Shoprite has announced it is beta testing a new and improved version of its Checkers Sixty60 app, which lets customers shop from over 10,000 larger Checkers Hyper products.

The beta app will continue to offer same-day delivery scheduled within a 60-minute time slot but will boast a much wider range of products.

In addition to groceries, customers will be able to shop for camping and outdoor gear, small appliances, baby products, toys, kitchen and home electronics, gardening supplies, and pool equipment.

The new Sixty60 app is already available to customers who live in certain parts of Cape Town, with Checkers planning a phased national rollout after beta testing.

Shoprite said that this strategy would help ensure a seamless user experience. During the beta testing period, deliveries on the new app will be free.

The supported areas in Cape Town include the following:

• Bellville
• Blouberg
• Brackenfell
• Camps Bay
• Century City
• Durbanville
• Edgemead
• Gardens
• Goodwood
• Kuils River
• Milnerton
• Observatory
• Parklands
• Rondebosch
• Table View
• Sea Point

Shoprite strategy and innovation chief Neil Schreuder said the company was confident the next iteration of Sixty60 will again disrupt online retail in South Africa.

“Our precision delivery promise means no more waiting at home all day for your general merchandise order to arrive,” Schreuder said.

“Customers can now choose the 60-minute time slot in which they’d like their Hyper delivery to arrive, with the same to-the-minute driver tracking they’ve become accustomed to on their grocery orders.”

The rollout comes after Shoprite CEO Pieter Engelbrecht briefly spoke about the platform’s revamp during an earnings call on the company’s interim results for the 26 weeks ended 31 December 2023.

“In terms of further development. Yes, we consistently will continue to develop Sixty60,” he said. “We are currently busy rewriting the platform.”

Engelbrecht said Checkers Sixty60’s approach to logistics management set it apart from competitors — including Amazon and Takealot.

He added that it is one of the primary reasons the online delivery service was “very profitable”.

“We have this very large footprint of stores that we use as micro fulfilment centres as opposed to a very expensive single dark distribution centre,” said Engelbrecht. “I know there are people who don’t believe it, but believe me — it is very profitable.”

The software behind Checkers Sixty60 — SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) — also significantly contributes to the service’s success.

Shoprite previously told MyBroadband that SAP’s Retail platform provides stock ledger and real-time sales data, which is critical for accurately fulfilling customer orders.

“The ERP also provides promotional information, prices and article data to Sixty60, which ensures that the prices on Sixty60 are the same as the prices in-store,” Shoprite said.

This article first appeared on MyBroadband.