A new era of greater consumer empowerment is emerging and part of this movement includes grocery shopping apps. Even though this concept is still in its infancy, it has helped brick and mortar establishments reinvent themselves and become more connected with customers. In order for the app to catch on with shoppers, it needs to make shopping more convenient.
Thanks to grocery shopping apps, consumers can replace emotional shopping sprees with well-planned lists that stay within the intended budget. At the same time, these apps help supermarkets become more acquainted with their community and gauge which products are in demand. By establishing an electronic connection with shoppers, supermarkets can interact with their target customers on a daily basis, keeping them updated on the latest specials.
Types of Grocery Apps
Many different types of apps exist to improve the shopper’s journey. The most powerful apps let shoppers consolidate all their shopping information in one place. Keeping up with grocery delivery app development is a must for stores looking to gain a competitive edge.
Since there are so many different ways to use apps, typical grocery apps have multiple features. But if an app has too many features, it can lead to confusion and clutter. While some shopping apps are devoted to a single store or chain, others serve as aggregators of multiple stores to allow for easy price comparisons. The main types of grocery apps allow customers to:
- Order groceries online for pickup
- Order groceries online for delivery
- Browse online store items
- Gain access to coupons and discounts
Some stores require a membership to participate in ordering products online. Tracking systems now allow the customer to monitor delivery status with their app after they order online. At the moment deliveries are typically done with conventional vehicles, but in the future deliveries are expected to be conducted by drones and autonomous vehicles, as shopping moves toward advanced automation.
Common Features of Grocery Applications
The best grocery apps have sophisticated features that weren’t available to consumers a decade ago. Modern grocery apps allow users to scan barcodes through their smartphone cameras, so they can add specific items directly to their shopping carts. Here are some other common features found in today’s grocery apps:
Shopping lists – In the old days, shoppers would forget to bring their shopping lists to the store or lose it along the way. Those days are over for shoppers who appreciate grocery apps that make finding products online easy. Shopping lists can be created, saved, and shared with others.
Reminders – Some apps remind consumers when they’re low on certain supplies to consider for new shopping lists. They can schedule their own reminders using calendar tools.
Voice-activated lists = Losing a pen used to be an excuse for not writing down a shopping list. Now consumers don’t need to do any writing to create shopping lists, as they can just dictate with their voice as the app transcribes the list for them.
Cost calculator – Adding up product costs and monitoring running totals while shopping helps people stay within their budget. It’s typical for a shopping app to give consumers a list of items they’ve chosen to buy with check-marked boxes next to the items. Shoppers have the option to uncheck certain items to adjust the total sum.
Recipes – The reason recipes never go out of style is that the possibilities of creating new dishes are endless. Old recipes are often treasured as much as new discoveries. A recipe app may let consumers organize and store countless recipes in one place and it can give them access to certain recipes that would otherwise be hard to find.
Easy-sharing capabilities – Another key to the popularity of grocery apps is they allow users to share shopping lists and recipes with family and friends. Shopping list sharing is also convenient for people who hire others to shop for them.
Loyalty and rewards programs – Since one of the main purposes for a store to offer a custom app is to personalize the shopping experience, loyalty and rewards programs are viable options to connect more closely with customers who are attached to a store brand. Giving exclusive deals makes subscribers feel special.
Benefits of Grocery Shopping Mobile Apps
The most important benefit of grocery shopping apps is they save time and money. Instead of shoppers spending more time than they planned at the store, they can plan their shopping lists ahead of time. No longer do consumers have to waste trips to the store guessing if an item is in stock. If the app connects with a delivery service, it saves the customer from spending time and money on transportation.
Mobile shopping apps also connect shoppers with bargains. Part of the lure of downloading an establishment’s app is that it will give followers access to good deals. Shopping apps further let the shopper cut costs by comparing prices.
Cost of Grocery Delivery Mobile App Development
One of the biggest issues that hold many small stores back from investing in creating their own branded apps is the development cost. A good quality store app runs from $10,000 to $80,000 to develop. Even though many small businesses cannot afford such an expense, it’s the cost of gaining an edge over competitors. The app development cost depends on the UI design complexity and the type of technology embedded.
An important consideration of any e-commerce app is cybersecurity. The more interactive any network endpoints are online, the more opportunities for hackers to steal confidential information. So make sure cybersecurity is a top priority for the design because an app with poor security can be more costly than the design cost.
Conclusion
Building a grocery shopping mobile app for your establishment or chain requires an analysis of the customer journey and identifying ways to make it more hassle-free. Shopping apps have played a huge role in improving the customer journey by helping shoppers organize lists and compare deals with ease. If the app works well, it could be the key that makes your brand more visible on a daily basis with your target market.