Imagine that just 3 percent of Americans ordered groceries online a few years ago.
Its not the case anymore. With the advent of online delivery startups and current conditions, more people are now willing to order groceries online.
Its not just in the USA. In many European countries, online grocery businesses are also growing in popularity. They bridge the gap between customers, local stores, and provide a convenient shopping experience.
According to statista reports, the number of adult grocery app users in America has increased from 12 million in 2017 to 30.4 million in 2022. These startups are attracting investors and entrepreneurs.
You will need to be familiar with these apps if you are looking to tap into the market and launch your grocery delivery app.
Before you start working on grocery market development software, lets take a look at how these apps work and what essential features are required.
First, you should know that there are three types of grocery delivery and ordering apps.
A fourth type of grocery store app is required if you want to build a multi-vendor platform. These are:
- App for the customer
- The admin panel
- Appendix for the delivery person
- App for grocery stores
This combination (or quad, for multi-vendor models) makes a great grocery delivery platform.
To provide true value to your customers, you need to have all three.
What features do each app require?
Below is a table that lists the main features of a grocery delivery service app:
Type of Grocery App |
Features |
Customer side app |
Editing and creation of profiles |
Register and log in |
|
Search groceries |
|
Shopping at grocery stores |
|
Add to Cart |
|
Schedule Orders |
|
Payment gateway |
|
Get History |
|
Tracking real-time orders |
|
Customer feedback - Ratings and reviews |
|
Admin panel |
Register & Manage Your Profile |
Admin Dashboard |
|
Content Management |
|
Order Management |
|
Push Notifications |
|
Loyalty programs and schemes |
|
Analytics |
|
App for delivery side |
Registering and editing your profile |
Order Management |
|
GPS Tracking and Maps |
|
Status Update |
|
Delivery History |
|
Digital Wallet |
|
App for Grocery Stores |
Inventory Management |
Notification of Order |
|
Accept or reject orders |
|
In-app chat and calling |
|
Payroll Management |
|
Support for Customers |
|
View feedback |
These are the essential features that your app must have to be perfect. After reviewing the most popular and successful grocery delivery apps, lets discuss the features we selected.
Grocery Delivery App Features Explained
Customer App Features
This is the end customer of the grocery delivery app. This is the app that your customers will use.
They can access the grocery shop app, find a local vendor, place an order, and pay.
This app can be used to provide many functions for customers. Here are some essential features for the grocery delivery app customer-side.
1. Editing and creation of profiles
This will allow users to create a profile, which is their first step in downloading your app.
This is crucial because it will allow users to track their orders and make payments. To personalize everything, users will need to create profiles.
The profile creation and registration feature allow users to input the required information and customize their profile according to their preferences.
Users can edit their profile information and adjust preferences and settings using the edit profile feature. You can send personalized notifications and offers to users using their profile information.
Read More:- Can you Develop a Grocery App based on My Unique Needs?
2. Login and sign up
Registration and the creation of a profile go hand-in-hand. These are separate features, but we have clarified that they can be used together.
Developers while developing online grocery delivery app can include the Register via Social Media Account option to speed up the registration process.
Another option is to register using a username and password. Either one or both of these options can be included in your app. You should include the forget password option in your application, as most users will forget their passwords in the future.
Tip: Make the registration process simple and easy for users. A complicated registration process is not something anyone likes, and no one has the time.
3. Search for Groceries
This is one of the most important and prominent features of a grocery delivery service app.
Once logged in, the app will allow users to search for groceries and local stores.
An easy search option is available to help users find the products they need online. This works by creating a smart list that includes all grocery items and grocery stores, organized by name, location, type, grocery store, and product preference (fruits, veggies, packaged foods, etc.
This smart list will make it easier for users to find what they want. Users can browse the lists and choose a nearby grocery store to place their order.
4. Local Grocery Stores
After finding a grocery store near you, it is important to verify the vendors profile to ensure that the order was placed from the correct place.
This allows customers to see other customer feedback on the grocery store, such as if orders were delivered on time if all products are correct, and if payment refunds have been initiated. This feature will ensure you provide excellent customer service. High-rated stores will receive more orders than those with lower ratings.
5. Add to Cart
This is a feature that I believe every grocery ordering app or shopping app should have.
This is why customers might order from more than one store or place orders at different locations. They shouldnt order from just one store. Instead, they should complete the ordering process, pay at the store, and then go to the next location to place their order.
A cart option allows users to select items from multiple places, add them to a cart, and then place an order.
Customers may add items to their cart and complete their orders the next day. The cart allows customers to save the products they want and complete the order whenever they are ready.
6. Schedule Orders
It would be wonderful if users could schedule their orders in advance so that the products arrive when they are due.
Groceries are an important part of our daily life. These items are always in demand.
Sometimes, users forget to place their orders because they get too busy with work. This option will ensure that their groceries arrive at the right time. This feature can help your customers love your app more.
7. Payment Gateway
After the user has placed the order, it is time to checkout and completes the process.
It is important to offer online payment. You can integrate your grocery app to allow multiple payment options, including credit card payment, debit card payment, PayPal, Stripe or cash delivery.
Tip: Users will need to input and share their card information when making online payments.
You should ensure that the payment process is as secure and safe as possible. Secure payment options will encourage users to pay online through your app and increase trust in your business.
8. Accessing the contact details of the delivery person
Once your order has been placed, you can make the payment. This feature can be added to your app.
Users can view the contact information of the delivery man. Sometimes, users may not be home to pick up their delivery. Or your delivery man might get caught in traffic and become late.
It will make communicating easier for both the users and the delivery person in these cases. This functionality will allow users to contact the delivery person and obtain the relevant information.
9. Get History
Customers may want to see previous orders. This could be due to multiple reasons.
Customers might want to place the same order at the same store or simply want to know how much they spent on groceries last month. Customers will be able to view their previous orders. Customers can order items from the same vendor without searching for the nearest store.
10. Real-Time Tracking of Orders
This is crucial if you want to earn the customers trust. Its not a good idea to force customers to wait for their order to arrive and then do nothing.
Orders can sometimes arrive late or be delivered earlier than expected. This option allows users to keep track of the orders progress from dispatch to delivery to their doorstep. It will not only ensure that their order arrives on time, but it will also allow them to keep calm as they wait.
11. Reviews and rating option
This feature allows users to rate and review your grocery delivery app. This is what you should think about it.
Imagine hundreds to thousands of people placing orders and getting deliveries. Which grocery store should the user choose from all the options on the app? Your goal is to make it easy for users to choose the best.
It will serve as an incentive for registered stores to offer excellent services to receive high ratings and rise to the top of the list. It will also help customers identify the top-rated stores and make placing orders on your site easier.
Additional Features
You can also add additional features to your custom app to increase engagement. These include -
Offers and Coupons: The coupon and offer feature in a grocery markets development app can be crucial.
Customers can get attractive deals from you. These promos can include anything from black Friday deals to the festive season. This will help customers remain loyal and increase user retention.
Push Notifications: You can notify users about upcoming offers in your app using push notifications.
Tip: Dont use this feature too often. Even if the notifications are about ongoing sales, no one wants to receive constant notifications on their phones.
It is possible to add an option that allows users to manage notifications, such as the frequency and opting out.
Admin Panel (& Vendor Panel) Features
You may be wondering what admin apps are. This is a simple explanation. The admin panel is the brain of your grocery delivery service.
The admin panel should be the backbone of the customer app is the front end. Your customers will use the customer app. You can use the Admin panel. The second stage of your app development is to create an admin panel.
You will need the admin panel to manage all your services and online business. Its a web-based application used by store owners and those who manage/run the services.
It is responsible for important functions like accepting or rejecting orders, managing them and listing the products, setting prices, etc.
This list outlines the essential features you will need to run your core grocery markets development software:
1. Register & Manage Your Profile
Like the customer-side application, the admin panel requires registration and management functionality.
This feature is compatible with all three types of mobile apps.
This feature is essential if you use an aggregator model to create multi-vendor platforms.
This panel allows vendors to sign up and manage their data. They can create offers for customers and update their products.
2. Assigning Order
This feature allows grocery stores, or you, if you are a single vendor platform, to assign orders.
It is essential for your grocery app. This feature allows you to assign different delivery people according to their availability.
3. Dashboard
The dashboard is a great way to manage your store. The dashboard lets the administrator see all key functions, including orders, payments and delivery.
4. Content Management
This feature allows you to optimize your apps content and improve the user experience.
Multi-vendor models allow multiple store owners to update and manage the content.
The options for managing the content are usually:
- Change information about grocery stores (example: name, address and contact details, hours of operation, etc.
- Photos
- Edit product list (example: deleting items, changing price)
You can help users have a better experience on your grocery platform by keeping the information current and up-to-date.
5. Handling the Orders
Order management allows stores to manage the delivery and receipt of orders. Groceries can track the status of orders and notify customers when it is coming to them.
You can also access payment handling and order history.
You can add additional features to your admin panel
Accounts & Management - To manage and modify financial accounts and payment details.
It allows businesses to calculate their total revenue from the app.
Push Notifications: This allows admins to notify customers about discounts and other offers.
Using the order history, you can send custom notifications to customers based on their interests and preferences.
Analytics: You can use the analytics to see how many people have downloaded your app and how many orders you get every day.
This allows you to monitor your business and all its data.
Delivery Person App Features
This is the third type of grocery delivery app that delivery drivers will use. These are the key features of the courier app:
1. Register and Edit your Profile
The admin panel is similar to the first type of app. Registration is crucial for the delivery side of your grocery portal.
Every delivery person must register.
This allows vendors and your business to verify the delivery person. This will make your services safer and more secure, and each order can be tracked more effectively.
Tip: Require delivery personnel to complete the registration process and verify it.
After the verification, delivery personnel should only be permitted to deliver and receive orders. This will allow you to build customer trust.
2. Management of Orders
The delivery side can monitor and see any orders made using the "manage order" feature.
They will then be able to accept or deny the requests.
3. Navigation and GPS
It is vital that the GPS tracking and navigation feature be enabled for delivery personnel to locate the delivery location.
They can use a built-in navigation system to find the best route and deliver the package on time.
4. Status Update
This feature allows the delivery person to update the status of an order. You have two options for updating the status:
- In progress
- Delivered
- More delays
Customers will receive an email notification about status updates. Customers and delivery sides can communicate easily by using this method.
5. Digital Wallet
A digital wallet allows the delivery man to receive payment for orders from customers or grocery stores.
This depends on your grocery app development company. The delivery man can withdraw the amount from his wallet whenever he wishes.
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6. Reviewing the Delivery History
The delivery side app has the same feature as the customer apps check history function, which allows customers to see their order history.
This helps delivery keep track of the deliveries made and the amount received for each order.
Conclusion
Mobile app development for grocery delivery is a great way of saving time and money.
Your customers will love you for it! We are a mobile app developer and can help you start your business today. Contact us anytime to find out more or how we can help in other areas.