Johnnic e-Ventures subsidiary Ananzi and discount voucher site Tutuka.com have merged their online shopping operations to form a new portal -
www.ananzishopping.co.za
- which goes live today.
Tutuka.com will provide the infrastructure and services for the new site, while Ananzi will manage all advertising, merchandising and clients.
In terms of the deal, the Tutuka.com shopping site will be renamed Ananzi Shopping and become part of the Ananzi search engine. The site will be available at www.tutuka.com and www.ananzishopping.co.za. Tutuka.com says the change will allow it to focus on its digital voucher products, as well as enabling the site to offer more special deals, a wider range of products and bigger prizes.
Ananzi business unit manager Mark Buwalda and Tutuka.com MD Rowan Brewer point out that both parties have entered the agreement from a position of strength, with a view to combining the best of both. The move promises an enhanced online shopping experience for South African shoppers, ahead of the potentially lucrative Christmas shopping season.
Buwalda says the deal combines Tutuka`s online shopping experience and technology with Ananzi`s known and trusted brand. "In one fell swoop, we`re taking Ananzi shopping from so-so to being very good, with a lot more merchants and a far more robust back-end," says Buwalda. "Together, we can in effect `hold the consumer`s hand` - offering lots of things to do, prizes, reliable service and a wide range of merchants."
Buwalda points out that Tutuka.com generated the tenbucks.co.za promotion in conjunction with Email Corporation, which went a long way towards encouraging South African consumers to start shopping online.
"Tutuka has been in this business for three years. They know what works for consumers and what doesn`t. In addition, Tutuka has created a model that provides real value to sellers. Not only are you getting a chance to sell products, but to promote products too. It`s a complete merchandising solution."
Brewer says Tutuka`s 11 500 membership base will move to Ananzi. "We are forecasting reasonable growth, but our approach will be to grow membership slowly and steadily." No new business models are to be released in the near future, but Ananzi and Tutuka are expecting the joint site to turn South African Web surfers into satisfied Web shoppers.
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