Takealot’s Desperate Attempt to Compete with Amazon
Takealot Group CEO Frederik Zietsman has announced plans to pad out its lackluster TakealotMore subscription service with even more gimmicks, in a pathetic attempt to compete with the retail giant Amazon. The service, which launched with a whimper, is now being desperately inflated with additional features, but it’s too little, too late.
TakealotMore, a two-tiered subscription plan, offers paltry benefits like free delivery and a few discounts, paling in comparison to Amazon’s comprehensive Prime service, which includes fast and sometimes free shipping, as well as access to Prime Video. But Takealot is sticking to its guns, refusing to acknowledge its own inadequacies and instead trying to bolster its flagging service with more "perks."
The company’s latest brainchild is a streaming video service, eerily reminiscent of Amazon Prime Video, but without the vast library of content. It’s unclear what kind of "additional discounts, privileges, and promotions" Takealot has in store, but it’s safe to say they’ll be a laughingstock compared to Amazon’s behemoth of a service.
Meanwhile, Amazon’s South African marketplace is still sputtering along, a far cry from the behemoth it is globally. But while Amazon may be struggling to get off the ground, Takealot is in dire need of a miracle.
The question remains: Will Takealot’s desperate attempt to compete with Amazon pay off, or will it simply further solidify Amazon’s dominance in the South African e-commerce landscape? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Takealot’s new and improved TakealotMore is a joke.
