Suchada Ithijarukul, Group Chief Executive of Siam Makro, has revealed that Siam Makro has been engaging in an offline-to-online business (O2O) since 2019, kicking off with the launch of its highly-praised MakroClick which brought the physical Makro store to life online, both on website and mobile application.
"For the past 3 years, we have witnessed changes in the purchasing behavior of B2B customers. They demand a one-stop solution for both products and services, as well as convenience and effectiveness in making purchases." said Mrs. Suchada.
As a result, the Company has recently developed a B2B marketplace platform for operators called 'maknet', which serves as an online wholesale marketplace. It provides an end-to-end solution of products and services to restaurant operators, allowing them to purchase items that are both available in Makro as well as over 1,000 partnered stores, in addition to many other services for restaurant operation. Most importantly, 'maknet' will be a 'platform of opportunities' for SMEs to access a new selling channel and a wider customer pool, as well as experiencing the latest technology and logistics which were one of the main barriers of smaller business operators.
"With over 30 years of experience in the B2B business, we are confident that we have a deep understanding in the needs of business operators and have been growing alongside them throughout. This experience has equipped 'maknet' with everything necessary to become the one-stop solution for B2B customers, including over 100,000 items for selection as well as the technology that will uplift the customer experience in terms of online shopping and convenience." Mrs. Suchada added.
"Our goal is to develop 'maknet' to become Thailand's number 1 B2B online marketplace platform, and the top-of-mind brand among operators, providing an end-to-end solution in every moment of operation from opening a restaurant to seeking new ingredients and expanding the shop."
Today, over 1,000 operators have joined 'maknet'; the number is expected to grow to 7,000 with 500,000 customers in 3 years time (by 2024), therefore boosting Siam Makro's growth in Omni Channel from 12% to 30% within the next 3 years.
"We are confident that 'maknet' will be an important jigsaw piece to the future growth of Makro as well as SME operators." stated Mrs. Suchada.
Source: MT Multimedia
