Apteker backs Wantitall

Johannesburg, 08 May 2008

A consortium led by local Internet entrepreneur Ronnie Apteker is financing online shop Wantitall's expansion into Brazil and Eastern Europe.

The local site is an aggregator of content from popular US stores like Amazon and Footlocker. It also sources items on special request.

Wantitall co-founder Justin Drennan explains the store facilitates access to items that may not be otherwise available.

"It's not uncommon to come across people who really want to acquire an item, but are unable to because that site does not accept SA credit cards or ship to this country. That's what we do, we step in to make those purchases possible," he says.

Although the site has kept a low profile, with little in the way of marketing, Drennan says it now offers around 14 million products, receives approximately 2 000 orders a month and turns over about R2.6 million in monthly revenue.

"There definitely is a hunger for international products in SA. We see the same hunger in South America and Eastern Europe," comments Drennan.

Apteker, meanwhile, says the opportunity for the company to benefit from geographic expansion is great.

"SA will very much remain the base. Development will be done here, and localisation and support offered from those regions. The business model is very attractive, which is why we are getting involved," he notes.

Apteker is personally involved in the company's expansion plans: travelling to the regions, sourcing potential partners, and negotiating with partners.

Although neither Drennan nor Apteker will commit to a launch date outside of SA, they say they hope to have their first international site online soon.