E-commerce.
Internet of
things
Online floral
bloom and boom
By Carol Posthumus
I
n Africa the e-commerce market is worth
approximately $15 billion and, according to
recent forecasts by the PayPal MEA group,
this value is set to explode to $35 billion
by 2019.
Opening doors
However, while his Mom’s florist shut its doors, it inspired and
enabled the opening of much bigger doors, those of SA Florist,
Wallander tells us. The group, with its physical headquarters in
trendy Woodstock in Cape Town – typically housing revolutionary
digital companies, yoga studios, extremely fashionable coffee
shops and tea houses. SA Florist’s space is right next door to a
radio station, 2OceansVibe Radio.
The pundits say that E-commerce is poised to boom, with 22%
of those South Africans online already shopping online, with a
further 48% of those online
having the intent to shop in
“It wasn’t as if the flowers themselves held within
the near future.
The building that houses SA
Florist is interesting, but its
them the ability to bring an abstract definition into
online endeavours are even
Business in the irrigation
physical reality. Instead, it seemed that...expecting
more so. SA Florist provides all
and water sector looking to
change, and the very belief in the possibility instigated
the best systems and support
online opportunities could
a transformation.”
smaller florists and all kinds
well take inspiration from the
of artisanal producers – of gift
success story of SA Florist, an
packs and so on - require to
– Vanessa Diffenbaugh, The Language of Flowers
entrepreneurial technology
go instantly and affordably
company, which secured an
online. They take away all the
R3m investment from the
headaches and fear smaller retailers have of going online. All
entrepreneurial contest TV show Dragons’ Den South Africa.
florists and artisans need to do is create beautiful arrangements
The competition was excellent with over a 1000 entrepreneurs
and deliver. The service is offered nationally to nine provinces in
applying for the inaugural series in South Africa. 70 applicants
South Africa.
were selected to take part in the contest.
SA Florist’s roots as a revolutionary e-commerce innovation
are to be found in Dragon’s Den “King Protea” (MD) Nicholas
Wallander’s Mom’s business story. His Mom, an independent
florist, had to shut down her business – a sad happening and
common, due to small traditional florists being unable to thrive
in trying economic times, with online competition from the bigger
players taking over the modern marketplace of florists. Online
floral purchases are probably almost standard practise for most
people.
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SABI | DECEMBER 2015/JANUARY 2016
The business reflects the “think global, act local” adage.
SA Florists’ modern technology allows the florists to deliver with
“heart and soul” to communities in South Africa. The group also
offers deliveries to Africa, a market they are exploring furthermore.
In essence, the supersonic systems of e-commerce allow the
growth of SME entrepreneurs – whether they are in Cradock or
Cairo - allowing them to keep up with the times and prosper,
while retaining the original creative nature of their business.