KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 16): Lotuss Stores Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Lotuss Malaysia), formerly known as Tesco Malaysia, is collaborating with GHL Systems Bhd to boost the retailer’s Order & Collect personal shopper service with a wider range of payment options, powering its online payment via the WhatsApp messaging platform.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the firms said that in making shopping more convenient for customers, Lotuss Malaysia has upgraded the Order & Collect service launched in 2020 to now include a secure online payment option; cards, e-wallets and online banking linked directly to the WhatsApp chat.

They also noted GHL powers the online payment option through its online payment product — e-GHL, which connects over 100 renowned Southeast Asian payment channels with a single integration.

According to the firms, the Order & Collect complements Lotuss Malaysia’s online delivery service and is an alternative for customers who prefer hassle-free shopping.

They said Order & Collect also halves customers' time spent in stores for shopping and helps them maintain their physical distancing, as well as facilitating the shopping needs of vulnerable shoppers such as senior citizens, people with disabilities, chronic patients and such by providing enhanced convenience and undeterred accessibility for all levels of community.

Lotuss Malaysia president Kenneth Chuah said the partnership with GHL is part of the company’s ongoing effort to enable technological innovation into its processes.

“The Order & Collect was born out of the need to help our customers get essentials during a time when people were wary to leave their houses at the height of pandemic in 2020 and since then, this platform has become one our most popular services alongside the Lotus’s online grocery home shopping delivery as well the Click+Collect, both of which already boost their own payment gateway,” said Chuah.

“The inclusion of e-GHL into our Order & Collect services will further elevate this offering and fulfil our promise to our customers, which are convenience and ample availability,” he said.

GHL Malaysia’s chief executive officer Kevin Lee is also optimistic about the collaboration.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Lotuss to help elevate the customer experience as well as catering to their diverse customers’ payment preferences. The partnership is timely as the shift in consumers’ shopping habits propelled by the demand for contactless payment has placed digital payments from being a ‘nice-to-have’ capability to a must-have essential service today,” he said.

Lotuss Malaysia and GHL said customers can place unlimited orders of items and collect on the same day from any of Lotuss Malaysia's 62 stores across West Malaysia. Upon receiving a customer’s order via WhatsApp, a personal shopper will provide a payment link to direct customers to GHL’s secured online payment page.

Upon verification of payment receipt, the shopper will advise customers on the estimated collection time to collect the purchased items at the selected store. Orders can be placed via WhatsApp anytime between 8am to 4pm daily, with collections by 6pm on the same day, with no service fees charged for the Order & Collect.

At noon break, GHL rose two sen or 1.03% to RM1.96, valuing the group at RM2.16 billion.

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