Smartphones have made our life easy with the advent of technology. We can use an app or a website to order everyday essentials. Online grocery delivery apps like the Instacart clone app are gaining popularity due to the convenience factor. With good services, the brands earn customer loyalty. On-demand grocery gets delivered on the same day. They save time, money and energy for the customers as they can stay confined to their homes and need not step out.
Pandemic has increased the need for such apps and services. People order almost everything online and get them delivered to their doorstep. The virus has instilled fear among the crowd. This works in favour of grocery delivery services as there is a huge spike in the users for such apps. People who normally do not use such apps have switched to this mode.
Growth of on-demand grocery delivery apps like Instacart
The global on-demand grocery delivery services is expected to grow to $44.23 billion between 2020-2024, advancing at a CAGR of 7% during the forecast period. There was a dip in the growth by 4.85% in 2020. Covid is transforming various industries. The impact of the outbreak varies and not every industry is benefited. Some industries are suffering, and many companies got shut down due to lack and loss of business. For the rest, Covid has acted as the backbone and supported them.
Most e-commerce services are flourishing as people do not step out of their homes. The lockdowns have affected many businesses, especially small grocers and retailers. Grocery delivery services have been popular pre-pandemic and are expected to hold the same value post-pandemic due to the ease of ordering and convenience factors. In the period of the virus, there is a consistent demand for such services. This will result in an economic boom.
Entrepreneurs or businesses who wish to invest in a sector that can fetch a good return should opt for grocery delivery services. Instacart Clone will also help small grocers and retailers who struggle to make sales.
Instacart- Then and now
Instacart is an American grocery and pick up delivery service operating in the U.S and Canada. Its services are offered through its website and mobile app. Being founded in 2019, it is headquartered in San Francisco. It operates in 5500+ cities in both the countries and is owned by Maplebear Inc. The company earned its first profit of $10 Million in 2020. Instacart app gained 218% more app installations in 2020.
How does Instacart work?
The customer places an order using the customer app and the delivery agent/ shopper receives a notification about the order and proceeds to the respective store to buy the products. The products get picked up and delivered at the customer’s address.
Instacart Clone App development: Features and requirements for creating an app like Instacart
Customer App:
The customer app should contain the following features:
- Profile creation/ edit profile
- Multiple payment gateway
- Scheduled delivery
- Real-time tracker
- Push notification
- Customer reviews and ratings
Delivery Agent/ Shopper App:
- GPS Tracker
- Multiple delivery options
- Accept /reject order
- Transactions to keep track of earnings
Admin App:
- Product category
- View and manage users
- Order management
- Payment and offers
- Insights
- Feedback management
Requirements:
- Create a blueprint for your Instacart Clone business containing budget, target audience, business goals, etc. The plan should be unique and not imitate any other business as every business is started with a different base.
- Figure what makes your service different from the others. There should be a sense of creativity. For bringing the creativity in, thorough market research is mandatory to understand the market trends.
- Some brands lack certain important aspects in their products and neglect to give importance to certains areas of strategy or app development. Monitoring their app features, overall services and growth can give ideas to implement their weakness as your strength.
- Look for a good app developer with relevant experience in developing grocery delivery apps
- Ask if there are any packages available for app development and if the development includes customizations and alterations. Discuss regarding the requisite features with the developer.
- The app should provide a good user experience and screen loading time should be less.
- The designs and colours should not be over the top.
- Opting for a MVP will be beneficial. An MVP of a grocery app contains basic features required in a grocery app and will be used for testing purposes to avoid technical errors.
- After the necessary features are added, the app requires testing. Testing helps in avoiding technical glitches and supports smooth functioning.
Cost of Development:
Cost of development of apps like Instacart depends on the brand and software packages. In case of customization, some features including graphics and add-on elements’ cost vary. Some elements cost more than others. Set a budget and discuss with the developer. Add only the features that are necessary to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Revenue Model:
- Advertisements- Advertisements provide immediate conversion as they usually follow pay per click format. The payment gets transferred immediately. The ads may be promotional banners, skippable or unskippable videos. The video ads must be short.
- Commission- Commission from the grocers and retailers can be charged for providing opportunities to expand their reach.
- Delivery fees- A slab can be fixed. When a customer orders groceries below a certain value, they will be charged a particular amount. The fee can also be based on product weight. But charging too much must be avoided.
Final Thoughts:
Creating an online grocery delivery app like Instacart clone will cater to a large number of customers and offer a wide range of products. It offers 24×7 customer support and adds value to your business goals and economy on the whole. The app’s cost is based on chosen features and customizations. It helps in inventory management of the stores as they constantly keep track of products sold and is a hassle-free method to earn profits consistently due to its current need in the world.