Shop and Ship was devised around a dining room table in 2007 by brothers Evan and Ryan Shein and their father Roy. Evan had studied business and Ryan’s background was in Apple retail. They were just 21 and 23 when they developed a business model for an online electronics retailer with a strong focus on customer and after-sales service.
These two factors have set the business apart in a rapidly growing online shopping environment and have seen it grow into a group with five product stores which sell PC, Mac, Apple, Blackberry and related products and accessories.
“During my studies I developed a business plan for an online retailer and I realised how e-commerce was growing, especially when it came to Apple products,” says Evan. “I also discovered that there was a huge service failure on the part of existing retailers, which was causing a lot of customer unhappiness.”
That business plan, along with the team’s commitment to provide the best service possible, formed the foundation of the Shop and Ship group, along with Ryan’s knowledge of the Apple market and Roy’s financial management experience.
In typical bootstrapping fashion, the three partners have funded the business themselves and have grown it slowly by reinvesting the profits, working from home, and rolling out a strong online marketing drive. They plan to take full advantage of the explosion in local online shopping and with the reputation they’ve built, that won’t be too difficult.
Vital stats
Players: Ryan Shein, Evan Shein, Roy Shein
Company: Shop and Ship
Launched: 2007
Contact: 0861 12 SHOP (7467)
shopandship.co.za