E-commerce - Cape Peninsula University of Technology

AppendiJ{F
INTERVIEW CONDUCTED WITH MR ELRED LAWRENCE BY LUCY NWOFFIAH
COMPANY: PICK 'N' PAY SUPER MARKET
PosmON: BUSINESS SYSTEMS MANAGER
DATE: 23 FEBRUARY 2005
TIME: 11:30
Q: WHAT IS YOUR POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THE COMPANY?
A: My title is the business systems manager of the company which means that I
basically relate back to the business, find out what the issues and problems
that needs be resolved through IT systems and then define, document and
pass them through to the IT to work or act on them. But my specific role is to
deal with issues relating to e-commerce in the business.
Q: WHAT ARE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN TERMS OF E-COMMERCE AND E­
BUSINESS IN THE COURSE OF PERFORMING YOUR DUTY?
A: I was the technical architect in the implementation of the Pick. 'n' Pay
shopping site. I've been with them since last year in implementation and was
also involved in previous projects.
Q: WHEN DID PICK'N PAY DECIDE TO MAKE A MOVE AS NOT ONLY A
RETAIL SHOP OR OUTLET BUT TO INCORPORATE E-RETAIL
BUSINESS?
A: In November 2000.
Q: HOW HAS IT BEEN SO FAR?
A: It has been complex, difficult, painful, chalfenging and exciting. It's very
difficult marketing invention. The advantages from pick. and pay perspective
(my own perspective) is that you already have the brand and also people
understand the brand but the disadvantage is that the brand has already
been created in tenns ofit being something that you dare not break so
in whatever you do you have to consider the fact pick and pay is in question
and you also have to be exceedingly careful in whateverdecisions you are
taking so the business will not crumble resulting to starting a B2C site
from the scratch. Set your own rules and setyourown brand.
Q: WHAT NEW STRATEGIES HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO INCORPORATE
IN THE MARKET THAT OTHER E-RETAlL BUSINESSES DOES NOT
HAVE AND WHICH MAKES YOU OUTSTANDING?
A: Sad to say not much because technology is such as these days that you can
buy anything at any level essentially. If you start an e-retail site today, your
competition could start up today and being at exactly at the same place we
are without any difficulty. The only true advantage right now, we will maintain
that for awhile is if you went into our home shopping site, over the years
we've collected huge amount data of our customers and unlike Clicks
stores we don't know who is spending in our shop because we don't have
club card etc but what we do know that is that customers come in and pay