E-commerce News South Africa

Distell's new Click2Collect platform simplifies drinks shopping at taverns

Distell has launched Click2Collect.co.za, a web-based solution to help South Africans order alcoholic drinks from more than 22,000 taverns countrywide in a simpler and safer manner.

The Click2Collect platform allows consumers to locate their nearest tavern – some they may not even have been aware of – to place an order for payment on collection. The consumer then books collection for a specific date and time.

The platform is designed to improve convenience for users, cut out queuing at taverns and make it easier to avoid crowds and maintain safe social distancing.

Distell is a large South African producer and marketer of spirits, fine wines, ciders and RTDs beverages. It lists household names like Amarula, Nederburg, Three Ships, Savanna and Klipdrift under its brand stable. Although Click2Collect is designed by Distell, the platform allows consumers to order any alcoholic beverage, including those offered by other producers.

Western Cape pilot

The company is first implementing a special pilot project in the Western Cape to test the platform to ensure quick, smooth and convenient user capability.

Wilson Khupe, Distell’s head of sales and distribution in Southern Africa, said: “We are collaborating and working with selected taverns in the Western Cape, offering them support, educational content and tools. Importantly, we are also soliciting feedback from these taverns to tweak where necessary in order to deliver a best-in-class solution.

“Apart from the obvious benefits for consumers such as safety and convenience in obtaining their alcoholic beverages of choice, the system enables taverns to trade in a socially responsible manner, as well as allows access to data that will allow them to focus on what their patrons want and avoid the burden of unnecessary stock."

Khupe added, “Distell is committed to assisting taverns, restaurants and other licenced establishments to continue trading responsibly, so they can generate an income, maintain staff and pay overheads during this challenging time.”

How Click2Collect works

Click2Collect.co.za allows orders to be collected from Monday to Thursday between 09:00 and 17:00, as per current Government liquor trading and consumption regulations with only 20 slots allocated per hour, making social distancing easier to maintain.

On accessing the platform via QR code or by going to www.click2collect.co.za, users need to confirm that they are of legal drinking age before being allowed to use the site. They are then able to use the search bar to find the nearest taverns to their home. They can click the red location item to choose their preferred liquor outlet. This minimises the need for travelling excessive distances to purchase alcohol and therefore limits potential exposure to the Covid-19 virus.

The consumer will then need to input their details, including their name and surname, e-mail address and cell number, choose their preferred pick-up date and time, and add their items to the cart before checking out. Once an order is placed on the Click2Collect.co.za platform, the liquor outlet and consumer each receive confirmation via SMS, containing a link with the order details, ticket number and address of the pickup point.

On collection, consumers are required to show their confirmation with their ID as proof that they are over 18 years of age. They pay for their order, receive their goods and are encouraged to enjoy their purchase at home.

Lefa Mapilo, secretary of the Western Cape Liquor Traders Organisation, said the Click2Collect platform is a win-win for both legal liquor traders and their customers. “Apart from the simple convenience it offers, it eases traffic to taverns as well as controls the number of customers visiting these taverns at a given time, with an important emphasis placed on the wearing of masks. Essentially, Click2Collect.co.za allows taverns to trade responsibly, helping these liquor outlets to keep their staff and customers safe.”

The launch of Click2Collect comes shortly after the similar Hola Club Click & Collect drinks buying platform was introduced by Touchsides, Heineken SA, Diageo and Pernod Ricard in June.

Let's do Biz