And on-demand grocery applications like Instacart, Postmates, Big Basket, Instashop, El Grocers are a few titans of this industry who have witnessed a huge success in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, if you notice the one thing common among all these leading grocery applications, then that is \u201cthey leverage unique customer engagement strategies.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n So whether you are a startup, SME, or a leading enterprise that is planning to become a part of this thriving industry, these are in all likelihood the three major questions swimming through your mind right now:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before addressing these questions, let\u2019s look at the market insights of grocery apps to better understand your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While online grocery shopping is not a new concept, the coronavirus pandemic has brought considerable success to online grocery stores \u2014 a promising niche industry for businesses. The combination of the consumer\u2019s interest in avoiding public places, government orders to stay at home and the constant need for groceries and essential items have made online grocery delivery services an urgent need for consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the stats portraying the clear picture of yesterday, today and tomorrow of this industry!<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n In a nutshell:<\/strong> The sudden focus on online grocery services is set to alter customer behavior and accelerate the industry\u2019s growth all over the world, whether it be USA, UAE or India. Since shoppers are becoming more familiar with online grocery delivery services, therefore, the trend is expected to continue even after things go \u201cback to normal\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But to keep your foothold strong in the industry, marketers in the food and grocery industries should be ready to outperform their competitors to build and maintain the healthy-growing user base of their app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, this last line is really important for the businesses working in this niche. The success rate will depend on \u201cHow well online grocers meet demand during the pandemic,\u201d <\/strong>and this, \u201cwill play a major role in determining the top online grocers after the pandemic crises\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s get the answer to this in the next section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Undoubtedly, the concept of online grocery delivery was beginning to progress prior to the coronavirus pandemic. But the wave of Covid-19 pandemic has heightened its popularity and the impact it\u2019s already having is not showing any sign of going downward. Keeping all the forecasts in mind, the online grocery delivery industry will only grow in the coming future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, with the availability of top mobile app development companies<\/strong><\/a>, building an on-demand grocery app is not a far-fetched job. But with the fact that the top online grocery player\u2019s ability is to perfectly meet the surging demand of the users, how would you survive in the cut-throat competitive market? How you will position your app and build customer bases that can last well beyond the pandemic?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before I disclose to you the tips to develop a winning on-demand grocery app, let me share with you my work experience with a client!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A few weeks back, I was working on a project to build a local grocery app for the UAE market, that basically focused on connecting local stores with customers and handling the process of taking orders, tracking deliveries, and ensuring door-step delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Initially, I felt this is a common concept that all the leading online grocery apps were following, so there was no need to reinvent the wheel. Just following the existing design pattern would enable the app to hit the market right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the project was a big blunder!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Because different markets required different app models that suited different cultures and the apps must be designed in that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So before you get straight into the process to hire mobile app developer<\/strong><\/a> for your project, it is important to go through these important tips to make your on-demand grocery app successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you start planning your grocery app, make sure that your development strategy manages to match the supply and demand of the competitive market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of just \u201ccopying and pasting\u201d the approach behind the existing products, you need to keep these tips in mind:<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The leading grocery retailers are not only popular among the customers but also many aspiring enterprises or business owners. By keeping a track of their success stories and failures, leading developers will help you better frame out your own grocery ordering and delivery app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the reports, the online grocery services that are best able to handle the surging order volume will likely remain popular among consumers after the pandemic crises. This is because consumers are likely to rely on those services that consistently bring them groceries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, Walmart and Instacart<\/a> are best positioned to lead the post-pandemic market!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you know, the adoption of home delivery and grocery pick-up services is already skyrocketing and reaching 70% higher volumes than before the pandemic? How?<\/p>\n\n\n\n During pandemic, taking into account and understanding the changing user\u2019s needs, grocery apps have quickly evolved to offer:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Since software development companies are well-versed in the changing demands of the market, therefore, it makes sense to partner with them to increase your chances of getting successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the space of online grocery ordering and delivery, applications like Instacart or Walmart are already offering grocery shopping experiences with pre-build menus, what\u2019s new you are bringing to the user\u2019s screen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customized menus can be a more unique option. Users can directly order what exactly they want without wasting any time scrolling through the grocery menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For that, you can hire app developers<\/strong><\/a> experienced in ML technology. With the help of this technology, you can develop a customized menu for an online user by keeping a track of their repeated purchases and expected qualities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How does your on-demand grocery app help you make money? It doesn\u2019t matter how brilliant your app features are and how amazing your screen looks if it is not earning any money for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So commonly, reputed app development companies would suggest to go for these app monetization models:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Set a commission fee<\/em><\/strong> on each transaction. It is basically the approach for third-party grocery apps that build a platform where customers and grocers meet and app owners can charge a service fee on each transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Charge a commission on delivery<\/em><\/strong>. On every transaction, an admin can charge a fixed delivery fee from both buyers and delivery boys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Monthly or yearly subscription plans for vendors<\/em><\/strong>. To sell on a grocery marketplace or get the products listed on the app, the vendor has to pay a fixed amount of fees to the admin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With emerging technologies, shopping online has become a much easier and more overwhelming experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the years, technology has come a long way. Through smart algorithm integration with the help of artificial intelligence, customers can automatically fill their shopping carts with all the ingredients they need for cooking a specific meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are wondering how this technology actually works and auto fill your cart based on the recommendation, then you need to know these two ways:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s true that leading grocery delivery applications are offering a wide range of features and functionalities. But sometimes, your simple app idea with limited unique features can make your app a winner in the competitive market. The best choice of mobile app development company<\/strong><\/a> can help you develop a grocery app with customized features and make your solution successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All you need to make sure is that your grocery marketplace website is quick to load, easy to use, mobile-friendly, and has some unique features as mentioned below:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a nutshell: <\/em><\/strong>All these recommendations are proposed from the point of view of the expert development team to help you make an on-demand grocery app that enables you to become a part of this competitive food and grocery delivery market. Now you must be left with the question of how much time and cost it will take to develop an app?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since market time is one of the most important parameters to consider, therefore, let\u2019s understand the tips of developing a grocery app model in 1 week\u2026<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Before you get started with the demo of developing a grocery app, you must be curious to know why we have chosen React Native for the app development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, the trend of creating a grocery app with React Native was started with Walmart and today 48% grocers want to collaborate with Walmart<\/a>, 36% use Amazon and 24% prefer to sell their grocery products through Kroger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the integration of a large number of grocers, customers are allowed to buy more than just groceries in just a single order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a WGB report,<\/a> Walmart\u2019s e-commerce sales will increase by 74% during the first quarter of 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Considering all such facts and stats, let\u2019s get started with the tutorial of developing on-demand grocery app with React Native:<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Disclaimer:<\/strong> Whether you are just beginning with React Native or have already been working with this technology for a long time, this tutorial works for both beginners and experienced users as we try to frame the code in a very simple, and easy to understand manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s get started with the tutorial<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you read this tutorial, make sure you would need Node.js and npm installed on your system. Here, we will use the following package versions:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure that you are using the same versions as indicated above and if you encounter any problem getting the app to run then you need a Pusher Channels Account <\/a>and an ngrok<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pusher Channels<\/em><\/strong> will be used to establish a connection between the customer and the driver.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ngrok is<\/em><\/strong> used for exposing the server to the internet.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We will create a simplified version of the grocery ordering app. First, the user will get the list of grocery items. From here, they can click on any item listed on the menu page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the user clicks on the item, they can select the quality of the product and add the item to the cart. Adding an existing item to the cart will result in increasing the quality of the item that\u2019s already in the cart. The best part about using the app clone of Walmart is, you can allow users to select the product from multiple grocers and vendors and be able to merge it in a single order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the user is done with the products adding to their cart, then they can click on the view basket button on the header to the complete order summary screen and determine the amount that they need to pay. After making the payment of confirming the order, you will get the screen, where you can change the location or allow the app to automatically detect the current delivery location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Geolocation feature is used by default to determine the user\u2019s location and in case, if it isn\u2019t accurate, then you can pick the suggested locations. After confirming the location and order confirmation, you can track orders and estimate the accurate time delivery of the products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make your delivery app working smoothly, make sure your app has channels. If you do not have any existing channel, then create a new channel. Here\u2019s how you can do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under the App Settings tab, enable client events, as this will allow you to trigger events right from the app itself:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As you now know the concept of the app, have the prerequisites, and have set up the channel, therefore, we are now ready to bootstrap the app. To make your task easier, you need to prepare a \u201cstarter\u201d branch that helps you proceed with the important parts of the app. Usually, the branch contains the code for setting up the navigation as well as the code for the components and style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what exactly each of the package are used for while bootstrapping the app:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Further, update the .env file at the root of the project directory with your Channels and Google Maps API credentials:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you are done with this, next update the android\/settings.gradle file<\/em> to include all the native files for the packages that we\u2019re using currently. Here we are not including all of them because most of the package that we are using doesn\u2019t have native code and rest of the others are supporting <\/strong>autolinking<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further, update the Android\/app\/build.grade file:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To make your app functional, you need to look for the dependencies and add the following:<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Next to adding the permission to your app, \u201cACCESS_NETWORK_STATE\u201d<\/em> is used by Channels to determine if the user is currently connected to the internet. Further you can hire the app developer and let them use \u201cACCESS_FINE_LOCATION\u201d<\/em> for getting the user\u2019s current location.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Lat, use the below command to add your Google API key config. But remember, that this is required by React Native Maps in order to use Google Maps:<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nUnderstanding Online Grocery Delivery Industry: Market Stats of 2021<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
How to Make Your On-Demand Grocery App a Winning Solution?<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Recommendation 1: Keep An Eye on Industry Players<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recommendation 2: Develop a Scalable, Robust and Flexible App<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recommendation 3: Delivery Services Are Adapting to Users\u2019 Current Needs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recommendation 4: Offer Customized Menu Options and Eliminate In-App Scrolling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recommendation 5: Choose Your Business Monetizing Model Wisely<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recommendation 6: Integration of Smart Algorithms<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recommendation 7: Offer Innovative Features and Functionalities To The Users<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/693\/1*Vdr8ct6eh5RSLup0JAkxvQ.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDeveloping An On-demand Grocery App With React Native<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
There are three factors majorly contributing to the remarkable success of Walmart:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s a breakdown of what we will be discussing throughout the series:<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Prerequisites<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: An Overview of the Product<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/250\/1*SM4vhztbDdScjux76D15Kg.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/250\/1*zJsYHWVfoIhJJcGGsZjkJA.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 3: Setting up the Channel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/600\/1*kmmh79IToeuegHnyysVxEA.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 4: Bootstrapping the App<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/638\/1*Wf21ge_db2U7BHHeIc1hUA.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/700\/1*7595rSFYzpbODw16M77-vA.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/700\/1*ZbDom0RpTNGpBhmV2lni7g.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/700\/1*db3LDmBImOxkJ6ZTds0bcw.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/700\/1*0NcPk02yC9K5V-rjM_AxIg.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/661\/1*jj9FadallUPsuzfXIFzoiw.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 5: Coding the Ordering App<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/700\/1*R30_a4SiwD9VTbyM369sXA.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/700\/1*8d_BAp7RQ9McupJw1jj7SA.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/700\/1*5nctwQu-Kq2jRJJ-OrkKzQ.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/max\/700\/1*UAa90_h0yTmAOSIEa_TJ9w.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n