Makro

The Founding of Makro

Makro’s very first store was opened in 1971 in Johannesburg, Germiston, and was the first cash-and-carry operation in South Africa. By 1987 Makro had stores in Milnerton (Cape Town), Rossburgh (Durban), Amalgam (Johannesburg), Ottery (Cape Town), and Pretoria West. In 1988, Mark Lamberti was appointed MD of Makro, who formulated a whole new management style and direction for Massmart - Makro is one of the subsidiaries of Massmart Holdings, which was founded in 1990 and is Africa’s second-largest distributor of consumer goods. It is also the largest retailer of liquor, general merchandise, home improvement equipment, and basic foods wholesaler.

By 2014, Makro released the e-commerce platform and merged their business operations into the online world, offering customers the convenience of online shopping. This expansion was the next step in their digital journey and business evolution and gave the perfect opportunity to provide customers with more access to their wide range of products.

In-Store Products and Services

Makro is a popular destination for shoppers who are buying bulk products, electronic and household appliances, and other non-perishable goods. Their product range is highly diverse, with goods from baby and toddler products to lawn and garden maintenance products, and everything in between. Makro also has a business-to-business option, which provides customers with a comprehensive range of useful products under one umbrella. This includes interest-free debtor facility, delivery and collection option, automated electronic communications like invoices, etc - and much more.

Makro Cards and mCards

In order to do any form of shopping, you have to have a Makro card. Whether you’re shopping online or in-store, you’ll need that card to purchase anything, and it can easily be obtained. You can get 24-hour temporary cards that can be obtained for single-use shopping trips in stores, but getting a permanent card is beneficial. For online Makro cards, you can get a digital version via your profile on the Makro website. A Makro mCard is their loyalty card that you use when you purchase anything through Makro and offers you special deals and discounts exclusively to mCards.

Promotional Catalogues

Because Makro has such a wide range and a large amount of products on offer, their catalogues for specials and monthly deals are great if you want to stay updated with the latest promotional deals. Their catalogues include the General Merchandise Catalogue with items like appliances, furniture, gym equipment, etc; the Homewares Catalogue with items such as home decor; the SnoMaster Catalogue with products like top fridges, freezers, coolers and chillers; the Defy Catalogue with products like ovens, microwaves, and dishwashers; and many more great catalogues and special deals.