Revealed! The Secret To Make Your Online Grocery Business Like Instashop A Success

Opportunity Behind The Hype Is Reel Out

It’s no more a secret that the past few years have been arduous for businesses in the UAE, especially for SMEs. Though, you may have also heard numerous success stories on the SME front — particularly Startups finding ways to the mobile screen. For instance, Amazon Souq deal, Emaar launching Noon, Instashop phenomenal rise and Namshi.com unprecedented growth in the fashion landscape.

Right after heading the Global Intelligence unit of Philips consumer lifestyle and establishing the lightning brand’s marketing intelligence division for Turkey and Middle East, John Tsoris founded Instashop in 2015. The past four years have witnessed a tremendous user growth for the app, which started its journey as an on-demand grocery ordering platform and has since emerged its wings into pharmacy, organic, butcher, pet shop and maid’s service.

An Outlook To The Greatest Mobile Grocery Store — Instashop

There are numerous apps available in the market that comply with making everyone’s life easier here in Dubai. And, one of the latest ones that I have downloaded is Instashop — after being flooded with Insta ads on Instagram.

Instashop is an app that offers groceries right to your doorstep within 45 minutes. The core objective of “Bringing the supermarket right at customer doorstep” with the right app development company made the idea a reality with an app like Instashop. The Dubai rooted firm is part of Jabbar Internet group.

First, let’s dive down to what’s the best about it.

To outgrow the competition, the app is excellently designed and funnelled down into 20 categories varying from dairy products and beacons, and fruits and veggies to coffee and tea, and healthcare products.

They even offer prepaid telephone cards. Moreover, there are additional services, including house cleaning and organic food delivery through Organic Foods and Cafe. Once you are done installing it, it’s for sure to steal your heart with its seamless and efficient user interface; all the credit goes to its designers and team of app developers in Dubai.

The start-up process is easy, you register, add your address and you are all ready to go. Further, you add items in your grocery wish list similar to how would you use any shopping app, play your order and sit back and relax.

Even, the groceries are reasonably priced too — you are not going to pay a whole lot more for the service.

But, with advantages, there is some fly in the ointment.

1. Till the end of June, the option of integrated payment by cards was not active. The option to add a card exists, however, during checkout, a message pop-up saying “Card payment will be supported soon”.

But, from a customer perspective, it’s advisable to add a note in the delivery options asking for a card machine to be brought along if you are out of cash.

2. Secondly, the options present in your main menu to “suggest a product”. While it’s an expected option to have, numerous products that users suggest over the past few weeks are still not available yet despite being available in the store when you give them a call and ask. So, I’llI’ll advise you to be patient with this feature.

3. Right, after you are done placing your order, the app suggests you stay close to your phone in case they send an alternative product update.

Reasons Why Ecommerce Is The Powerhouse In The Region

Ecommerce is arguably the “NEW” Lingo.

Or isn’t it?

One may argue the latter for there is barely something new to it. So, imaging a day without connectivity is a fair struggle as increasing digital penetration has effectively revolutionized the interactions with machines.

Indeed, the Gospel truth is the Internet act as a catalyst in shaping our lives and profiles. For instance, be it using online channels for education, entertainment and research, consumers digital comforts grew exponentially.

However, online shopping through mobile phones, tabs, smart devices, desktops — followed as a natural progression, and currently are an indispensable part of almost every consumer’s life.

Regardless of the users across the region facing quarantine and business closing down due to the epidemic, internet users opted for e-commerce in unprecedented numbers to acquire everything — from essential goods to luxuries. So, with the online market total worth in 2019 at AED 59 billion with annual growth of 23 per cent annually between 2018 and 2022 makes it achieve thriving momentum in this rough time. Here are top reasons offering you a clear vision as to why e-commerce is the powerhouse in Dubai.

• The Digital Natives

Like the US population, the UAE population comprises approximately 30 per cent of digital-native millennials (the individuals born between 1981 to 1996) and a growing Gen Z (born between 1997 to 2012).these digital natives are connected and seek on-demand, nearly instant solutions. Their desire for dynamic and convenient shopping experiences is predicted to accelerate the uptake of the e-commerce landscape.

• A Higher Digital Penetration

Mounting in eCommerce aligns as digital becomes the future in the UAE. Surprisingly, according to Visa’s research, mobile phone penetration is presently at a high world-record of 21.09 per cent.

So, with words acting as a bridge with consumers, the trust in online shopping evolves. Even the leading app development companies in Dubai, UAE believes that the user spending via the online retail platform will see marvellous growth years in coming time.

• Government’s 1st Choice

Proactive government policies have been essential in creating a digital culture throughout the UAE and eradicating many of the barriers to become a cashless society. Digital commerce and cashless transactions were found as top government priorities in UAE vision 2021.

Also, the government has implemented a number of initiatives to support it, like the wage protection system. Moreover, a lean, digital, connected yet cashless government driven by cutting-edge, revolutionary technologies, even defining the government of the future is in the to-do list of the smart Dubai 2021 initiative.

• Mobile Wallet Is UAE New Normal

A thorough penetration of smartphones is the baseline for mobile wallet adoption, and undoubtedly this has been a reality for years in the UAE. The usage of mobile wallets in the UAE has risen exponentially with global mammoths like Google pay, PayPal and Apple Pay entering the fray along with local players like Beam Wallet and Etisalat Wallets along with local banks.

Offering a reliable and secured payment transaction with a simple tap on the smartphone or smartwatch, residents can today pay quickly at supermarkets, to hawkers, hotels, department store, cinemas, petrol stations and the list goes on.

• Reinventing Digital Shopping Opportunities

Taking into consideration the merchant side, all have seen tremendous growth in the eCommerce sector domestically and internationally, consisting of seRevealed! The Secret To Make Your Online Grocery Business Like Instashop A Successveral digital startups with the best-in-class shopping experience for in-app and mobile.

Simultaneously, it’s also witnessed that the traditional retailers across all sectors go digital and global brands have opted for delivery services to the UAE, making it a lot easier for consumers and receiving goods seamlessly.

• Improved Logistics

For an eCommerce app like Instashop, logistics can be a game-changer. Fortunately, the UAE is the focal point for distribution, and it’s considered as an imperative for mobile app development in Dubai along with the logistics costs and superb infrastructure make it an ideal place for eCommerce to thrive.

In addition, it enjoys an advantage as a significant global trans-shipment hub with the port of Jebel Ali and international airport.

2020’s customers don’t desire to see what everyone else is exploring in the eCommerce landscape. Indeed, they wish for something which allures to them or that has been personalized for them only.

If you are planning to take a step ahead for your own eCommerce app, all you need is an idea that solves a major problem. So, to address your question, I have put together this guide to help you build your next big thing from scratch with the best app developers in Dubai.

Let’s Get Started!

Build Your Own Online eCommerce App

Creating and curating an eCommerce app is two different tales from a technical aspect. However, experts have seen the turn of tides in the app market over decades-long experience in mobile app development succeeding in today’s market scenario. So, let’s unfurl it.

• Make Out Your Niche

The first and foremost step in creating a successful eCommerce app is to choose your niche. Your niche will sheath diverse aspects like the products you are thinking to sell. The categories that you intend to present in your virtual stores. For example, you think to focus more on primary grocery elements like butter, rice, milk and eggs. In this scenario, you may need to shift your other goods like accessories, books, clothes etc. to the secondary section.

Hence, the choice of your location should always be preceded by a comprehensive market study. Taking into consideration the essential factors, along with strong areas of the supply chain is considered and marked as your preferred niche. Another crucial thing to consider at this point of time is your app audience age group, their mobile usage and studies on their online spending trends etc.

• Pen Down The Essential Features

The sketching down of the essential features for an e-commerce app is the next big thing on the app development process. Also, it’s important to understand that users are turning more and more mobile-dependent. Hence it’s vital to ensure them comfort as much as possible through exclusive app features.

For instance, an e-commerce app with products in disarray will disengage users and are sure to put them off. Besides, the mobile app development in Dubai adheres some essential features for every creative mobile app, paying particular attention to e-commerce are as follows:

• Easy-in and out policy
• Simple authentication features like two-step login, social media etc
• Compelling push notifications
• 24*7 customer support
• Easy tracking of the product
• Ratings and reviews systems to create rapport with clients
• Product search with respective categories and sub-types
• Improved features like AR and AI embedded in the process.

So, once you are done jotting down the essential features out clearly, the next step is to get down to app building.

3. Harmonize The Design Element

One of the pinnacles of success of e-commerce apps like Instashop and Amazon is the user-ended design. A design that reads the user mind and offers the keys and buttons to navigate with ease is undoubtedly going to unlock users’ hearts.

The wireframing of the app, the placing of the crucial features, streamlining check-out processes, etc. form the core of design considerations. Irrespective, these listed features are to be considered with clients as they have an everlasting impact on the cost to develop an app. Hence, continuing client interaction is an unsaid ritual to follow in this step.

So, if you look at the app, you will definitely find some specific design framework that they have followed through the entire app, like:

• Using a simple yet elegant one-column structure in the interface to show products.
• A minimal colour, graphics and easy interface to keep things clean and simple.
• Minimal product information upfront and more info for those who are in need.
• Simplicity through high-level functions like search, wishlist, cart, streamlined menu etc.

Moreover, it’s also the time to design your brand and plan a logo or name with the best mobile app developers in Dubai that fits the best for your design feel. Most people name their child after birth, but expert’s experience shows that an app follows its name and hence to put one’s finger on it during the creative phase is more productive.

4. Choosing The Right Platform & Development

The next step in your app development process is choosing the right platforms between the two- iOS or Android or a PWA that can be the right fit for your mobile e-commerce app. While many of the on-demand services are Android, innovative and targeted apps are part of the iOS app store.

Also, the region of the operation, the economic situation of your priority customers are all of the determining factors for platform selection.

It’s a well-known fact that iOS apps are a top choice in North America and the rest EU with some exceptions there. A visionary mobile app development company would instead choose it on the market analysis stage itself to offer a philosophical direction to the development process.

5. The Indispensable Testing

It’s mandatory to check the app before its launched, especially the key elements with diverse channels of entry through mobile, web, desktops and syndicates. The amalgam of the core functionalities of the mobile app with the back-end functionalities shows that testing an e-commerce app is not easy, yet it’s inevitable for success.

6. App Release and Support

Finally, the time to launch your app is here! The first stage offers you insight about the marketing activities for the final app launch, the social media promotions, the Google ads, gaming and a lot of other techniques that will help your app get the right audience.

At The End… If I have to give one piece of advice on when to start with your own app, I would preferably say TODAY! Don’t wait as it’s never too early, and forget about the fears of failing and don’t settle for the present comfortable and safe nook you might be in.

Just get started with the best team of app developers for your project that will help you create a successful app like InstaShop for COVID times. In that case, you can schedule a meeting with the best app development company in Dubai, India and the USA known to deliver innovations inspiring the next.