Category: eCommerce

While the world thinks North America is one of the biggest internet consuming countries in the world, the statistics suggest something really different! Statistics suggest that back in 2018, while North America had 121 million internet users; the Middle East had 164 million internet users. Even the internet penetration rate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was skyrocketing 91% and that of Saudi Arabia is 73%. (Source)

These statistics represent a high number of users even though they were recorded in the pre-pandemic world! Since the time the pandemic has hit the world, internet usage and dependency on smartphones and e-commerce solutions. So much so that in the reports of Adobe it was found that since the lockdown that started in March, the e-commerce expenditure of the Middle East exceeded by $52 Billion than that of the expected sales! And even as the world adapts to the new normal, e-commerce sales are still on a rise in the Middle East.

But, if you are planning to start your e-commerce platform, you must understand that conventional methods of e-commerce industry have changed a lot after COVID 19 and there has been a huge paradigm shift in how the e-commerce platforms function. To help you make an informed decision, as one of the trusted e-commerce service providers in the Middle East, we bring you the things you must know before investing in an e-commerce platform to make an informed decision.

E-commerce paradigm shift in the Middle East due to Covid-19:

Increase in Groceries and Essentials demand:

One of the biggest gaining industries of COVID-19 in the Middle East has been the groceries and essentials industry. People who had their custom e-commerce solutions ready saw a growth of at least 200%! While in the pre-pandemic world the demand and need of e-commerce solutions for groceries and essentials such as dairy products and vegetables were quite less, due to the lockdown and social distancing norms, the demand for online groceries and essentials have skyrocketed.

If you are planning to venture into this industry, ensure that you understand your target audience well and based on that, choose an ecommerce web development company of the Middle East who has the required technical skills as well as the market and customer understanding.

Need for faster and customized e-commerce solutions:

Since the demand for e-commerce has increased in the Middle East, so has the number of e-commerce platforms and e-commerce spending from the enterprises! Since e-commerce is the future of the retail market, enterprises are investing heavily in e-commerce development and are rooting for personalized and customized e-commerce solutions to deliver satisfactory and delightful customer experiences to ensure that their e-commerce platform stays on top of the mind of their customers when they search for their desired products online.

Having a customized e-commerce solution also is beneficial in the long-term for businesses. Instead of choosing a standard e-commerce platform where the business operations have to be amended according to the rules and protocols of the platform, you can get a customized e-commerce platform that not only aligns with your business operations but also matches your customer expectations.

Also Read: Prepare your e-commerce for “the New Normal” of the Post Pandemic World

Contactless sales and hygienic packaging and deliveries:

One of the biggest changes that have been witnessed in the e-commerce industry since the arrival of this pandemic is the change in deliveries and product packaging. To ensure the safety of the delivery personnel as well as the safety of the customers, enterprises are coming up with unique ways of safe deliveries such as contactless deliveries.

Apart from that, many enterprises have introduced automation into the process of packaging and production so that they can create a hygienic environment where the products are packed and produced in utmost safety. While contactless deliveries might not continue once the world manages to rise from this pandemic, digital transformation and automation of processes will surely become a need if not a compulsion for various manufacturers as well as few service industries.

Need for personalized digital experiences:

Even before the pandemic had hit the world, all those enterprises who wished to make big in the online world had to adapt to the personalization. Right from product personalization to personalized digital experiences, customers not only enjoy but expect personalization from the e-commerce platform and some research also shows that customers don’t mind sharing data if the e-commerce platform is using it to create personalized buying experiences for them

While product personalization is dependent upon the nature of the product and the industry you belong to, personalized digital experiences can be introduced in all the e-commerce platforms. Based on the customer insights and data that you have collected, you can ask your e-commerce developers to introduce personalization at each stage of the buying process by making necessary customization in your e-commerce platform and by introducing automation.

E-commerce is the future of the retail market not just in the Middle East but around the world. But, to ensure that your e-commerce platform is an asset for your enterprise, it is essential that you hire an eCommerce solution provider in the Middle East that has the market understanding as well as apt knowledge of the ever-evolving e-commerce trends. For now, if you wish to make the most of the e-commerce platform during the COVID-19 period, plan for a customized e-commerce solution and also think upon personalization and delivery methods.

When it comes to making a buying decision, the behaviour of a customer is affected by a lot of factors but lately, enterprises around the world have seen frequent changes in the customer behaviour and buying patterns and the most influential factor in these changes is only one- the Coronavirus.

Every day is redefining the “New Normal Living” of the world and every day there are some changes seen in the customer expectations. For instance, previously fast and one-day deliveries were the essentials for e-commerce platforms but during this pandemic, even “guaranteed deliveries” make an impact on the customers and fast delivery is a premium service that can be priced! Also, while initially e-commerce was surfed for healthcare essentials, eventually customers used them for household essentials or to be specific Work from Home essentials.

Although things were never predictable for businesses, when the e-commerce platforms have to deal with such unchartered territories and when we future is truly unpredictable, how can they ensure relevance and growth of their digital platforms? How do they plan for it? While the customer expectations and buying patterns are solely dependent upon the future of the Pandemic and the measures taken by the governments, there are certain things that businesses can plan to prepare for the “New Normal”.  Those things that businesses can plan to survive the “new normal” are as follows:

Things you can do to prepare your e-commerce platform for the “New World Normal”:

1. Deliver immersive or at least realistic buying experiences:

Although the products in demand will change frequently during these times, the one thing that will not change is that people will increase the use of digital platforms and that customers will expect a good product buying experience from the e-commerce platform. Thus, you must plan your user experience on your e-commerce software solution and make it as realistic and immersive as possible.

Whether you introduce 360° product preview or you can also introduce Augmented Reality (AR) and 3D product designing. While AR is a long shot, 3D previews and realistic product photos are essential. The reason for this is simple, people will always miss the physical product experience and thus, they would demand as realistic experience as possible on the e-commerce platform. For a quick short-term change, you can prompt users to upload their product photos while reviewing the product so that others can get a good preview and they can ensure product authenticity.

2. Think about Progressive Web Application (PWA) Development:

The phrase people are “living off their phones” never made more sense as it did during these lockdown and quarantine times! Over the world, the screen time of people has increased and people are using their smartphones for everything. Thus, it is essential that you have a mobile platform for your customers.

But investing in a native mobile app currently can be both expensive and time-consuming.  Instead of that, you can create a Progressive Web Application using the best progressive web app builder that give native apps like experience without any other interruption. Progress Web App development is a combination of various technologies that allow your users to save your website on their Smartphone home screens, it allows you to send push notifications and it also allows you to provide offline access to your website. The brand like Twitter, Alibaba, Forbes are already using this technology for a long time now and you must too.

Some other benefits of the Progressive Web App Development are that it requires much lesser data to load and thus, for the world that is in lockdown and using their phones with this increased traffic, it is essential that you have a light mobile application and that is easily possible with PWA. PWA is shaping the future of mCommerce with its app-like experience on the mobile web and amazing features. The brand like Twitter, Alibaba, and Forbes are already using this technology for a long time now and you must too.

3. Make your Digital Platforms and Backend processes are seamless, dynamic and agile:

One thing that is certain during these times is that you will have to frequently change your product offerings, your sales and pricing strategies as well as your marketing and shipping strategies with the changing new normal.

Thus, if you have to plan your next move with your e-commerce software solution, you must ensure that your e-commerce website or your Progressive Web App allows administrators to make quick product uploads, pricing changes, promotions and shipping changes. Assign your technical team to undergo e-commerce developments and PWA development to ensure that your digital platforms as well as your backend processes are completely dynamic and agile.

4. Redefine digital hierarchy and content management process:

Even though the risk of the pandemic might mitigate after some time, the social distancing and work from home practices might still prevail in many organizations. These few months have proved that remote work is feasible as well as cost-effective and as an enterprise, you must opt for long-term remote working strategies.

One of the major changes that you will have to make on your digital platforms when you do not have a team working under one roof is the accountability and content ownership. Create a content management module where you can define the author of the content, the people who will approve it, people who can edit it and also ensure you can keep track of all the versions that are created. Apart from that, you will also have to look after various system integrations that can create seamless communication channels amongst different departments.

5. Introduce personalized and individualized marketing campaigns:

As you adapt to the market demands, it is also essential that you create relevant marketing campaigns. Right from product suggestions to product up-selling and cross-selling strategies, you will have to create personalized marketing campaigns to ensure you have an optimum lead conversion ratio.

Try to introduce various marketing automation modules that can help you provide personalized experiences and personalized feeds to each website visitor and also have modules that can provide privileged experiences to the repeat customers. These changes can help you better manage your new digital audience and it can also help you optimize your sales.

One thing is certain that digital transformation and technology are the future of the business irrespective of their industry or product. But, it is also essential that you plan your endeavors properly and make informed decisions to ensure that your e-commerce platforms are an asset for your organization and not a liability.

There’s hardly any corner left in the world where eCommerce business hasn’t taken over. Due to the ease and convenience of selling and buying in the eCommerce marketplace, the growth of it has been constant all around the world which is inspiring the left-out nations to dive into it one among which is the Middle East.

For the people of the Middle East, the only source of online shopping was the renowned eCommerce giants such as Ali Express, Amazon, and eBay until the domestic eCommerce began to flourish. While at first the big giants like Amazon started off in the Middle East by taking over small scale businesses like the Biggest M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions) deal that took place in the Arab world i.e. Amazon’s acquisition of Souq.com, today, many have started to stand up on their own.

The Saudi Arabian economy which is an amalgamation of SMEs, enterprise buyers, B2C businesses, retailers and many other players has now begun to realise the importance of the online presence which has knocked open the opportunities for many domestic businesses to step into the eCommerce marketplace and emerge as the new hub of online shopping.

If we take a peek into the statistics of eCommerce sales in the Middle East, you will be amazed to know how exponentially is the online business growing and capturing the attention of the Middle East consumers. Although both the B2B and B2C eCommerce marketplace sectors are booming, the market size of B2B eCommerce would be higher by 234.78% than B2C eCommerce and the market is expected to reach around $48.8 billion by 2021. Earlier, when almost 90% of online goods bought in the Middle East were shipped from outside countries, today, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are just a few steps behind from eCommerce leading nations like the UK and the US from becoming a full-fledged eCommerce marketplace hub.

As mentioned before, since some players have started their eCommerce game in the Middle East, we have listed out the top 10 multi-vendor eCommerce app development companies in MENA with a proven track record, who are currently ruling the eCommerce market with their outstanding eCommerce software solutions. Let’s take a look at them.

1. Mobicommerce

Known for developing scalable and feature-rich marketplaces, eCommerce websites, mobile apps, and Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) built over Magento 2, industry’s most advanced eCommerce platform, Mobicommerce is an Indian Magento app development company that has won millions of hearts around the globe with its bespoke eCommerce solutions. With more than 15 years of relentless service focusing on quality, security, and customer service, Mobicommerce is now helping budding entrepreneurs in the Middle East especially in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar to establish their online presence in both the B2C and B2B channels and thus help the domestic eCommerce to rise above the ground giving tough competition to other international eCommerce giants like Amazon, eBay etc.

2. IdeatoLife

Standing true to their name, next on our list is IdeatoLife, a top-tier eCommerce development company that offers cutting edge and scalable eCommerce and mobile commerce solutions that are scoring high in the eCommerce market among other biggies. Their collaborative approach by the best-in-class technical team is creating people-centric custom software solutions that can fit business needs today and tomorrow.

3. The NineHertz

One of the top-rated shopping cart and eCommerce mobile app development companies serving in the Middle East, NineHertz gained its popularity due to the impressive plugins and module development solutions that it offers at affordable rates. Having expertise in various frameworks such as Magento, OpenCart, Shopify, WordPress and WooCommerce, the statistics of NineHertz vouch for its performance while its ranking speaks volume about customer satisfaction. Their Agile development methodology and seamless UI/UX implementation are what they are known for.

4. QBurst

The Middle East operations of QBurst from 2010 until today has helped them achieve a glorious portfolio with its custom business apps that have served both world-renowned brands as well as local startups to establish an online presence. From enterprise integration to AI chatbots and personalization among other features, the QBurst team is known for delivering ROI oriented eCommerce solutions which can be re-architected into microservices for an omnichannel experience.

5. Panacea InfoTech Private Limited

The rich and extensive experience in developing state-of-the-art applications for businesses and enterprises has helped Panacea Infotech extend its services in the Middle East which is going strong till today. With their wide range of services and proficiency in Magento, OpenCart, WooCommerce, Joomla and Shopify, Panacea has achieved attention in the Middle East for its remarkable eCommerce solutions that make a difference.

6. AdoxSolutions

An award-winning company with operations in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, US and Australia, AdoxSolutions is known for creating online experiences that are designed to last. It is the creative and result-driven 360° solutions of Adox that helped it gain international appeal in no time. The Magento multivendor apps created by them are breaking records in the eCommerce market, the credit of which goes to their ability to tailor perfect strategies for each business.

7. VOCSO

VOCSO, a creative marketing agency is one of the most trusted professional mobile and web development companies having the presence in India, USA and UAE, approached repeatedly for their custom shopping cart development solutions on various platforms such as Magento, Joomla and WordPress. From developing basic eCommerce websites to comprehensive marketplace solutions, VOCSO has helped many businesses and startups around the world to attain the true value of their investment in the digital space.

8. VSOURZ Digital

Offering end to end technology, design and marketing services, VSOURZ Digital is a top-notch eCommerce consultancy and B2B and B2C eCommerce software builder services provider whose Middle East operations are worth praising. Well-versed in the latest technologies and frameworks, the team of VSOURZ Digital are known for creating customer-centric mobile commerce, seamless integrations, engaging marketplace solutions, B2B eCommerce and B2C eCommerce solutions that can beat any competition.

9. EtailerSouq

Offering a complete suite of solutions and services to build up a live store at a stunning speed, EtailrSouq is known for opening untapped channels of business for new eCommerce ventures and startups with its cost-efficient eCommerce solutions. From eCommerce website development, eCommerce software builder development, store management, catalogue management, eCommerce mobile app development to others, EtailrSouq caters all and builds complete future proof store with all rich features of a Magento eCommerce web designing, development and delivery.

10. Indglobal

Known to be one of the best e-commerce app development companies in Dubai, Indglobal with its combination of world-class solutions and services in eCommerce make the digital transformation, simpler, faster and affordable. Their experts in Magento, WooCommerce, Prestashop, Shopify, OpenCart and BigCommerce can develop eCommerce solutions that can withstand any challenges and beat the competition in any form.

In a nutshell

Middle-East is witnessing a shift towards digitization at a fast-pace due to various factors like high-per capita income, internet penetration, young demographic who are spending more time on social media platforms, the readiness of Arab consumers to adopt new technologies, enhanced logistics, the government encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation etc. which proves that soon the Middle East will boom in terms of eCommerce. Therefore, if you have any plans of stepping into the Middle East eCommerce market, now is the time. Hire Mobicommerce who is known as the best Magento multivendor app development company in UAE to get started right away.

Who would have thought that 2020 will be the year of survival? That besides welcoming the new year we are also greeting the disaster of the year – the Covid-19 pandemic which will change our personal and professional lives forever. While businesses are badly hit, the fashion and apparel industry which fall under the non-essential category, which has never been so radically affected at least in the past century, are now finding ways to survive. Can you believe that?

However, as history has taught us to look for opportunities during crises, understanding the changing consumer behaviour during the lockdown will breed new radical business ideas to start amidst COVID-19 which we are going to give you a glimpse and also explain how you can re-strategize your fashion and apparel brand to ensure business continuity during and post-Covid.

1. The colossal shift to the online market

Consumer behaviour and preferences have been changing frequently ever since the start of people being confined to their homes. Nobody knows what the future has in store for the world but it is always fair to make predictions based on ongoing trends.

Mobile phone usage has increased by more than 70 % worldwide. Online shopping for clothes increased an average of 25% in the first month of lockdown itself. These figures have only kept increasing since then and will continue to do so until a vaccine is available and people slowly come out of the paranoia.

An American study in the month of April found out that more than 24% of consumers will prefer shopping online for the next 6 months as they do not want to take chances of getting infected in crowded malls. These trends are indicating that all fashion and apparel businesses must fast-track their decision to venture into the online market and optimize the opportunity this online breeze has brought in.

2. The trend to go local and sustainable

Empathy has emerged as a key human emotion during the lockdown. The need for supporting the local craftsmen and women who have been severely affected in the lockdown has been seen in many consumers. The world has also seen how the pollution levels dropped drastically during the lockdown; hence consumers are seen opting for a more sustainable way of clothing. Preference for handloom and handicrafts have been observed by designers in the world of fashion.

3. Avoiding enormously priced and luxury products

As increments and promotions are getting nailed down, the upper and lower-middle-class segment of consumers is being cautious of buying extravagantly priced luxury products. Many people have lost their jobs or have faced pay-cuts in their salaries which is compelling people to buy only the daily necessity items. Non-essential products like apparels are bought only if they are cheap or have major discounts.

Fashion brands have to take into consideration what the majority of the consumers are looking for. Inclusion of safety essentials like masks, sanitizers and gloves if promoted on their homepage can bring traffic to the website leading to the sale of their primary products too.

4. Looking for connecting with purposeful brands

A future Consumer Index shows that 62% of cautiously extravagant consumers would like to purchase from those brands who are associated with a cause of reconstructing society. A caring and a sensitive brand that does not put profit above everything are more likely to attract customer traffic on their website.

Amazon has chosen to market its brand with a tagline “Enabling Local to Go Global”. They have emphasized on creating opportunities for MSMEs to export their products globally. This is a perfect example of a change in the marketing strategies where brands are marketing the cause they support, not the product.

5. Seeking for an exciting buying experience

The internet is full of Covid-19 topics, therefore, customers are seeking distractions and getting attracted to optimistic marketing. A lot of energy and focus is being put on enhancing consumer buying experience online. Fashion giant Myntra gives tips on size and body shapes. A detailed size chart is presented to the customer to help them choose the perfectly fitting apparel. This inclusion has reduced their return numbers drastically.

Recommended Blog: Compelling Features Customers Expect in e-Commerce Mobile Apps amid COVID-19

The use of AI technology is yet another innovative way that is changing the online fashion shopping experience. From styling the look to virtually trying outfits, Artificial Intelligence is shaping the future of fashion. In fact, many international brands are now allowing multiple views of each product from different angles since the customers can’t take a look in person due to the social distancing practices. Thus, zooming in on a high-quality picture feature is enabling customers to view the intricacies of the products’ needlepoint work. For example, Rollie Nation has included dioramas of their shoes on their homepage along with a short video of a model walking in them.

6. Opting for online payment modes

Indians have always been comfortable with cash transactions even after the Digital India campaign started. The gigantic shift towards online payment started in India post-Covid only, due to fear of coming in contact with innumerable currency notes which have been exchanged by many hands. Many major online delivery vendors have removed the Cash On Delivery (COD) option from their payment page in order to curb community transfer of the Covid-19 virus due to which digital wallets and UPI payment options, along with the traditional credit & debit cards payment options have seen a soar in consumer usage which is necessary today and for the future ahead.

7. Hygiene as a customer attracter 

Health and hygiene have become very important for the majority of people. Consumers trust those brands who put hygiene and safety protocols as their top-most priority. Most major brands have started showing hygiene page on their website which explains what regulations they follow to ensure staff safety and safe packaging. No-Contact delivery option is the new feature added on most of the vendors delivery options page which is the best way to keep the bond of trust intact with your customers.

One thing to always keep in mind is that online platforms must be used not just for commercial purposes but also to engage and interact with your customers so that they keep coming back to you, and Covid-19 has made us realise that very well when people began to migrate at large towards the online market.

Wrapping up

Yes, it is difficult to reach out to consumers who are still paranoid about coming to your fashion brand store but it is not impossible either. The only way to survive the Covid-19 pandemic is to make your brand omnipresent by offering a digital presence along with the physical outlets that please and serve customers in the best and safest way as possible.

Since the future of brick and mortar shops is very vague given the current situation outside the safety of your homes, making your brand digital is the need of the hour. So, if you are still struggling to find a good fashion ecommerce mobile app builder, seeking the help of the top-notch Magento multivendor ecommerce app development company  like Mobicommerce can be your knight in shining armour to help you go digital.

The greatest challenge for an ecommerce mobile app builder is to make shopping a pleasant and fun experience for the customers. Now, with the fear of Covid-19 pandemic still hovering on us, online shopping is gaining more momentum than ever before but now, with shifting feature priorities apart from a pleasant shopping experience.

The expectations in the mobile shopping experience in the present times are changing slowly to more value than just happy shopping online, which is why we have listed some must-have features that customers expect in a mobile shopping app during the COVID-19 which an online ecommerce store app builder can expedite for your online business success.

Online payment

With cash-on-delivery disabled due to the fear of the spread of the virus, an in-built secured payment option is a must in your app. Also, with so many online thefts happening, people are more careful in using online payment modes. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that your app has different choices for payment methods like paying by Credit/ Debit cards and Wallets along with the security of trusted payment gateways. By offering a selection of trusted payment methods, you will gain your customer’s trust and encourage repeated visits to your apps.

Push notifications

Transparency can be a great motivator for a customer to trust your app. Due to panic buying amid Covid-19, it is natural that you may run out-of-stock and to maintain the trust of customers in you, it is important to inform them whether a product is available or not while at the shopping page itself, rather than them finding it out-of-stock on the check-out page later. A push notification feature about the product’s non-availability, thus, will enable your customer to decide quickly if he/she wants to wait or look for another product.

Great user experience

Seamless navigation throughout the app is what defines a great and incredible user experience. Now with too many users flocking to online shopping all of a sudden, your app must be designed in such a way that every step right from browsing the store to checkout must be simple yet exciting without any glitches. Choosing a responsive design for your app is the best thing as it will fit whichever screen size customer is using.

Rating and feedback

Customers feel privileged when they are able to rate and review a product they have purchased as well as the service they got. It also gives them the satisfaction of helping other customers in deciding to buy a product. By adding ratings and feedback sections in your app for a product and your service, customers will get to know all aspects of the product and your service before making a decision to go with your app. This also gives room for improvement for you and the vendor to maintain quality.

Emerging technologies

Augmented Reality is the new thing used in the virtual world of online shopping and it can be put to best use in times of Covid crisis as it will give customers a sneak peek of how a product looks before they make a purchase. From groceries, apparels and furniture to everything, this will be one of the most useful technologies to implement in your eCommerce app.

Recommended Blog: PWA for Online Marketplace: A Right Technology Investment?

Easy checkout

This is where the visitor of your app actually becomes your customer. Therefore, you definitely do not want to lose your customer at this stage. A simple checkout is when half of the information is auto-filled based on the profile information of the customer like name and shipping address. Keep it really simple with only the necessary information being asked on the check-out page.

Wishlist

Time restriction, indecisiveness or budget constraints keep a customer from buying a particular product at a given point of time. A wishlist feature enables a customer to come back and make the purchase whenever one is ready.

Checking item availability

It happens that some products might be seen available in the inventory but delivering it to a specific location might have its own restrictions due to lockdown and various other reasons, to avoid that; it is important to include a future that enables the user to check the availability of the product by entering his/her location or pin code. This feature might look insignificant but it is a feature as small as this that gives a customer incredible shopping experience.

Easy registration

Covid-19 has triggered panic buying and stocking of products among customers which might stay for a long time and during such times, no one likes to go through a lengthy registration process. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you don’t have the registration until the checkout page. This makes it convenient for customers as they would be registering only if they are buying the product. Moreover, an easy and simple registration process will ensure you have your customer on-board for check-out. Also, saving user information to cut short the login time in future is recommended.

Conclusion

An eCommerce app has been a saviour in Covid-19 crisis and will continue to be one no matter what the situation is. So if you are looking to create a mobile app for an online store now, you know what features are trending and should be included in your app.

“Necessity is the mother of all inventions”, goes the old saying and life post-COVID-19 pandemic will see the advent of various online businesses.

We have seen many financial recessions in the current and past centuries; however, few budding entrepreneurs took the tide on their side and emerged as great businessmen during those crises. HP was started soon after the recession of 1937-38, Fed-Ex overcame the challenges of promoting a new and unheard concept of that time and became the pioneers of courier services right after the recession of 1969-70, whereas Hyatt was launched during the recession of 1958 when travel was at its lowest due to tough economic times. These and many other companies across the globe are inspiring examples of entrepreneurship that started during acute crisis.

Similarly, COVID crisis appears to be staying for long and has also transformed the way we live our life, our habits, our thinking and so on. Hence, if you too have a business plan and are waiting for COVID to end or fear to take the step at all then you are simply wasting your time because online is today’s way and is going to be the future too.

The emergence of online businesses amidst pandemics

The current pandemic has also triggered a global recession but one cannot forget that while China was fighting the SARS Pandemic of 2002-04. Ali Baba group which was a small eCommerce store at that time emerged as the biggest retailer in Asia. Its growth was accelerated by the fear of human contact, quite similar to the situation we are facing today.

The world is expecting to see technology replacing the physical movement of people in the upcoming months or maybe years until the spread of the virus is contained fully. Therefore, companies that choose to capitalize on the inevitable changes post lockdown will be the ones climbing the ladder of success. Taking a shift from brick and mortar business system to online business will be the key factor of staying relevant in these changing times.

Why shift to the online business model?

A lot of IT and non-IT companies have started giving work from home guidelines to employees as they do not want to take risks with their lives. Many fun activities like playing board games and even visiting a bar have been developed as apps to minimize boredom in this isolation period. Shopping online for everything under the sun has also risen in the past decade. All these apps have been well received by people, especially the millennial. A reasonably good section of the older population also has started using social media and shopping apps. This trend will catch pace in the post lockdown phase as people prefer to stay at home as much as possible.

With most of the businesses trying to reach their customers amid this challenging situation, new ways of functioning will start. It may be possible that we see online appointments being made for almost every service so that crowding can be avoided or services being delivered at the customer’s homes itself. Either way, technology will play an integral role in the future of business. So, we have made a list of top business ideas that are most likely to catch up in the online market post lockdown phase.

Online grocery shopping app– Groceries is a part of our daily essentials. Most of us buy our groceries from super and hypermarkets which have the maximum number of people at any given point of time. It is where you are likely to get in touch with a lot of people, which is why; people are showing more interest in getting home delivery of groceries, veggies, dairy products and all other daily usage items.

With a supermarket app, you can turn out to be a life-saviour by providing them with features like doorstep contactless deliveries of groceries, digital payments etc. Therefore, grocery shopping app development for supermarket or even single shop owners is one and top-most business that you may see a boost very soon.

Recommended Blog: COVID-19 Effects: Time to Switch to Grocery eCommerce from Offline Grocery Business?

Online pharmacy app– With a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy food choices, health problems have increased amongst the people. Medicines, therefore, have become a necessity for all age groups, not just elderly people. If access to medicines is not made available to people on time, it could be life-threatening for many. Therefore, if you are a medical shop owner, online pharmacy app development can make you have a wider reach of customers. You will be able to deliver medicines and other essentials to your customers right at their doorstep or even take orders online so that they don’t have to stand for a long time with other customers in front of your shop.

Online automotive ecommerce solution- This is a great option adopted by the automotive industry for its customers. Features like finding parts of the vehicle, VIN search, wholesale order tracking and garage management have now become online services which can be accessed by customers without coming physically to the shop. A robust online automotive ecommerce solution will be the thing customers will be looking forward to and which can bring in more benefits for all as well.

On-demand professionals– Be it doctors, nurses, plumbers, electricians or even salon experts- getting their services at your home will be a common thing in the future to avoid unnecessary human contact. A common app can be built to book any of these professionals or for a particular industry like a beauty salon mobile app solution to provide the professional service safely at home.

Online food delivery– With restaurants being one of the hardest-hit sectors by the coronavirus pandemic, shifting to online food delivery will be the wisest way to sustain and gradually progress too. Even after upliftment of the lockdown, places, where major crowds gather like restaurants, will take time to start functioning fully. People might be not coming to your restaurant but they are definitely craving for that unique and favourite dish of your eatery. So why not start delivering your dishes to their homes by developing an on-demand food delivery app and satisfy their taste buds?

Wrapping up 

We all know how badly this global pandemic has taken a toll on our lives but, this doesn’t mean things won’t change and you have to give up on all hope. Getting an online business developed can be done easily while you are at home and hence; you make use of this time to prepare for the future. So, whether you are running a business already or have plans to invest for better tomorrow, the above-mentioned business ideas can work great for you in the future whose development you can leave at the hands of the experts like Mobicommerce.

Be it an eCommerce website, mobile app or a multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution, the success of each lies in the way it is developed and when there are options available in developing them, it is natural to face confusion. So, before you scratch your head more, allow us to make it all clear for you.

Online shopping is no more just a trend today. It has become a habit for all. For any product or service, we wish to acquire, the first thing we do is to look online which is why, as per the statistics, the total amount of retail online sales is growing steadily and is likely to reach almost $5 billion by 2021.

But, even in these online businesses, one that is gaining the limelight is a multivendor marketplace website not just due to buyers and sellers but even budding entrepreneurs too. Reason? It is the most convenient medium of shopping and sale of multiple products from one site for customers, because it is capable of generating high profits for sellers, and for owners – it can be efficiently managed. In short, an online e-commerce multi-vendor website is a win-win situation for all.

Now comes the tough part. A multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution may be a great way for a startup or an e-commerce company wanting to explore new opportunities but, it has to be developed such that positive outcomes are guaranteed. Now, you may think how is that possible? Well, there are two main methods of multi-vendor marketplace development – using a readymade e-commerce platform or building a custom solution from scratch. Since both have their pros and cons, we have our experts’ suggestions portrayed here to clear all your confusion in picking up the best.

Scratch Vs. Ready-to-go Solution

Scratch or Custom-made solutions are the ones that are developed according to a client’s specific requirements like marketplace software solution for wholesalers or a marketplace software solution for distributors, while a ready-to-go means Software as a Service (SaaS) which is available to use for a minimum monthly subscription fee or a one-time purchase.

Recommended Blog: Multi-Vendor Marketplace – Benefits and Challenges

Now, let’s see which one is better?

1. Implementation

• The ready-made multi-vendor solution is all like switch on and go. It offers quick implementation and gets your storefront up and running in a short span of time.
• While a custom-built multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution has to be developed from scratch, building the front end as well as the back end as the client desires, hence; its design and development takes time but is worth it.

2. Cost-effectiveness

• When it comes to developing something, the first and the foremost concern that strikes the mind is about the cost. A ready-made multi-vendor solution is indeed less expensive with lower monthly costs compared to a custom-built and some even come for free but with limited features.
• On the other hand, a custom-built multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution does cost more due to months of development & designing it takes to build it from the ground but, the wait and cost both justifies by all means in the end.

3. Compatibility

• It is difficult to find a ready-made multi-vendor solution that is compatible with other software as it comes with either none or limited compatibility.
• While a custom-built multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution is tailored to be integrated with any software you are planning to use.

4. Customization 

• It is not that a ready-made multi-vendor store comes with a stock template, which can only be used as it is. Nowadays, many of them do provide some tweaks that make it easy for entrepreneurs to undertake design changes and even feature upgrades but, to certain limitations.
• With custom development, you have full freedom to set up the marketplace as you like. With its wider customization options, you can build beautiful and perfectly functional e-commerce websites as per your requirement.

5. Functionality

• A ready-made multi-vendor eCommerce solution comes with extremely user-friendly features that the users do not need to have immense technical knowledge for implementation and management. Some of them are even of no use to the store owner.
• On the other hand, a custom-made solution is built with specific and required features and functionalities which you can manage on your own.

6. Support

• A problem can arise anytime with a ready-made solution to tackle which, you can either contact the customer service department or community support of the solution and seek the solution from its tutorials, articles, blogs etc.
• While a custom-built multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution by a marketplace Development Company have their support team always at your service to help you out anytime you need.

7. Scalability 

• As your business grows you may require to scale up your website as well which at a nominal cost can be done in a ready-made multi-vendor eCommerce solution but can be time-consuming and offers limited scalability with a rigid structure.
• With a custom-built solution, the scalability options are fully under your control. You can scale your system as much as you wish depending on the load and your changing business environment.

8. Intellectual Property

• You will own no intellectual property when using a ready-made multi-vendor eCommerce solution as you are going to reuse the solutions developed and created by others. No matter how you customize it as per your requirements, the IP will still belong to the platform provider. Also, you will have no advantage over your competitors, as you will not be able to offer a unique product.
• While a custom-built multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution is solely designed and developed for your business and your company hence; you will hold the intellectual property of the custom software so you will have a competitive advantage.

Summing Up

As we said before, both have their pros and cons hence the choice of development method for a multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution may be rather difficult and can be affected by multiple factors. However, if you have a time issue and cannot afford a huge expense then you can go with the readymade marketplace script as it is very cost-effective and user-friendly but, if you wish to stand-out in the market and create a multi-vendor marketplace eCommerce solution that will become your signature and your statement with its uniqueness then, investing in custom software development is the right thing to do.

If you need a more detailed consultation on creating a multi-vendor marketplace or are looking for an experienced Magento marketplace software builder, MobiCommerce is the name, remember it.

We all know life would never be the same after COVID-19 as it has shaken us to the core turning our life upside down. Everything from the way we think, act, go out, interact, in short, our entire way of life has been changed and the most drastic change that we are witnessing and will continue to see in the future is the twist in the consumer’s behaviour. Will it bring good or bad for business, is what we have to observe.

The Brutal Effect of COVID Pandemic

The mounting cases of COVID-19 are creating an impact on every dimension of our life – Physical, Mental, Social, and Economic and the worst affected among all is the economy. With countries going under complete lockdown for months, the livelihood of many came to standstill causing a large void which may take years to recover. Those with traditional bricks-and-mortar retail have slipped into darkness coming out of which will cost their entire life savings.

Due to the COVID crisis, people began to shop online due to the closure of all but essential retail outlets (supermarkets/grocers, pharmacies/drug stores, post office and banks) thereby crippling the offline retailers by all means. The fear of coronavirus bought a sudden change in the shopping habit of customers which is now posing the question of whether the current surge of eCommerce will remain the same post-COVID or not? Let’s understand.

The Changes Observed in Buyer’s Behaviour

• The priorities changed. The COVID pandemic made people realize the importance of basic essentials and hygiene products for survival, hence; categories like groceries, medicines, toiletries, has now become the top priorities for customers who were into shopping fashion, beauty, electronics and other non-essential items like crazy earlier.
• The mode of payment has now become completely digitalized. COD is now temporarily disabled due to the fear of the spread of the virus from currency notes, which has given a push to digital payments.
• Due to the panic of lockdown, people are becoming frequent online shoppers in order to stock up the basic essentials in their home, which is causing many eCommerce brands and marketplaces to go out of stock.
• The eCommerce market is turning into a battle. With more and more online shoppers emerging from all over the world, meeting their demands and delivering the essentials to them on-time is becoming challenging for eCommerce owners day-by-day. Therefore, the competition among them is getting fierce and it is also inspiring a lot of entrepreneurs to come with unique and creative eCommerce startup ideas which will boom within a short span of time.

The Future of eCommerce: What to Expect?

As per the COVID-19 e-commerce data, the numbers are plateauing – but at 63.6% higher than before. Although the world has not yet become free from the deadly pandemic, many countries have begun to remove stay-at-home orders and re-open their societies, as we can’t stay locked up the whole time. Thus, it would be interesting to see if the convenience and safety offered by moving online will remain as popular as it is today.

If we look at the present scenario, the virus doesn’t seem to leave us soon until a vaccine comes into light and also some experts are predicting a second wave of the virus accompanied by shut-downs, so there is a high possibility of eCommerce to continue booming in the coming years, with or without COVID.

Moreover, many local retailers are accepting the fact that a crisis like this can arise anytime in the future and during such tough times, an online presence can help them keep going to some extent than putting shutters to their business for a very long time, henceforth, a lot of small local retailers, as well as national providers, are finding innovative and digital ways to cope by switching to eCommerce development or b2b ecommerce software solutions. 

In short, a continued strong growth of eCommerce over the coming years, which will be mainly driven by the further adoption of mobile shopping can be expected.

Recommended Blog: 5 Benefits of Getting an Online Business Presence during COVID-19

The Digital Approach

Taking a jump online is not as easy as it sounds, there’s a need for implementing tactical solutions to help you get through the immediate crisis, but they have to be in the context of a broader digital strategy. So, let’s check out which digital approach can work and how those digital experiences need to be carefully and seamlessly managed across all customer touchpoints so as to get the most out of it.

1. An eCommerce Business Model 

There are various eCommerce business models among which you need to decide what would you prefer, for example, B2C, B2B, or B2B2C, and according to that, you can pick the software solution that works best for you by all terms.

2. Select the right eCommerce development partner

Behind the success of an eCommerce platform lies the hand of an experienced ecommerce website and mobile app development company, hence while you have time due to the lockdown, you can search for a seasoned eCommerce development partner to build a productive platform for your business.

3. Enhance if you already have one

If you already are into eCommerce you can enhance the credibility of your store even more by implementing some latest features like; chatbots, voice assistants, real-time contextual personalization and merchandising, a combination of both – headless commerce and CMS etc.

Conclusion

We have no idea how shopping will be in the future, will things get back to normal or will we have to live with the new-normal, anyhow, investing in an eCommerce platform was, is and never will be a waste as eCommerce game is definitely going to go strong in the future.

In a nutshell, to match the current buying behaviour and to meet the future growth, you will need a well-designed e-commerce solution developing which none other than Mobicommerce is the best.

Single-vendor stores and multi-vendor ecommerce websites have brought the eCommerce domain into such limelight that the graph of online shopping is skyrocketing and the number of online shoppers multiplying with every passing second. But also, there is a competition between the two itself, where a model like a multi-vendor marketplace is winning why?

Already multi-vendor marketplaces were doing great before COVID hit us all and now it is evident from the current online shopping demand that the post-COVID phase will see a rush of offline entrepreneurs setting up their apps and websites to stay relevant with the changing business needs and demand from the customers.

If you are aiming high and look at the world’s richest business entrepreneurs, you will find most of them are owners of e-commerce websites. The most commercially successful way to run an e-commerce website is a well-designed Magento multi-vendor marketplace model as it aims at aiding the buyer, seller, as well as the admin, equally to gain smoothly and efficiently by all means. Visit now to find the top BigCommerce web designers.

So, what is a Multi-vendor Marketplace?

Just like a mall, where you find different sellers, a multi-vendor marketplace or a store is an online mall where multiple third-party vendors display their wide range of products and buyers get to choose as per their preference. Whereas, the admin is the link between the buyers and sellers. The core responsibility of the store admin is to provide online support to both buyers and sellers. This model is much preferred than single stores because of its array of products, cost-effectiveness and ability to reach out to a maximum number of people without the hassle of creating and managing their website.

A commission revenue model is designed for the marketplace owner for setting up the infrastructure, processing payment transactions and order fulfillment. So, let’s understand to create a multivendor e-commerce store, what features are required?

We will see this separately from the Admin, Buyer and Vendor’s point of view.

Admin/ Store Owner Features

Revenue Model: Store Admin’s core responsibility is to provide the vendors and buyers best UI experience, lucrative marketing strategies, quick problem-solving tools and data security. For this, the admin can charge a fee. There are various revenue models from which the owner can generate revenue-

• Commission on the profit from each product sold on its website.
• Registration fees for the vendor to access the services of the website.
• Featured or Top Listing fees for those vendors who want to list their product on the top of the page.
• Advertisements by PPC (Pay Per Click) or Bulk ad buying

Automated CMS: The website should be such that the admin can easily access without any technical help. He should be able to customize, sort the catalogue, generate reports, calculate taxes, shipping charges and commissions with one click.

Product Inventory: A well-presented catalogue with good quality images preferably 3D images is the first thing a prospective buyer sees when he visits the website. Therefore, this becomes one of the most important aspects of the website. Also, the website should provide clear information about stock availability to the customers as no one wants to see a product out of stock after hours of browsing. Email notification, once the product is available, can also be added on the website.

Performance and Scalability: Opportunities can come anytime and you should be always ready to grab it. Some advertisement technique might have worked in favour of you and you suddenly start getting heavy traffic on the website. Therefore, your website should be always equipped to efficiently handle a sudden increase in volume, especially during festivals and holidays. If the page loading takes even a second’s delay, it will result in massive financial losses and you will lose the customers too.

Reviews and Feedback: Surveys have revealed that other customer ratings and reviews are the key factors for a consumer to decide before buying a product. This feature enables the admin to validate the quality and reliability of a particular product which can be pushed forward for better revenue generation.

Advanced Reports Generation: Indeed, a must-have feature as it enables the admin to fetch various reports like daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly sales. It also allows generating reports on customer data, products that are on high demand and a statistical report on how the website is performing and its improvisation.

Recommended Blog: Reasons Why You Should Have a Multi-Vendor App for Your Ecommerce Marketplace like Amazon

Buyer Features

Friendly and Responsive UI: Online shopping should be as thrilling as a mall shopping experience can be and for that matter, a great UI makes a lot of difference for the customers. Navigation should be like a cake-walk.

Simple Checkout Process: Transparency is the key to a smooth checkout process. Customers should be able to know how many steps will be required to complete the process on the first page of checkout itself. The page should be informative yet look clean. Delivery date, shipping charges should be informed before the checkout. There should be no hidden charges popping out at the final checkout page. This builds trust and increase in the conversion rate in the check-out process.

24*7 Customer Service: If you are a global market player, sales inquiries can come anytime, therefore a well-trained customer service staff should be always available to assist the buyers at any point of time through live chats and voice calls. If you are limited to only one particular time zone then assistance during the regular working hours must be always available.

Easy Login: Many shoppers buy enormously from online websites but they do not want to go through a lengthy login process in every website and be bombarded with promotional mailers. Therefore, guest login or log in through social media accounts option is something most of the customers look up to in the initial choice of their shopping website.

Multilingual and Multi-payment Options: Shopping experience is enhanced if the customer can view the website in their preferred language and pay in their currency. Also, there are various payment modes used by customers like credit and debit cards, UPI, net banking, COD, gift vouchers and others. Ability to choose their preferred payment mode is a great way of retaining the customers. Therefore, the inclusion of various payment gateways like CC Avenue, PayPal, Amazon Pay among the others should be available on the website and with the auto-pay feature, you can enable your customer to choose the same mode of payment every time a purchase is made.

Order Tracking: As soon as the order has been made, an order tracking number must be given to the customer to track until the item is delivered. It keeps the customer informed via SMS/ Email notification of every update of the shipment which will cement the customer’s trust in you even more.

Easy Returns: Return Policy should be fair and convenient for the customers. All the wording must be mentioned on the website so that no ambiguity is faced at the later stage.

All these features will ensure that the customer enjoys shopping from your website and will always come back to you.

Vendor Features: Vendors or Sellers are equally important for a multivendor e-commerce store because customers will come on your website only if they get multiple options to choose from. So, it is very important to give your vendors user-friendly features to promote their business on your website.

Impressive and Easy Working Dashboard: Providing a dashboard to the vendor that is self-explanatory and convenient to use will make the daily tasks easy-going and less stressful for the admin. Vendors should be able to add new products, import any type of data from their system to the website, write accurate product information and generate reports from the dashboard.

Quick and Effective Communication: There must be communication channels available for the vendor to reach the admin or support for any technical or non-technical glitch. Also, there should be constant communication between the buyer and seller through the mediums of the detailed product description, shipping notifications, live chats, FAQs and contact information.

Promotional Offers: Social media like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have now become the largest platform to advertise for sellers. Pay per click on other apps and websites also generate traffic towards the multi-vendor store where the item is listed. Revenue generation can multifold by allowing the sellers to decide their marketing budget and duration of the campaign.

Wrapping up

Since we are talking about a multi-vendor marketplace, the list of features is never-ending and we have pointed out just a few important ones. You can make your marketplace even more feature-rich by choosing a Magento multivendor ecommerce marketplace solution which comes packed with many already and all you need is someone who is an experienced Magento marketplace software builder or a seasoned player in Magento multi-vendor marketplace development like Mobicommerce.

It will not be very late to say that the Covid-19 Pandemic has brought a 360-degree turn in the way we shop for our daily essentials, mainly groceries and also, it is an only retail category without which we can’t even pass a day. But, the thought of visiting a grocery store has built fear in people so much that it seems online grocery will take over even post-corona. So, is grocery eCommerce really the future?

The online shopping revolution for non-perishable commodities started way back globally, yet, many of us preferred going to super or hypermarkets and hand-pick our groceries for various reasons, mainly to choose the best of all options and having the ability to inspect the items before purchase. Now, the scenario is different. With Corona crawled into our life, the online grocery shopping seems to be the safe option which has led to the emergence of it and the sales of which are doubling up like never before.

Boom in Online Grocery shopping trends

Online shopping trend was picked up by consumers who do not enjoy the hassle of traditional shopping experience specially, to stand in long queues. Now, the current pandemic has further pushed consumers to buy their groceries online which are creating a huge scope for newcomers with innovative purchase models to create their own space in this global business market.

Recommended Blog: Know Why a Mobile App is good for The Health of Your Grocery Business

There is no doubt about social distancing becoming the “The New Normal” in the post-COVID phase, making most of the grocery shopping digital. We know that a business is all about trust and as far as grocery shopping is concerned, the majority of the consumers prefer to buy from the same Kirana store only because there is a trust for quality and service. Therefore, to get the groceries delivered by the same trusted local grocery shop at one click will be something consumers will look forward to.

So, if you are a grocery shop owner, you must consider the below points to act fast and expand your local business by opting for grocery store app development right now.

For business continuity post-COVID: The crisis is going to end at some point but we don’t know when and since now you are getting enough time, it is advisable to prepare for the future which will be nothing like before. Henceforth, if you want your business to keep going, thinking online will be the right thing to do.

To be safe for you and your family: Continuous interaction with innumerable customers also puts you at risk. You need to keep the business running and remain safe for your family at the same time as well as ensure safety standards are being followed by streamlining the logistics. Hence, going digital will help you have a win-win situation overall.

Foreseeing changing business trends with innovative digital marketing ideas: Your customers will remain loyal to you if you cater to their changing needs. Quick delivery options, safety procedures, lucrative discounts and innovations will ensure your brand gets the required foothold in the competitive market.

Making your brand: Your local supermarket or grocery shop can get a brand name by going digital. Word of mouth and good online reviews will attract new customers for your business. You can grow your business by catering not just to people living in your vicinity but beyond if you expand your delivery area limit. A good grocery website builder will help you structure your business with minimal investment and lesser workforce.

For customers, who are still not convinced why to forgo conventional grocery shopping practices in these testing times, here are the top 5 reasons why switching to online grocery shopping now and in the future seems to be the right option.

Keep you safe from crowds and thus getting infected: The last thing we want is to enter a crowd of strangers and risk our lives. Although you might take all the necessary precautions, you can’t be sure if the person standing next to you is healthy or not. When online grocery apps can give you verified and quality products delivered at your doorstep, why take the risk? Also, you have the option of sanitizing the container and the items without any hassle.

It will help you maintain your budget: COVID-19 has definitely slowed down the world economy and the repercussions have already started showing up with many people losing their jobs. In such a situation, you don’t want to overspend which is likely to happen when you physically visit a store. With online shopping, you have the option at any given time to cancel a product and keep a tap on your bill.

Encouraging Digital Payment: Digitalization in payment methods started over more than a decade with the introduction of credit and debit cards but, cash transaction is still a preferred payment method for small purchases in local grocery shops. In this period of Covid-19 spread, cash transactions have been identified as one of the main reasons for spreading the infection, so by opting for online payment modes, you can avoid that risk as well.

24*7 availability: With more women coming to work front, managing household chores has become more tedious in a nuclear family set-up. Grocery shopping is mainly planned for weekends which consumes nearly 2-3 hours of your day. Online grocery shopping gives you the convenience to shop at any point in time so that you can spend your day-offs with your loved ones, not at departmental stores.

Your bit for the environment: The world has undergone a renovation with humankind sitting inside their homes. Pollution levels have dropped and water bodies are much cleaner now. So, it is our responsibility to maintain this by reducing carbon emissions as much as possible. We can avoid commuting again and again by buying our monthly groceries at one go, thus protecting Mother Nature from unnecessary air and noise pollution.

In a nutshell, 

Whether you are a budding entrepreneur, an offline grocery shop owner or a consumer, we are sure that by now you can agree that a grocery eCommerce app is the most convenient and recommended way to shop or deliver groceries by all means, especially when such bad situation strikes.

We hope with these tips, you will now be able to make right and smart choices to stay relevant in this new phase. Our expertise in Grocery shopping app development will ensure that you get your app designed just the way you want and in time so that you continue to lead the business.

Europeans are skipping the trek to a supermarket which requires pushing a shopping cart down an aisle after aisle and then waiting in the long checkout line to finally bring home their groceries and love the idea of saving time by shopping at the convenience of their home. Why? The reasons are many let’s take a look at it all.

No sooner did the trend of online grocery shopping hit the market, Europe witnessed a sharp rise in grocery mobile app downloads and its usage in the past few years. The reasons are many like inflationary price rises, convenience, time-saving, more premium and fresh goods all under one roof etc., which grocery shopping mobile apps are making it possible and easier for customers to get their groceries on-time without any hassle.

But it is not just because of any random grocery mobile app, the European market has risen up, it is in fact, due to the compelling reasons the European retailers have given consumers to switch from their neighbourhood grocers to the web or mobile app like;

1. An entire supermarket squeezed into an app

Browsing a supermarket in search of a product with a shopping stroller is something which nobody enjoys. European retailers gave their customers freedom from it by allowing them to browse an entire supermarket on their mobile screen and add products to their shopping cart the instant, save them for later, wishlist or even book out of stock products in advance all via a grocery mobile app.

2. Personal recommendations & customizations

Not all products a customer is looking for is available in a supermarket, hence, European grocery mobile app development cracked a way to it by giving personal recommendations to their customers based on their purchase behaviour to further ease their shopping of daily grocery needs. This made customers fall in love with grocery mobile apps even more. Moreover, the supermarket app development took a step further ahead with customization feature which helps customers to modify the packaging, weight, size, etc. of their products.

3. Escape from long queues

Who doesn’t love a grocery shopping where checkouts take seconds and payments can be done without taking out a wallet for the purchased groceries? The grocery app development in European market won hearts by allowing customers to shop groceries without the need to wait in long queues with heavy shopping bags.

4. Daily offers & special treatments

Compared to offline grocery shopping, grocery mobile apps began to give daily offers and discounts on products which attracted customers towards it like a magnet. Apart from that, when European customers started getting special treatments like membership and referral benefits, they look the jump to grocery mobile apps right away without giving a second thought which spiced up the online grocery app market in Europe like never before.

5. Service that appeals to customers

For any shopper, how a particular brand treats a customer matters the most because once they like it, they become loyal to them forever. Today, Amazon, BigBasket and other such major grocery deliveries have come into action which is having good and regular traffic of customers due to the convenience they are providing in getting fresh daily essentials at the doorstep, eliminating the need – to wait in long queues, carry heavy grocery bags, move from one grocery shop to another in search of products, etc.

The grocery app development in Europe took it very seriously and developed grocery mobile apps with all necessary features for customer service like feedback section, rating & reviews, delivery slot selection, chats and support to solve customer queries, order tracking, multiple payment options, free delivery, and much more to serve customers at its best.

6. Boon for busiest customers 

Half of the European population has no time for going grocery shopping personally due to their busy lifestyle which is the main reason why grocery delivery app development gained momentum in Europe suddenly and swiftly. People loved the concept of getting groceries at their doorstep more than wandering multiple shops with giant shopping bags struggling to find time from their hectic schedule.

Bottom Line

Consumers of today love their smartphones, which explains why 91% of them are always on them 24/7. Therefore, it should not be surprising for industries to understand why grocery mobile app development is the need of the hour.

Looking at the rise of online grocery shopping, more and more European retailers have now begun to develop on-demand grocery delivery apps equipped with all necessary features that benefit both retailers and customers. Since a grocery mobile app is helping businesses achieve their objectives and gain higher returns within a less period of time. So, it is in this way, the grocery app market gained popularity and become a sensation in Europe within a blink of an eye which is not going to disappear anytime near soon.

You can find related articles here:

1. Know Why a Mobile App is Good for The Health of Your Grocery Business
2. On Demand Online Grocery eCommerce Software Solution