As many marketers battle with the decision-makers of South Africa’s biggest retailers to take things online, Yuppiechef is going in reverse.

Next month, the kitchen and homeware e-commerce site will open its first “brick and mortar” store at the Willowbridge Centre in Tygervalley – and they are hoping it’s the first of many.

Co-founder Andrew Smith said in a statement:

“Customers shouldn’t have to see Yuppiechef as either an online retailer or a physical store.

“No channel has to win or lose. Instead Yuppiechef is a single retail brand (and) customers should have the freedom to interact with us on their terms, whenever and wherever you are.”

Check what you can expect:

Kinda cute.

The decision does make sense, especially in terms of what similar retailers have done. Amazon has opened a number of physical stores and even bought USA retailer Whole Foods so obviously, online pays big:

While shopping statistics show that online shopping has eaten into the market share of traditional retailers, Amazon’s decision to open physical shops shows it believes there is still lots of money to be made in a brick and mortar environment.

Yuppiechef first began business 11 years ago, reports Fin24, when Smith shipped his first order from his lounge:

“E-commerce enabled us to start a retail business with no stock, staff or expensive rentals. We have grown into a team of 85, with a warehouse and thousands of products, and have enjoyed being part of a pioneering industry in South Africa,” he said.

But while he was convinced that online retail was the way of the future, he soon realised that many South Africans enjoyed the “old-school” style of shopping as a pastime:

“Some customers simply preferred the physical shopping experience — browsing, getting advice and the immediacy of the purchase,” he said. “Shops and malls are not going to disappear any time soon.”

Next up, Malawi Cane Furniture.

[source:fin24]