Overview

Within five months of launch, PEP processed over 25,000 orders and 200,000+ items — with an average basket value 200% higher than in-store. Client data confirms that 89% of online customers are new to PEP, validating ecommerce as a powerful customer acquisition channel for value retail. A further 15%+ of online shoppers are also active in-store, demonstrating complementary rather than cannibalising behaviour.

With Stock2Shop as the ecommerce integration and automation partner and engine, PEP moved from a limited online capability to a fully operational Shopify storefront with automated stock synchronisation, inbound processing, refunds and order exception handling, delivering operational stability, visibility and long-term scalability from day one.

About PEP

• Industry: Value Retail
• Region: Sub-Saharan Africa
• Retail Focus: Clothing, Homeware, Cellular and Money Services
• Ecommerce Platform: Shopify
• Go-Live: 8 October 2025

Prior to 2025, PEP had geographically established physical retail systems, while Home & Clothing ecommerce was not yet available at scale. The launch of Home & Clothing ecommerce marks the brand’s first scalable, fully integrated direct-to-consumer ecommerce capability.

The challenge

PEP needed to:

• Launch a scalable Home & Clothing ecommerce channel
• Ensure accurate online stock visibility
• Automate inbound stock processing
• Automate refunds and order exceptions
• Avoid long-term dependency on a single fulfilment partner
• Introduce ecommerce without disrupting existing retail operations

This created a strategically phased ecommerce expansion where stability, transparency and operational control were critical.

The solution

Stock2Shop implemented a brand-specific ecommerce integration architecture, acting as the central integration and automation layer between: ERP → Warehouse → Shopify → Payments → Refunds.

Partner roles

• Shopify Storefront: Implemented by eComplete (customer experience & front-end build)
• Stock2Shop Integration & Automation: The central layer orchestrating all data flows, stock logic, order processing and automation across systems
• Fulfilment: Darkstore model with flexible architecture supporting multiple fulfilment partners. 40% home delivery, 60% Click & Collect across 2,000+ locations

Key capabilities delivered by Stock2Shop

• Shopify storefront integration
• Real-time stock synchronisation across ERP, warehouse and Shopify
• Automated inbound stock workflows
• Automated order exceptions and refunds
• Flexible fulfilment design supporting darkstore operations and multiple logistics partners
• Custom-developed workflows engineered to match real retail operations at enterprise scale

Client quote

“Shopify is what our customers see. Stock2Shop is what makes everything work behind the scenes.” — Braam Breytenbach, ecommerce Operation Lead, PEP

“What stood out was Stock2Shop’s ability to tailor and custom-develop workflows to match our retail operation at scale, rather than forcing us into a generic ecommerce model. Customisation and flexibility are critical when you’re operating at this level.” — Braam Breytenbach, ecommerce Operations Lead, PEP

Stock2Shop perspective

“Launching PEP’s Home & Clothing ecommerce channel was about building a stable foundation the brand could trust from day one. Our role was to ensure every system spoke the same language — accurately, reliably and at scale.” — Dustin Garber, Business Analyst, Stock2Shop

Before vs after

Before: Established physical retail systems; Home & Clothing ecommerce workflows were not yet standardised end-to-end. After: Live Shopify store, real-time stock sync, automated refunds, warehouse-agnostic fulfilment.

Results (October 2025 – March 2026)

In the first five months of live trading, PEP’s Home & Clothing ecommerce channel delivered strong, measurable results:

• 25,000+ orders processed
• 200,000+ items ordered
• 89% of online customers are new to PEP — verified against client data records, confirming genuine customer acquisition
• Average basket value 200% higher than in-store, demonstrating strong online purchasing intent
• 15%+ of customers shopping both online and in-store — ecommerce is complementing, not cannibalising, physical retail
• 40% home delivery / 60% Click & Collect across 2,000+ collection points
• Darkstore fulfilment model operating with no in-store fulfilment required
• Stable production environment with no major incidents since launch
• Reduced manual stock and refund handling through full automation

Client perspective

“Launching a scalable ecommerce channel was a major step for PEP. Having a stable integration partner in Stock2Shop made all the difference.” — Peter Fortune, Head of Digital and ecommerce, PEP

“Stock2Shop understood the realities of high-volume value retail. The solution fits our operations instead of forcing us to change everything.” — Ineke Louw, Online Planner, PEP

Looking ahead

With its first ecommerce channel now live, PEP is positioned to:

• Expand product ranges online
• Optimise fulfilment performance through real trading data
• Improve customer experience through automation
• Scale ecommerce safely as digital maturity increases