Launching online grocery marketplaces seems to be one of the most profitable eCommerce businesses ideas amidst the pandemic and even for the post-COVID world. The graph is continuously moving upward for the online grocery industry opening many doors for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Here are some reasons why people prefer online grocery shopping (source: snapcart):
- There are more discounts/promos online – 61%
- Applications/websites have multiple payment options – 37%
- Online shopping can be done anytime, anywhere – 37%
- Good UI/UX – 30%
- Hands Free – No direct contact – 17%
- Time effective – 15%
- No queing needed – 8%
- The goods are shipped quickly – 4%
- I am just trying to shop groceries online – 4%
- Other reasons – 1%
Every reason mentioned above is somehow about convenience. Not to mention, the convenience factor here, will also be completely dependent on the features and functionalities of your online grocery marketplace. As long as you can add value to your products and services, you will survive the competitive edge.
Moving forward, let’s explore the various features that are crucial for the success of your online grocery delivery business.
Important Features For An Online Grocery Delivery Marketplace
Route Navigation
The timely delivery of the groceries will be possible only if the delivery partner is aware of the route and the exact address of the customer.
Real-Time Notifications
Adding a real-time notification system in your grocery marketplace can help the users in many ways.
The sellers will receive instant notifications for every critical activity taking place on the platform. It can also help the delivery person get real-time updates about the new orders. Similarly, the buyer will also get notifications related to the orders, special offers, etc.
Multiple Payment Gateways
Payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, COD, Bank Transfer, Amazon Pay, etc., should be integrated into your grocery marketplace. It helps the user to choose their preferred payment option, and it further leads to quick and hassle-free payment processing.
Click and Collect (BOPIS)
Click and Collect feature is the ideal blend of online and offline shopping experience. It allows the shoppers to order the products online and pick them in-store as per their convenience.
Related: Role of Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (Click-and-Collect) in the Grocery Retail Industry
Delivery Scheduler
This feature has been gaining popularity in recent times. It enables consumers to schedule the delivery of the grocery order based on their availability. They can choose their preferred day and time as per their convenience.
Rocket-speed Delivery
The hyperlocal business model is all about timely delivery of the ordered products. Since the orders get broadcasted to the nearby delivery boys, that ensures lightning fast delivery of the groceries.
Product Catalog
Managing product data is a very big challenge for the sellers. Today’s customer expects the sellers to mention every detail of the product. This is where the Product Catalog comes into the picture.
A product catalogue is simply a database of information about all the products that you want to offer on the website. The information contained in the catalogue can be subdivided in a number of ways.
Geolocation Based Listing
Popular names of the eGrocery industry like Instacart are operating its online grocery business based on the hyperlocal business model.
A hyperlocal delivery model can be defined as an online business model in which the on-demand needs of customers are met through local offline grocery shops via a digital platform. The stores and products are listed and shown to the buyers, based on their geolocation. The marketplace detects their location through GPS or buyers can even manually enter it.
Future of Online Grocery Business:
Originally published at https://medium.com/growcer-ecommerce-grocery-software/must-have-features-for-online-grocery-delivery-marketplace-7e4cbd14b98f
Marketplace Scripts, Money Investment Ideas, Tech News