Pick n Pay has introduced a digital Wallet that lets customers spend refunds from online grocery orders at any physical store checkout. The feature is live on the retailer’s Pick n Pay app and is described in a release on Bizcommunity. Refunds that would normally be returned to a bank account or held for a future online purchase now appear instantly as a balance in the Wallet.
How the Wallet works
Customers who opt-in through their profile settings receive a digital balance that can be spent at a till by generating a WiCode, a scannable code displayed in the app, and presenting it to the cashier. The Wallet is optional; shoppers who prefer the traditional bank transfer can keep that method. A WiCode is similar to a QR code but is linked directly to the shopper’s Wallet account, allowing the till system to debit the correct amount in real time.
“With the new Wallet, customers have the flexibility to use those funds when and where it suits them, whether shopping on asap! or in store. It’s another practical way we’re using technology to make the shopping experience more convenient and connected,” said Enrico Ferigolli, retail executive: Omnichannel at Pick n Pay.
Before the Wallet, refunds for adjusted or out-of-stock items were either pushed back to the customer’s bank account or earmarked for a future online order. That approach created a delay between the refund and any subsequent spend, and it kept the money out of the retailer’s immediate cash flow. By crediting the refund instantly to a Wallet, Pick n Pay can encourage the same customer to complete another purchase in the same shopping trip, whether online or in a brick-and-mortar store.
The Wallet launch follows the replatforming of Pick n Pay’s online grocery service, asap!, in 2025. The new technology stack gave the retailer the ability to roll out features quickly, including Penny, South Africa’s first conversational AI-powered grocery shopping assistant, and recent additions such as Clothing and Smart Shopper Pro. These upgrades have been aimed at tightening the link between the digital and physical channels.
Online grocery sales have been on a strong upward trajectory. In the 26 weeks to 30 August 2026, covering the first half of the retailer’s 2027 financial year, online sales grew 35.4 per cent year-on-year. Ferigolli noted that the positive response to recent improvements suggests customers are comfortable moving between the two channels, a behaviour the Wallet is designed to reinforce.
From a business perspective, the Wallet could improve same-day revenue capture. When a refund is instantly available for spend, the retailer reduces the lag between cash outflow (the refund) and cash inflow (the new purchase). It also provides richer data on how customers allocate refunds, whether they use them for essential items, impulse buys, or higher-margin products, information that can be fed back into pricing and promotion strategies.
Operationally, the Wallet relies on integration between the app, the point-of-sale system and the core financial platform. Any breakdown in that chain could lead to mismatched balances or failed transactions, so robust testing and real-time monitoring will be essential. Adoption will also depend on how many shoppers enable the feature; the retailer has not disclosed early-adoption rates.
For retailers watching the development, Pick n Pay’s move illustrates a broader trend toward blurring the line between online and offline commerce. By turning a refund, traditionally a cost centre, into a potential spend driver, the company is experimenting with a form of internal loyalty incentive that does not require a separate points scheme.
The Wallet is available now, and customers can activate it through the app’s profile settings. As the retailer continues to collect feedback, further refinements, such as integrating the Wallet balance with promotional offers or loyalty discounts, could deepen its impact on both the digital and physical shopping experience.
