Almost everything has now implemented digitization. So does shopping for daily necessities (grocery) which now can be done online. Online grocery services make it easy for us to order daily necessities such as vegetables, fruit, and various other types of food. Only through apps that are connected to internet access, daily needs can be fulfilled without us having to leave the house.
This trend of online grocery service is on-demand, where there is an order, the courier will deliver it within a predetermined time to maintain the material’s freshness. Currently, there are many online grocery platforms that allow us to connect directly with the courier.
Online Grocery Business Opportunity
In Indonesia, the market share of the online grocery business still only exists in big cities, especially areas close to the capital city. However, this does not rule out the possibility that the online grocery business will continue to expand to other areas. Data from The Institute of Grocery Distribution ASIA states that the online grocery market is predicted to grow by 198% in 2023.
The region that is projected to become the center of the fastest growing online grocery market is Southeast Asia, although its value is not as big as China, Japan, and South Korea. The Indonesian market is predicted to grow because it is considered to have an important scale for business owners. In Indonesia, the concept of online grocery has been started since 2013, where the Seroyamart brand emerged which presented a similar concept in the market.
In the following year, various newcomers such as Honestbee appeared, but only lasted for 1.5 years. Since then, various new brands have emerged, such as HappyFresh, SayurBox, Go Mart, Hypermart, and Grab Fresh, which are still there to serve the public with the online grocery concept. Each of them also has a strong business backing.
The Business Soars Thanks to the Pandemic
Various products that can be used online business ideas during the covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic seems to have its own blessing for online grocery businesses. As we know, one way to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 is to do physical distancing and to lessen outdoor activities specially, in public places, one of which is the market. With online grocery, we no longer need to jostle in the market or to do physical distance with other people, which is surely a difficult task to achieve in such places.
The presence of online grocery stores has helped reduce mobility, which of course has a positive impact on the decreasing number of cases of Covid-19. Those who have to self-isolate can still fulfill their daily needs with online grocery.
Several e-commerce companies have also started adding a grocery category to their services, like Lazada. Local companies like Blibli also don’t want to be left behind. It presents the grocery concept on Blibli Mart. Looking at this phenomenon, the projection of the online grocery business seems to have a bright future. Moreover, people’s shopping habits are now increasingly dependent on digital.
Online Grocery Shopping Tips
Compared to having to shop directly at the market, shopping through online grocery is quite practical and easy. For those who are busy, online grocery can be a savior when all their daily needs are running low. We also don’t need to queue when shopping online for groceries.
It is fast enough to do through a special app or platform, and the couriers will be ready to deliver all our daily needs. However, we must apply some special tips when we do online grocery shopping so that it won’t cost us any loss. Here are some tips to a success online grocery shopping:
- Choose a trusted market
- Buy as needed
- Take the benefit of discount
- Choose a market with good quality service
When shopping for groceries online, choose a trusted market so that the products you buy are of high quality. To find out the credibility of the market, you can visit its official website and see their customer testimonials.
It is important to buy what you really need when you shop. Avoid buying something just because you want it or just because you are tempted by the cheap price. It will only make your money go to waste and your needs might not be fulfilled properly.
When you are about to shop, you can check whether the online grocery market offers promos or discounts on the products you buy. Take the benefit of this for your budgeting.
Make sure the online grocery market you choose has good quality services, so that the goods or products you buy can arrive on time and complete.
Online Grocery Business Tips
Seeing the great opportunity of online grocery business, no wonder that there are many people who want to explore the business. If you are one of them, here are some tips for starting an online grocery business:
- Prepare the capital
- Find suppliers
- Promotion
- Give good quality service
When starting any business, including online grocery, you have to calculate the amount of capital needed. The main capital when creating an online grocery business is used for vendors to create websites or apps to connect you with customers.
It is best for you to look for vendors with affordable prices but good quality work. You can also use free sites to create your own website such as blogspot or wordpress. In addition, you can use social media such as TikTok Shop to connect with buyers or customers.
After calculating the capital, you need to find a supplier who provides good quality products with cheap prices. This can be done by surveying the market directly to find out the quality and price in the field. After finding the suitable one, you can subscribe to that supplier.
Promotion is an important step in doing business. You can use social media to promote the online grocery business you just built. The trick is to create unique content to introduce your business.
Promotion through social media can reach more people than conventional promotions like brochures or flyers. You can also try to attract potential buyers by offering discounts or free shipping.
When your online grocery business starts, you have to provide good quality service. Make sure the products brought to customers are fresh and high quality products. You also have to deliver the product on time so that customers won’t be disappointed.
After you have done the tips above, the last step is to connect your online grocery website or app with a payment gateway system like Duitku. Why is that? Since online grocery provides fresh ingredients, the ordering process, payment and delivery must also be processed quickly.
This is in line with the Duitku service which will facilitate your customers to shop and transact 24/7 easily. With an automatic transaction checking system, your customer orders will be processed faster for delivery.
Let’s automate your online grocery business with DUITKU!
