The ValuePartnership Web site is an online conglomeration of products, by all accounts, available from Dion, Game and Makro stores nationwide. This is hard to confirm, as the only branding on the Web site is that of Makro`s, but since these stores fall under the same holding company (Wooltru Holdings), we`ll let that one slide... this time.
The idea is, on the face of it, very sound - build one Web site where shoppers can stand the chance of finding almost any product they look for, thanks to the pooled resources of three large retail groups. Unfortunately, put a little pressure on the site`s offerings and the cracks start showing almost immediately.
Appearance
The site is, for want of a better word, fuzzy. Not only does the logo look like the result of a terribly low-resolution scan, the general layout does not lend itself to being easily legible. The text is cramped and tiny, and thanks to the ever-present but tightly packed overhead navigation bar, the general impression is rather claustrophobic.
Functionality
A lot of functionality is promised on these pages, and most of it comes across without any great struggle. You can e-mail a product request, should you be unable to find what you`re looking for, or check if your area is covered by the "delivery in a day" promise. Delivery is fulfilled through Sun Couriers; for the time being, the agreement covers only Gauteng, Cape Town and greater Durban.
In addition, although the site offers customers the option of after-sales service via a Makro call centre, the relevant number is very carefully tucked away from obvious view on the front page; one has to delve into the FAQ section to find it.
Content quality
As in all aspects, this section of the site tries really hard, but doesn`t quite make it. You can choose to shop by category or by store - unfortunately, the latter takes you to a dead-end page featuring a near incomprehensible message: "valuepartnership.co.za offers you a selection of quality goods supplied by Makro - at their lowest possible prices. Should you wish to buy directly from one of the b stores, you will pay the same low price."
Choose by category, and you`ll be presented with a list of products available in that section, along with prices... no detailed product specs in sight. Still, the site does deliver on its promise of low prices - I noted with almost predatory keenness the fact that the Pentax MZ50 camera is available on this site for almost R600 less than anywhere else I`ve looked. So I decided to buy it.
Litmus test
And that`s where I stumbled across the last straw. There was, once again, a serious lack of tantalising information that would normally lure a potential customer in. I know all about the Pentax MZ50`s impressive functionality - but mainly because I`ve lusted after it for a very long time. I wouldn`t have touched it with a 10-foot barge pole on this site otherwise - there`s just not enough information that would`ve made me feel completely comfortable about making this rather expensive purchase.
Nevertheless, I steeled myself and clicked on "Purchase". I received a pop-up notification that I was going through to an SSL secured area of the site. Unfortunately, once on the other side, I noticed the dramatic absence of the little padlock icon I`ve come to know and trust. Just to make sure, I checked the page properties - not a bit of security in sight.
And that, I`m afraid, is where ValuePartnership.co.za lost my patronage.
This site has potential, but it definitely needs some dedicated attention to areas such as content and security.
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