commerce. It was announced during the course of the week that Amazon would be opening a checkout free grocery store in Seattle. The concept centres on the customers’ smartphone logging onto their Amazon account when walking in and the use of artificial intelligence, algorithms and tracking intelligence to monitor each purchase. With the world of e-commerce expanding and becoming smarter, Cybercellar.com is looking forward to being on the forefront of alcohol retail in South Africa.
