Driven by the reception of the Orange Online Store, launched in South Africa last year, telecommunications services provider Orange will open the doors to its first physical retail store in the country, situated in Claremont, Cape Town, this morning (26 June).

“The opening of a physical store is a logical step for us,” explains Orange Horizons CEO Sébastien Crozier. He notes, “the response to the Orange Online Store by South African consumers exceeded all our expectations, which led to a local warehouse being established to service this market. We therefore have sufficient stock levels to justify the opening of our first retail store in the country."

Crozier adds, “we are excited about the store, as it not only provides a further platform for the brand’s growth into Africa – which is a key market for us – but is also an additional step in our commitment to our customer base in the region.”

In addition to offering consumers a similar range of gadgets and accessories available online, the store will also offer click-and-collect facilities, act as a drop-off point for repairs and returns, along with being a point of sale for Orange’s Top-Up products and provide customer service for Orange’s travel products.

Crozier says that in future, the store will also act as a point of service for the brand’s soon-to-be-launched ISP activity in the country. “Having a physical retail presence in the country not only offers an improved experience for our consumers, but facilitates for further growth into the region. Further to the Orange Wi-Fi offering in South Africa, our plans to launch as an ISP in 2015 will be made easier by having a point of service and contact with our customers,” he concludes.