Nkgwete IT Solutions has 11 years of experience in corporate IT support, and so when expanding the business to support the retail sector

Modern retailers looking to build on this need a seamless and reliable technology ecosystem to remain competitive and to serve consumers, especially during periods of high demand, says Nkgwete IT Solutions CEO, Siddika Osman.

According to Statistics SA, 2024 retail trade sales increased by 2,5% when compared with the previous year. Beyond this, five of the seven types of retailers as defined by the national agency showed positive year-on-year growth rates.

Osman says that while retailers spend a great deal of money investing in point-of-sale (POS) and other operational technologies, it is the daily functioning of all critical infrastructure, POS and end-point devices that can make or break a retailer’s success.

“Retailers manage complex technology ecosystems that need to be operating as expected in order to deliver a seamless customer and employee experience. However, as we all know, in the real world issues do crop up and it is precisely when this happens that a retailer needs peace of mind that they have rapid onsite technical support,” explains Osman.

Retailers often spend a big part of the year investing in new systems and capabilities to take advantage of key retail periods, such as Black Friday and the festive season, when there are significant upticks in volumes – not just in-store and online, but also stretching inventory management and supply chain processes.

“Certainly from our experience, and our partnerships with key retail technology implementation partners, we understand that there needs to be cost-effective, locally tailored support solutions in place. The best technology only lives up to its promise if it is working. In other words, retailers need partners that complement backend software with frontline support services,” says Osman.

Nkgwete IT Solutions has 11 years of experience in corporate IT support, and so when expanding the business to support the retail sector, Osman says the Nkgwete discovered that retailers encountered many shared challenges with other sectors.

“All sectors have critical functions. In retail it is no different. It is essential to provide critical IT infrastructure and POS support to minimise downtime for retail operations. In our experience, and helped in a large part by our extensive national geographical footprint, having on-site technical support in the form of rapid response helps retailers manage complex technology challenges quickly,” she says.

This should not only be the preserve of retailers operating in major city hubs, explains Osman. “Many businesses have stores that are distributed across the country – they need a partner with the national footprint to reach smaller towns and villages.

Nkgwete has built up an impressive geographical footprint serving other sectors and so this, combined with a strong understanding of the South African retail sector and general South African operating conditions, we found it was a logical step to provide comprehensive support to this vital cog of the South African economy.”

Ngkwete, means “champion”, and the name reflects the culture of professionalism and accountability in the business. Osman says that this is why the business undertook a strategy of hiring an extensive number of engineers across the country with at least national diplomas and CompTIA and certifications.

She explains that despite being awarded as the business with the most CompTIA certified engineers in Africa, the orientation is towards ensuring the service promise is fulfilled. “Ngkwete exists first and foremost to ensure our customers have peace of mind regarding IT support, and we are delighted to be extending this offering to the retail sector,” she says.

News Credits- ZAWYA BY LSEG

Indonesian ecommerce platform PT Bukalapak.com Tbk (BUKA) reported a 37% revenue growth in Q1 2025, reaching 1.5 trillion rupiah (US$89.74 million), up from 1.1 trillion rupiah (US$65.81 million) in the previous quarter.

This increase was driven by strong performance in its gaming and retail segments and a new business segmentation, including Mitra Bukalapak, Gaming, Retail, and Investment.

The company’s contribution margin nearly doubled to 80 billion rupiah (US$4.79 million), a 95% increase from the prior quarter.

Net profit turned positive at 112 billion rupiah (US$6.7 million), recovering from a net loss of 955 billion rupiah (US$57.13 million) in Q4 2024.

Bukalapak ended Q1 with 18.8 trillion rupiah (US$1.12 billion) in cash and liquid investments, signaling strong financial stability for future growth.

Food for thought

1️⃣ Bukalapak’s restructuring shows a dramatic financial turnaround amid e-commerce consolidation

Bukalapak’s Q1 2025 results represent a remarkable turnaround with net profit swinging to positive IDR 112 billion, following significant struggles in previous quarters.

The company had been facing mounting financial pressure, with losses increasing by 12% to IDR 1.55 trillion in 2024 amid spiraling costs.

This transformation aligns with their January 2025 strategic shift away from physical products, a decision that initially shocked markets, causing shares to fall 4.10%.

The restructuring efforts began showing promising signs in Q4 2024, with a 7% quarter-on-quarter revenue increase driven primarily by a 21% rise in marketplace revenue, even as their O2O segment declined 9%.

Bukalapak’s pivot comes amid broader consolidation in Indonesia’s e-commerce landscape, where larger platforms like Shopee dominate, forcing smaller players to find distinctive positioning.

2️⃣ Indonesia’s e-commerce market offers substantial growth runway despite fierce competition

Bukalapak’s strategic segments realignment occurs in a market projected to reach between $46.6 billion (GlobalData) and $94.48 billion (Mordor Intelligence) by the end of 2025, highlighting significant growth potential.

The Indonesian e-commerce sector is expected to continue expanding at a CAGR of 15.5% through 2030, potentially reaching $194.20 billion by that year.

This growth is supported by demographic tailwinds: rising internet penetration, increasing mobile wallet adoption, and supportive government policies for digital infrastructure development.

Indonesia currently ranks as the eighth-largest e-commerce market globally, with online shopping penetration expected to increase from 32% in 2023 to 46% by 2028.

Emerging trends including social commerce, influencer marketing, and the integration of e-commerce with traditional retail create new opportunities for platforms that can effectively adapt their business models.

3️⃣ Bukalapak’s strategic pivot to focus on higher-margin virtual segments

Bukalapak’s refined business segmentation—transitioning to Mitra Bukalapak, Gaming, Retail, and Investment from the previous Marketplace and O2O segments—reflects a deliberate strategic shift toward higher-margin, asset-light business lines.

The company’s dramatic improvement in contribution margin (95% QoQ increase to IDR 80 billion) demonstrates early validation of this approach [original article].

The pivot away from physical products announced in January 2025 was a particularly bold move in the competitive e-commerce landscape, focusing resources on virtual products with potentially better economics.

This strategic realignment appears to address Bukalapak’s previous financial challenges, which included a -34.72% profit margin and negative returns on assets (-1.67%) and equity (-6.32%) reported earlier.

Bukalapak’s transformation echoes its original mission to support SMEs through technology, now refocused on specific segments where it can maintain competitive differentiation against larger players like Shopee and Tokopedia.

News Credits- TECHINASIA

PostNord has announced its first-quarter financial results for 2025, with operating income growing 2.1% to SEK189m (US$19.6m) thanks to 8% growth in its parcel volumes compared with Q1 2024.

According to the post, its improvement programs have increased efficiency and reduced costs, thus boosting income despite mail volumes falling by 14% in the quarter compared with 2024.

“The fact that income for the group was again strong shows that our improvement programs have delivered as planned,” said Annemarie Gardshol, president and CEO of PostNord. “At the same time as we have taken important actions on the cost side, we have invested in our offering and strengthened our parcel business.”

Major changes in the mail business

In March, PostNord Denmark announced it will stop handling mail from the beginning of 2026 and instead focus fully on the parcels business. Since the turn of the millennium, mail volumes in Denmark have declined by more than 90% and the pace of decline in volumes continued to increase in the past year because of Denmark’s new Postal Services Act. This means that the conditions for operating a mail business that is both nationwide and profitable in Denmark no longer exist.

However, the Swedish side of the company will continue to run its nationwide, self-financed and profitable mail business.

PostNord said that its business will continue to be affected by “ongoing uncertainty in global economic developments” and that it would continue to closely monitor the situation while “maintaining the focus on our transformation”.

Author Credits- HAZEL KING, Parcel and postal technology INTERNATIONAL

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, 71, has stepped down from her position on L’Oréal’s board of directors, transferring her seat to Téthys, the family’s holding company, during the company’s annual general meeting on Tuesday. Bettencourt Meyers, honored during the meeting, also passed her vice-chair role to one of her sons.

Bettencourt Meyers, the heiress to the L’Oréal fortune and among the world’s richest women, has long played a central role in the company’s governance.

Téthys’ appointment to the board received strong support and was approved with 95.59% of shareholder votes. Bettencourt Meyers had served as a board member for 28 years and remains the chair of Téthys.

“I am not leaving L’Oréal, but I am stepping down from its board of directors, where I served for 28 years,” she told AFP on Monday.

“It is a joy for my husband and me to see the bond between our family and L’Oréal continue. We look forward to nurturing it alongside our sons, Jean-Victor and Nicolas,” she added.

Jean-Victor, who turned 39 on Tuesday, was unanimously approved by the board to succeed his mother as vice-chair. He joined L’Oréal’s board in 2012, taking over the seat previously held by his grandmother, Liliane Bettencourt.

His brother, Victor, 36, has been a board member for five years.

“Today marks a major milestone in L’Oréal’s history,” said Chairman Jean-Paul Agon during the tribute to Bettencourt Meyers.

He emphasized the enduring relationship between the Bettencourt Meyers family and the founding family of L’Oréal. Bettencourt Meyers is the granddaughter of L’Oréal founder Eugène Schueller and the daughter of Liliane Bettencourt.

“You have always resisted the temptation of short-term measures that would have sacrificed investment for immediate results,” Agon told Bettencourt Meyers, seated in the front row with her husband, Jean-Pierre Meyers, and their sons.

“You have always fought to protect the integrity of the group — sometimes, I can attest, at the expense of your own peace of mind and that of your beloved family,” he added.

“Discretion is a silent virtue,” Agon concluded. “And you embody it.”

Bettencourt Meyers accepted a bouquet of flowers and greeted the audience, receiving warm applause from the nearly 1,000 shareholders in attendance.

As of March 24, 2025, the Bettencourt Meyers family held a 34.76% stake in L’Oréal. In 2024, the company reported a 3.6% increase in net profit to €6.4 billion and a 5.6% rise in revenue to €43.48 billion.

News Credits-FASHION NETWORK

Smart wearables and audio brand Boat joined forces with music label Mass Appeal to support young artists from Mumbai’s Dharavi area under the banner of the ‘Dharavi Dream Project’ and held an audio product distribution drive.

“The gesture aimed to provide the aspiring artists with high-quality tools to pursue their musical journeys and enhance their learning experience,” announced Boat in a press release. “This collaboration reinforces Boat’s commitment to fostering grassroots talent and using music as a medium for positive change. It also marks a significant moment in the brand’s ongoing efforts to connect with and uplift India’s vibrant youth culture through meaningful, purpose-driven initiatives.”

Mass Appeal was co-founded by hip-hop artist Nas and the Dharavi Dream Project is a hip-hop music school designed to empower underprivileged children through music and creative expression. In support of this initiative, Boat distributed 60 of its audio products to students at the Dharavi Dream Project during Nas’ recent visit to India.

Boat is run by Imagine Marketing Limited which is headquartered in India and manufactures and retails products including smart wearables, personal grooming devices, audio gear, and mobile accessories. The business describes itself as “India’s number one audio and wearables brand” and counts strategic partnerships with global businesses including Qualcomm and Dolby with backing from investors such as Warburg Pincus, Malabar Investments, and Fireside Ventures.

Author Credits- Isabelle Crossley, FASHION NETWORK

BoxCommerce, an African founded e-commerce platform that serves SMEs and startups, has launched in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), betting on the country’s booming mobile commerce market, vast SME sector, and the limited availability of user-friendly e-commerce solutions tailored for local businesses looking to scale.

The move positions BoxCommerce among a wave of African startups setting shop in the Middle East’s commercial capital. The UAE’s e-commerce market is projected to hit $8 billion in revenue this year, surpassing $10 billion by 2029.

Launched in 2019, BoxCommerce offers tools for building online stores, managing inventory, processing payments, and handling logistics. The company began operations in Kenya in 2022 and claims to have onboarded more than 5,400 merchants in its first year, 16 times the number reached by Shopify over the same period. BoxCommerce is now active in South Africa and Indonesia. The UAE represents a strategic entry point for BoxCommerce into a region with strong consumer demand but limited user-friendly solutions for small businesses.

“The UAE is a strategic market for BoxCommerce,” said CEO and founder Craig Mcleod. “With mobile commerce dominating and over 70% of the population shopping online, the country is on track to grow its e-commerce market size to AED 48 billion by 2028. Our platform is designed to help local businesses tap into this explosive growth.”

In the UAE, BoxCommerce will focus on helping SMEs set up their online store in minutes with no technical expertise required. The platform will also support sales across websites, social media, and marketplaces, helping merchants expand their reach.

“Despite having around 600,000 SMEs in the UAE, there are still very few easy-to-use eCommerce solutions designed to help local SMEs grow and scale,” Rahul Vaish, MENA Director of BoxCommerce, added. “SMEs are the bedrock of any economy, representing 94% of the UAE’s companies and employing over 86% of the private sector workforce.”

BoxCommerce joined MasterCard’s Startup Engagement program and previously participated in Facebook’s Commerce Accelerator in 2020. The company says it aims to become the go-to platform for emerging-market merchants looking to build omnichannel retail operations without technical complexity.

Author Credits- Sakhile Dube, Techcabal

Unilever projects the platform will eventually serve up to 1.5 million micro-retailers and drive more than €4 billion (approximately $4.28 billion USD) in annual turnover.

Unilever PLC is expanding its cloud-based ecommerce and AI-driven platform for small-format retail across emerging markets.

The company, however, has not announced plans to roll out the platform in the United States. That reflects a strategic focus on high-growth economies where traditional retail remains dominant. Its B2B platform aims to digitizing its distribution trade operations.

Unilever is a London-based global consumer goods company with 2024 revenue of approximately $64 billion. As of April 2025, Unilever’s B2B platform is live in five countries across Asia:

1. Indonesia
2. Pakistan
3. The Philippines
4. Thailand
5. Vietnam

Its rollout in Bangladesh is currently underway, and the company expects to complete it by May. Unilever projects the platform will eventually serve up to 1.5 million micro-retailers and drive more than €4 billion (approximately $4.28 billion USD) in annual turnover.

“Our goal was to create a future-fit platform that could scale and serve our distributive trade business globally, while adapting to local needs and nuances,” said Prashaant Huria, Unilever’s vice president and chief digital and technology officer for customer development, in a company statement.

Unilever B2B digital platform

Unilever calls its retooled digital platform its “eB2B system.” It connects 500,000 small retailers, 600 distributors, and over 6,000 sales representatives across Asia. It designed the system to cover the entire value chain — from order capture to fulfillment and customer service — using mobile technology and AI tools. The platform currently processes 75,000 orders per day, supporting annualized sales of €2.5 billion ($2.67 billion USD).

Retailers, many operating in rural or underserved areas with unreliable internet access, can browse Unilever’s product catalog, place orders, and access promotions via a mobile app. Distributors use the platform to automate inventory management, optimize delivery routes, and streamline credits and returns.

Comprehensive on-site training and support are being provided to encourage adoption among retailers and distributors, according to Unilever.

Which markets Unilever is focusing on

Unilever’s decision to prioritize emerging markets over mature ones like the United States is rooted in the company’s strategic assessment of growth opportunities. In markets such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and parts of Latin America, mom-and-pop stores continue to represent the dominant channel for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sales — accounting for most volume in many regions.

The company has repeatedly emphasized that while U.S. and European markets are crucial for maintaining brand strength, incremental revenue growth is increasingly coming from emerging economies. In Unilever’s 2024 earnings call, CEO Hein Schumacher said that “future volume and penetration gains will be largely driven by winning in the world’s fastest-growing consumer markets.”

In contrast, the U.S. retail landscape presents less need for Unilever to replicate the same distributive trade platform. It’s characterized by consolidated supply chains, dominant supermarket and mass retail chains, and more mature direct-to-consumer models.

Moreover, logistics challenges that the B2B platform is designed to solve — such as last-mile delivery fragmentation, inventory stockouts at tiny retailers, and lack of real-time visibility — are far less prevalent in the U.S. market, where large-scale distributor relationships and sophisticated ERP systems are already widespread.

Unilever focusing on smaller retailers in emerging markets

The launch of Unilever’s digital platform comes at a time when small retail stores in emerging markets are forecast to grow by 7.6% annually by 2030. These stores traditionally rely on manual ordering processes and are vulnerable to inefficiencies in stock management and delivery scheduling.

By providing access to digital ordering tools, real-time stock updates, and AI-based recommendations, Unilever aims to make small retailers more competitive and resilient. According to Unilever, adoption of the eB2B platform has already led to improvements in retailer satisfaction, as measured by Net Promoter Scores, in countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Unilever’s platform incorporates AI models to optimize assortment recommendations for sales representatives. The company says it helps them focus on suggesting the highest-value products during short retailer visits. Image processing tools analyze in-store product placement and stock levels. They enable sales reps to offer more targeted merchandising support.

And on the distributor side, automation ensures that incoming orders are matched to available inventory. Furthermore, any shortfalls automatically trigger resupply requests. Built-in route optimization tools allow distributors to plan more efficient and sustainable delivery routes, reducing operational costs and improving service levels.

“By focusing on the most relevant and high-value products, we can evolve the role of a sales rep beyond just an order taker,” Huria said.

Unilever B2B platform rollout in Asia

The current Asian rollout builds on Unilever’s earlier success with its Shikhar platform in India. That platform digitized distribution for millions of small retailers across India. The company is also developing a version of the eB2B platform tailored for Latin American markets, which face similar fragmentation challenges in retail supply chains.

In Unilever’s view, replicating the Shikhar model in other emerging regions could serve as a critical lever for future revenue growth, operational efficiency, and market share expansion.

Unilever operates in more than 190 countries. It reported 2024 full-year revenue of €59.6 billion ($64 billion USD) and has increasingly turned to digital transformation as a pillar of its corporate strategy. In addition to the eB2B platform, the company is investing in AI to forecast demand, optimize production, and tailor marketing programs more precisely across geographies.

While the company’s current focus is on digitizing emerging markets, Unilever has not ruled out adapting elements of the platform for more developed markets if market dynamics shift. However, for now, its investments remain targeted toward building digital ecosystems where retail structures remain fragmented and digital penetration is still scaling rapidly, the company says.

Author Credits- Mark Brohan, Digital commerce 360

CEVA Logistics has announced it will acquire 100% of Borusan Tedarik Zinciri Çözümleri ve Teknoloji Anonim Şirketi, a leading logistics solutions provider in Turkey, for US$440m.

With roots going back more than 50 years, Borusan Tedarik offers logistics solutions including contract logistics, finished vehicle logistics, full truckload and less than truckload ground transportation, as well as air and ocean freight and customs.

The acquisition will nearly double the size of CEVA’s warehousing and distribution operations in Turkey, adding approximately 570,000m2 to its existing 620,000m2 of warehouse space.

In addition, the combined ground transportation activities would execute nearly one million domestic transports per year, while Borusan Tedarik’s activities would also strengthen CEVA’s existing network connections with Europe.

Mathieu Friedberg, CEO, CEVA Logistics, said, “As a top five global logistics player, we have identified Turkey as one of our strategic geographies where we expect to grow significantly. Complementing our existing presence in Turkey with the reputable experts and operations of Borusan Tedarik would put us in a position to offer even greater value to our combined customers and, as a result, grow faster than the market organically. CEVA is becoming bigger, stronger and smarter, so that we can then grow faster.”

Author Credits- HAZEL KING, Parcel and postal technology INTERNATIONAL

Global multi-sports apparel and lifestyle brand Decathlon has partnered with Tata Cliq Fashion to strengthen its e-commerce presence in India and connect with shoppers in new geographies, especially across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

“India’s sports landscape is evolving rapidly, with individuals increasingly embracing fitness and an active lifestyle,” said Decathlon India’s CEO Sankar Chatterjee in a press release. “We believe that sports have the transformative power to make societies healthier and happier and our alliance with Tata Cliq Fashion is a step in that direction. As a customer-first brand, Decathlon is committed to provide an immersive and elevated omni experience through e-commerce collaborations to engage with a wider audience. Our extensive range of high-quality products ensures that every sport lover, regardless of location or experience level, is equipped with the essential tools to unlock their full potential. By integrating technology and leveraging Tata Cliq Fashion’s customer base, Decathlon is redefining the sports retail experience with greater convenience and inclusivity.”

Decathlon has launched over 5,000 sports products on Tata Cliq Fashion’s platform, joining over 4,000 Indian and international labels on the e-commerce store. Decathlon offers goods across 60 sport categories, now deliverable to over 24,000 Indian pin codes with Tata Cliq Fashion.

“At Tata Cliq, we are committed to offering a diverse and thoughtfully curated assortment that resonates with the evolving preferences of our consumers,” said Tata Cliq’s CEO Gopal Asthana. “The sports and fitness category on Tata Cliq Fashion is one of our top-performing categories with a significant contribution of revenue to our overall business. We are elated to expand our portfolio further with the availability of Decathlon’s exceptional quality and vast product range, as it aligns seamlessly with our vision to provide a complete sporting solution for every consumer. Together, we aim to redefine the way the nation shops for sports and fitness essentials, taking a meaningful step toward building a healthier and fitter India.”

Author Credits- Isabelle Crossley, FASHION NETWORK