If StopQ.com and its sibling e-commerce ventures introduced by Tanua Holdings are as successful as their proponents expect them to be, traditional retailers should start watching their backs.
The recently launched Tanua describes itself as a direct response, e-commerce, corporate supply, retail and services company which uses technology to reduce the price of products, or add value to a service traditionally offered to a corporate or to the end-consumer.
The business model aims to cut costs in the supply chain, using a direct link between suppliers and a Web-based storefront. Tanua says this allows StopQ.com to offer products at prices consistently below that of national retailers. Customers can also purchase products through a national call centre.
The sites run off a database of products integrated into the stock files of over 80 suppliers and Tanua`s logistics providers.
The threat this poses to traditional retailers is considerable, says Marc Ackermann, Tanua Technologies CEO, when one takes into account other factors such as free delivery on promotional items, and a wider range of line items than national retailers could ever hope to stock in store. "Traditional businesses cannot compete, and their special prices will be our everyday prices."
The Tanua business was incubated within AfriCam.com. Other major shareholders are Super Group and Peregrine. Super Group`s Dr Larry Lipschitz is chairman of the company.
The company plans an aggressive marketing campaign which will run across most major media platforms, with the aim to educate consumers about e-commerce. Patrick Bennett, Tanua COO, is confident the StopQ.com brand will be a household name by January 2001.
Other sites in the Tanua consumer offering are www.hitronica.com, a specialist electronics retailing site with which Tanua intends to penetrate African and other international markets, and www.weddinggift.co.za, an online bridal gift registry.
Tanua`s corporate offering, The Corporate House (www.thecorporatehouse.com), provides a procurement solution with which South African corporates can purchase stationery, office furniture, computers, business machines, refreshments and alcohol, corporate gifts and consumables online.
The group also plans to augment the procurement services of several trade hubs, including Miraculum and TradeWorld.
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