How to Build a No-Code Online Grocery App?

In today’s fast-paced world, online grocery shopping has emerged as a game changer, offering unparalleled convenience and flexibility to consumers. The industry growth is evident from impressive revenue projections–Statista forecasts that the grocery delivery industry will exceed $257 billion in 2024 and is expected to surpass the $422 billion threshold by 2028. For entrepreneurs looking to enter this lucrative sector, launching an online grocery app presents a good opportunity.

But where do you start? Primarily there are two methods to build an online grocery app– traditional development from scratch or choosing a no-code ready-made software. However, building a high-functioning online grocery app from scratch might seem to be a cumbersome task, especially if you are not well-versed in coding and programming. Fortunately, a streamlined path to achieve your vision is to opt for a no-code ready-made online grocery app.

In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of building a no-code online grocery app. But first, let’s explore the advantages of choosing a no-code ready-made software over traditional development.

Advantages of No-Code Ready-Made Software Over Traditional Development

Since their emergence, no-code apps have appealed to businesses, entrepreneurs, and startup communities, thanks to the many advantages they offer. Let’s know about the benefits that you can avail of with a no-code app.  

Development Cost: According to research, entrepreneurs can save up to 70% on development costs by using a no-code approach as compared to traditional development methods. The no-code software solutions are more cost effective than traditional development.

High Performance: As per the statistics shared by Capgemini, 75% of no-code apps meet or exceed the performance expectations, demonstrating the effectiveness of these apps. No-code grocery apps offer high performance efficiently managing your online grocery operations.

User Satisfaction: According to a survey conducted by Forrester, 80% of users are satisfied with using no-code platforms. Hence, user satisfaction is not compromised in no-code grocery apps.

Agility: In the no-code grocery app, changes can be made quickly and new feature additions are easy. Errors can also be fixed seamlessly, whereas, the changes can be time-consuming in traditional development. Frequent modifications can result in delays in the project. 

Ready to Market: A no-code grocery app can be launched in a few days or weeks. This accelerated launch can reduce your time-to-market providing a competitive advantage. On the other hand, traditional development may take a few months to years to develop a grocery app. 

Testing and Maintenance: In the case of traditional development, testing is a must before actual launch and maintenance requires a dedicated development team. Whereas with a no-code grocery app, minimum testing is required (it is already a tried and tested technology) and there is a simplified maintenance process.

Flexibility and Customization: No-code software solutions offer a wide range of pre-built features, capabilities, integrations, and modules allowing businesses to seamlessly run an online grocery business. Moreover, no-code ready-made software is highly customizable allowing you to customize your grocery app as per your requirements.  No-code software solution offers everything you need to build an advanced online grocery app without any hassle. Further, let’s gain insights about popular online grocery apps in the industry. 

Popular Online Grocery Apps

Knowing about the key players from your industry can provide the right direction while building your own grocery app. These grocery apps are immensely popular among consumers in the industry. You can consider building similar grocery apps to start your online grocery business. 

Here is the list of popular online grocery apps:

Instacart One in every four online shoppers in the USA chooses Instacart for their online grocery shopping needs. Instacart had an estimated 14 million users in the year 2023 on its platform. This grocery app is popular for offering fresh groceries and same-day delivery to customers. 

Amazon Fresh  Amazon Fresh is a renowned online grocery app that delivers groceries to customers’ doorsteps within a few hours. Amazon’s online grocery sales were valued at 36.4 billion dollars in 2023 and the total number of active users reached 48 million users in 2022. 

Walmart Grocery It is a leading grocery app known for its large range of products, discounted prices, and quick delivery services. This online grocery app has reached a total of 1.6 million downloads in March 2024 in the USA. Walmart’s online grocery sales were 49.3 billion dollars in 2023 and are expected to reach 58.9  billion dollars by 2024. 

FreshDirect A popular online grocery app that allows customers to do grocery shopping hassle-free. This platform delivers fresh and top-quality groceries, meat, seafood, bakery, dairy products, and more to their customers. It also allows customers to schedule orders at their convenience. The estimated annual revenue of Fresh Direct is $596.5 million per year. 

Now that you have gained insights about the online grocery apps that are popular among consumers, let’s discover the steps to seamlessly build a no-code online grocery app. 

Steps to Build a No-Code Online Grocery App 

Building an online grocery app may seem difficult to begin with, however, with proper planning, the right information, and robust technology this can be done easily. Here are the 5 easy steps to build a no-code online grocery app. 

Step 1: Market Research and Competitive Analysis

Understanding your market is crucial for carving a successful path for your online grocery business. Conduct thorough market research to gain insights into the grocery delivery industry. Collect the demographic information about your target customer’s age, income levels, lifestyle preferences, and more. Understanding this demographic data allows you to curate an online grocery app as per the needs of your target market.

Additionally, analyze your competitors in the industry and know their weaknesses and strengths. Implement these learnings in your business plan and build a grocery app that addresses the demands of your target market. 

Step 2: Select a Business Model

The next step is to gain an understanding of the business model on which you can build your grocery app. Here are the top business models for grocery app. 

1. Inventory-Based Business Model: This business model involves, managing stocks sourced through various grocery retailers and selling them to consumers directly.

2. Multi-vendor Marketplace Business Model: In this business model, collaboration with multiple vendors takes place. Allow consumers to purchase products offered by various vendors on a single platform.

3. Single-Vendor Business Model: Directly sell essential grocery items to buyers by launching an online grocery store supporting this business model.

4. Hyperlocal Grocery Business Model: In this business model, delivery of orders to customers is provided within a pre-defined geographical area.

5. Click and Collect OR Buy Online Pick-up In-Store (BOPIS) Business Model: Through this business model, you can offer a seamless shopping experience to customers by enabling them to buy products online and pick them up in-store.

6. Scheduled Delivery Model: This business model enables customers to pre-define the date and time to receive ordered groceries

Step 3: Finalize the Features For Your Grocery App

After selecting the business model, the next step is to finalize the features for your grocery app. These features play a crucial role in the success of an online grocery app. The grocery app is divided into two segments: the buyer’s app, and the delivery person’s app.

Here are the key features for your online grocery app:

Buyer’s App

Buyer’s app should provide a user-friendly, intuitive, and personalized grocery shopping experience to customers. Enable the users to easily search for grocery products, order them, and make payments.

Key features for the buyer’s app include: 

• Easy registration and log-in
• Search groceries
• Add to cart option
• Schedule orders
• Customer feedback – review and ratings
• Order tracking
• Easy checkout
• Push notifications

Delivery Personnel App 

An intuitive driver’s app enables delivery personnel to gain an overview of all the grocery delivery orders in one place. Moreover, a feature-rich app can streamline the delivery process for drivers, enhancing driver’s capacity, and maximizing the number of deliveries. 

Key features for delivery personnel’s app:

• Easy login and registration
• Route navigation and GPS tracking
• Click and call 
• Wallet management
• Multilingual functionality
• Order management
• Order cancellation at any time
• Push notifications and alerts

Read this blog to know more about the must-have features of an online grocery delivery marketplace. Consider the above-mentioned features while building your online grocery app to create high-performing grocery apps. 

Step 4: Implement a Monetization Strategy

After knowing about the important features, the next important aspect is to implement a profitable monetization strategy for your business. Popular revenue streams include: 

Commission on each transaction: The business owner can charge a fixed amount of commission on each transaction completed through the platform.

Commission on each delivery: Business owners can charge a delivery commission fee which is a pre-fixed amount charged from buyers and drivers. 

Advertisements: You can allow vendors to run their personalized ads on the homepage in return for an advertisement fee.

Vendor Subscription: Also known as the membership fee, business owners can use this revenue channel to cater to vendors who don’t want to continue with the commission model. They can pay a fixed subscription fee for a fixed period (monthly, or annually). 

Step 5: Build Your Online Grocery App Using A Readymade Software Solution

Now the final step is to build your online grocery app. You can seamlessly build your grocery app by choosing a ready-made software solution that offers all the essential functionalities. However, with so many options available, how do you choose the one that can best fit your requirements? 

Selecting the right software solution may feel like navigating through a maze but by considering the below-mentioned components you can make an informed decision. 

How to Choose a Reliable Software Solution To Build Your Grocery App?

Choosing a reliable no-code software solution to build your online grocery app requires careful consideration. Reflect upon the below-mentioned factors to seamlessly choose a reliable software solution for your grocery app. 

Market Research: The foremost thing is to conduct thorough market research about the software company you are considering to launch your online grocery app. Check the companies’ ratings at various software rating platforms and assess their reputation in the industry.

Latest Technology: Consider a ready-made software solution that is built on the latest technology. Leveraging advanced technologies can help you better serve your customers, streamline your business operations, and stay ahead of the competition in the industry.

Testimonials and Reviews: Explore the video testimonials on the company’s website shared by various clients describing the impact this software had on their entrepreneurial journey. Understand how this software’s capabilities contributed to their success and helped them in starting their online grocery business. 

Free personalized demo: Choose a software solution that offers a free personalized demo. This helps you understand the features and functionalities of the software and how it can work for your business. Moreover, with a personalized demo, you can ask your queries in real time. 

Integration Capabilities: Integration capabilities play an important role in enhancing the business operations and user experience of your grocery app. Hence, choose the no-code software solution that offers industry-specific pre-integrated APIs.

Customer support: This is a very crucial aspect of choosing a software solution. Consider a software company that is known for providing good customer support. Quick customer support through multiple channels can help you resolve any issues seamlessly. 

By considering the information mentioned above, you can seamlessly choose the right ready-made software for building your online grocery app. However, you can also consider a ready-made software solution like Growcer, which is specifically designed to launch an online grocery platform seamlessly.

This software consists of all the features needed for an intuitive user experience. Most of all, you don’t need any coding or programming knowledge to build your online grocery app. Additionally, Growcer offers white-label grocery apps for buyers and delivery staff that streamline business operations and offer convenience. Moreover, the apps offered by Growcer are user-friendly, feature-rich, and customizable.

Other benefits offered by Growcer include: 

• 100% White-label
• Lifetime ownership 
• User-Friendly UX/UI
• Android and iOS mobile apps 
• Scalable and customizable
• Secure and GDPR Compliance
• Latest features and capabilities
• No recurring charges
• Powerful admin panel
• Advanced vendor’s dashboard
• Free technical support for one year

Conclusion

Building an online grocery app doesn’t have to be a complex endeavor. With Growcer, you can create a robust and feature-rich grocery delivery app tailored to your business needs. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can bring your online grocery business idea to reality efficiently.