By Darren Gilbert
Group-buying in South Africa has taken off dramatically in the last year. What used to be a select few competing within the market has ballooned now to a healthy two dozen with more on the way according to
iGeek. One such start-up to join the ranks is the offspring of the entrepreneurs who brought Cape Town the Daddy Long Legs Art Hotel and the Old Mac Daddy Trailer Park to Elgin. The brothers Aufrichtig, with love from kulula.com, bring you their version of group-buying. On 9 July, Capetonians were officially introduced to Daddy’s Deals.
For three hours on a Saturday morning, a corner of the Old Biscuit Mill was decked out in the lime green of kulula and the candy floss pink of Daddy’s Deals, while branded cards exchanged hands and deals were made. Sitting back to watch Daddy’s Deals at work, hired actor, Dean Paarman, shouted deals to the passing crowd like a well-trained funfair announcer, and it was interesting to note their surprise at his utterances, which had to do with the first deal of the day: R50 in exchange for R20 notes. Controversial to say the least as CEO Jody Aufrichtig admitted, but what better way to get people interested.
It took a little bit of coaxing before people began to take Paarman – and Daddy’s Deals – seriously, but as people came forward, R50 notes were handed over and the much anticipated launch had begun. From then on, the morning proved a deal-making haven –but this was only launch day, and it was offline. What about online?
With the increase in group-buying sites in South Africa, Daddy’s Deals founder and MD, Daniel Aufrichtig, believes that many have emulated the US-based group buying model. That’s not the case with Daddy’s Deals. “It is about standing out and daring to be different.” This means no email spamming, no waiting for a preset tipping point and above all, [offering] sought-after deals. In fact, according to Daniel’s brother, Jody, Daddy’s Deals is not a typical group-buying site but rather one that offers “great value services and products for sale”.
In the true sense of the word, and going on comparisons with the model overseas, Daniel feels this is something better than group-buying. “We have taken great care in choosing our merchants. We are not a deal production line so we don’t just throw out deals.” Instead, Daddy’ Deals sits down with partners to work out if they can handle the volume of sales that we expected. In the end, it’s about quality of experience (merchants must be able to service clients like they would any other) over quantity of opportunity.
So how does this ‘win-win experience’, as Daniel calls it work? Instead of the daily emails that you might receive from other group-buying companies, which border on spamming, Daddy’s Deals limits its emails to Mondays and Thursdays, which he believes will equate to a happier audience from consumers. Within each email newsletter, there will be three exclusive, handpicked deals from across three categories, from experiences to meals at top restaurants and a pampering treatment deal.
As Heidi
Brauer, marketing director of the colourful airline said: “It’s about giving people a choice of great deals and being looked after. For kulula, the partnership with Daddy’s Deals is a no-brainer because it was something other than a copy of other models.” The official launch might have been in Cape Town, but deals are also to be found in Johannesburg and with time, and partner, kulula.com alongside it, there is hope of expanding it to the rest of South Africa.
A unique model coupled with love from kulula.com gives Daddy’s Deals a solid platform. Only time will tell if it’s enough.