Tag: Walmart

  • South African Retail: Lessons from a Former Massmart Exec

    Nazim Cassim is a retail veteran who served on the Massmart board during the Walmart acquisition. Today, he splits his time between South Africa and Dubai in his current role as CEO of QVWi Retail, MEA. Nazim is also a Founding Member of the Retail Institute of South Africa (RISA), whose mission is to empower the country’s retail workforce through professionalization and training.  

    Nazim joins Natalie to discuss:

    • The Walmart acquisition and why the retailer is doubling down on Africa.
    • Why some businesses fail in South Africa.
    • The broader state of South African retail and what last year’s Amazon launch means for the industry.
    • Nazim’s views on retail transformation and the critical role of technology in shaping the future of retail.
    • QVWi Retail and retailing in the Middle East.
    • RISA’s mission, what led to its creation, and the importance of investing in skills development to attract the next generation of talent.

    Bio:

    Nazim Cassim is a highly respected figure in the retail industry with over 34 years of experience. As the Founding Member of the Retail Institute of South Africa (RISA), Nazim is at the forefront of professionalizing South Africa’s retail sector through competency-based training, micro-credentialing, and industry-recognized qualifications.
     
    Nazim served on the Massmart board during the landmark Walmart acquisition in 2010, a defining moment in South African retail history. He played a pivotal role in the turnaround of Massmart’s ailing DIONWIRED business when he served as MD. Nazim previously served as VP for Gen Merch, Food and Liquor. Post his tenure at Massmart, he launched the global appliances brand BEKO brand in partnership with Arcelik Group in SA. 

    Nazim is also an advisor on the University of Johannesburg’s Academic Board, contributing his expertise to the advancement of retail education. He serves on the executive Steerco of the Wholesale and Retail Sector for Education and Training (W&R SETA). He is currently the CEO of QVWi Retail MEA, A Skyworth Digital Company. A doctoral candidate, Nazim’s academic pursuits further underscore his commitment to the growth and evolution of the retail industry. 
     
    As sought-after keynote speaker, Nazim is widely recognized for his thought leadership and his ability to inspire innovation in retail. His dedication to workforce development and strategic partnerships continues to shape the industry’s future. On the outside, he is an open water advanced scuba diver and loves exotic locations for an adventure dive, and an avid reader of Philosophy.

    Connect with Nazim on LinkedIn.

    Learn more about the Retail Institute of South Africa (RISA).

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Ikea Roblox, Walmart Drones & AI Update, Pretty Little Thing Charging for Returns

    The interview from this episode originally aired on The Globalist from Monocle Radio. Natalie discusses the latest global retail stories with Georgina Godwin:

    • Ikea’s Roblox venture: the launch of a virtual store and how Ikea has become the first brand to offer paid work on the gaming platform.
    • Walmart’s tech update: innovation in delivery – drones and at-home delivery – and the beta launch of a generative AI-powered shopping assistant.
    • Pretty Little Thing becomes the latest UK retailer to start charging for returns.

    You can listen to the original episode of The Globalist Episode 3352.

  • Sainsburys-Asda: dare we say #amazoneffect?

    Sainsburys-Asda: dare we say #amazoneffect?

    ‘The Amazon Effect’ is one of the most widely used phrases in retail today. High street shops closing? It’s the Amazon Effect. Retailers investing online? The Amazon Effect. Acquisitions, CVAs, redundancies… These days, we can find a way to link, however tenuously, most retail developments to the Seattle-based behemoth.

    And for good reason. Amazon continues to spread its tentacles, diversifying into new categories and even sectors. It has its sights set on food and fashion, but also entertainment, shipping, healthcare and banking. It doesn’t just go after share of wallet. It goes after share of life.

    This is why the Sainsbury’s-Asda merger is happening now. It’s a pre-emptive move against Amazon. It’s about generating scale and ultimately ensuring survival before Amazon gets serious about UK grocery. Today, despite the acquisition of Whole Foods Market and supply agreements with Morrisons and Booths, Amazon still isn’t a food destination. The infrastructure is in place, but it lacks a compelling range. That will change. It will differentiate in grocery just as it does in non-food: through product choice and convenience. Despite its negligible share of the UK grocery market, Amazon has already been a phenomenal catalyst for change in areas like delivery speed, voice technology and checkout. Its relentless dissatisfaction with the status quo is leading supermarkets to raise their game, all to the benefit of the consumer.

    Amazon will revolutionise the way we shop for groceries. Within the next five years, it will have acquired a UK retailer (we can now rule out two) and considerably enhanced the in-store experience.  I believe entire product categories will be removed as Amazon looks to make auto-replenishment a reality. If shoppers run out of bleach or toilet paper, they can press a Dash button or ask Alexa. In the future, this will go even further by being automatically replenished. This will test brand loyalty in a way we’ve never seen before, while also freeing up space to focus on what can’t be done online – fresh food halls, cookery classes, cafés and restaurants. The experience will be highly personalised and utterly frictionless.

    The move into grocery is of huge strategic importance to Amazon. If it can convince UK shoppers it’s a credible alternative to the supermarkets, it will have cleared the final hurdle to becoming the ‘everything store’. Capturing that high frequency purchase makes it easier to cross-sell and bait shoppers into its ecosystem. And that is when things get ugly, not just for the supermarkets but all of retail: Amazon shoppers tend to be loyal, lifelong customers.

    Joining forces won’t help Sainsbury’s and Asda solve the Amazon problem overnight, but it will certainly lead to better terms with suppliers and consequently lower prices for customers. Also, not to be overlooked in this deal is Argos. An unexpected gem, Argos can now deliver to 90% of the UK population in just four hours. Argos concessions will be rolled out across Asda stores, and possibly internationally through Walmart, giving the retailer an edge over supermarket rivals and more importantly an answer to the mighty Amazon.

    Article originally featured in The Grocer