To some the partnership between MTN and local online price comparison site, PriceCheck, might seem strange, but trust us, it’s not. It’s the logical progression of South African eCommerce where mobile plays an incredibly important role. The GDP, infrastructure (and pricing) of ADSL, or “wired” internet connections in South Africa doesn’t really lend itself to everyone using their computers as their main connected devices.

However, with a mobile infrastructure not too far off global standards, as well as highly innovative and unique mobile developments, the mobile market will become the eCommerce playground going forward.

PriceCheck CEO, Andre de Wet said “The partnership with MTN puts PriceCheck directly in front of end-users when they are looking for product information. We are making shopping easier and more relevant for the consumer, all the while mimicking real life behaviour. Less than 1% of retail happens online, yet as much as 40% of the buying decision process starts on mobile. We are now in a position to impact that crucial moment of influence. The future of commerce is on mobile and together with MTN, PriceCheck is closing the loop.”

What is more, it’s not just PriceCheck and the end-users benefitting from the new partnership, as explained by Pieter Verkade, MTN group chief commercial officer. “MTN is continually exploring opportunities to deliver a distinct customer experience to our customers. The partnership with PriceCheck marks another important step in our expansion into the digital space, particularly into eCommerce and will allow customers to find the best deal wherever they go. Whereas our customers in South Africa will be first to enjoy the benefits of this relationship, plans are already underway to introduce a local version of the app in other markets in the region,” he added.

PriceCheck puts purchasing power back in the consumer’s hand. #BeSmart, download the PriceCheck MTN app, today.