Plek en funksie van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse distribusiekanaal

Abstract

Die tradisionele Suid-Afrikaanse kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar het vir meer as twintig jaar in sy bestaande vorm oorleef maar vertoon tans tekens van 'n kragtige innoveringsproses. Aspekte soos kleiner verpakkings, kredietverlening, aflewering en bemarking aan die verbruiker wat teen die grondbeginsels van die tradisionele kontant-afhaal-groothandel indruis, is besig om pos te vat. Die impetus tot innovering is afkomstig van veranderings in die doelmark en spesifiek as gevolg van die insluiting van die spazawinkeldoelmark. Verhoogde groei in die kontant-afhaalgroothandelsektor kan deels toegeskryf word aan die opkoms van die spazawinkel maar ongelukkig is hierdie doelmark nog te klein en versplinter om die voortbestaan van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar te waarborg. Die navorsing toon dat die spazawinkel 'n belangrike, toekomstige doelmark van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar is. In die navorsing wat gedoen is, is menings van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaars ingewin oor 'n verskeidenheid aspekte aangaande die plek en funksie van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse distribusiekanaal. Van die bevindings was dat intratipe mededinging toegeneem het en dat dit die voortbestaan van die kleiner kontant-afhaal-groothandelaars bedreig. Die groot kleinhandel is ge'identifiseer as die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar se grootste mededinger. Strawwe mededinging dwing die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar om sy bemarkingsfunksies te verander en veranderings is reeds aan die verpakkings-, verkoopsverteenwoordigers-, krediet- en afleweringsfunksies aangebring. Gevolglik verrig die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar al hoe meer kleinhandels- en aldiensgroothandelsfunksies. Daar is sprake van die ontwikkeling van 'n nuwe tipe kontantafhaal- groothandelaar wat eienskappe van die groot kleinhandel en die aldiensgroothandel besit. Sa.IJ).evattend kan gekonstateer word dat die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar beslis 'n belangrike plek in die Suid-Afrikaanse distribusiekanaal het. Die voortbestaan van die kontant-afhaal-groothandelaar in die distribusiekanaal is grootliks afhanklik van sy vermoe om aanpassings aan sy bemarkingsfunksies te maak om tred te hou by veranderende doelmarkte.

The traditional South African cash and carry wholesaler survived for more than twenty years in its present form but shows signs of a strong innovative process. Aspects such as smaller packaging, credit, delivery and consumer marketing, which go against the principles of the traditional cash and carry wholesaler, are taking root. The impetus for innovation derives from changes in the target market, specifically as a result of the inclusion of the spaza shop target market. Increased ' growth in the cash and carry wholesale sector can partly be ascribed to the rise of the spaza shop, but this target market is unfortunately still too small and fragmented to guarantee the survival of the cash and carry wholesaler. The research shows that the spaza shop is an important future market of the cash and carry wholesaler. In the research undertaken the opinions of cash and carry wholesalers were gathered on various aspects of the role of the cash and carry wholesaler in the South African distribution channel. The main findings are that mutual competition has increased and this threatens the survival of the smaller cash and carry wholesalers. The large retailer was identified as the main competitor of the cash and carry wholesaler. Intensive competition forces the cash and carry wholesaler to modify its marketing functions. Modifications have already been made to the packaging, sales representative, credit and delivery functions. Consequently, the cash and carry wholesaler performs more functions typical of the large retailer and full-service wholesaler. There are indications that a new type of cash and carry wholesaler is developing with characteristics of both the large retailer and the full-service wholesaler. It can be concluded that the cash and carry wholesaler definitely performs an important role in the South African distribution channel. The existence of the cash and carry wholesaler in the distribution channel depends largely on its ability to adapt its marketing functions to keep abreast with changing target markets.