Pick n Pay has launched a new Smart Shopper App, allowing for a completely digital and card$-$free Smart Shopper

membership.

$$Customers can seamlessly register and instantly receive a virtual card, which can be used in$-$store or

online. Smart Shoppers can also opt for digital receipts on the app, which will be available to view immediately after each

transaction,$$ Pick n Pay said.

Members are also able to buy data and airtime by using their Smart Shopper points for payment.

A new app$-$exclusive $$Smart Shopper Happy Hour$$ has also launched, with vouchers loaded onto the app in the morning

for customers to claim on a first come, first serve basis.

These vouchers will be redeemable at a specified shopping hour during the day, with the Happy Hour initiative launching

with discounts of $50\%$ off a customer$$s entire shop later this week.

Customers will still need to register for a Smart Shopper card to enjoy these benefits, which can be acquired via the app

or WhatsApp $(+27600703037).$

Source: Pick n Pay

$$Customers increasingly use smartphones to interact and engage. We intend to meet them where they are,$$ Wayne

Mhlanga, Digital Transformation Officer at Pick n Pay, said.

$$We have re$-$engineered the tech behind the app, and our new machine$-$learning algorithm is generating more relevant

personalised discounts and new product recommendations. These updates lay the groundwork for our future plans to

grow the app, and we are excited to build on this platform to bring more and more innovation.$$

$$Customers can continue using their current Smart Shopper cards or transition to a virtual card via our app. We$$re

promoting virtual membership for new members, as this app not only streamlines their benefits but also aligns with our

commitment to a more environmentally conscious future by reducing plastic usage.$$

Apply basic marketing research concepts to the Pick n Pay case study.

Discuss the importance of market research in

understanding customer preferences and behaviours, especially in the context of the Smart Shopper App. Identify

specific research methods that Pick n Pay could have employed to gather insights and improve the app's marketing and

functionality.