Do consumers spend more of their time on apps? Popularity of app-based delivery services drop a hint!
At least, stats reveal that they do. Q4 ’19 reported 53.33% share of traffic from mobile, which 222% increase than what was in 2013 (16.2%) in combined worldwide traffic. How’s that for a STA(R)T!
The pun was intended because of the rising popularity of Smartphones across heavily populated nations like India. Apparently, people love spending their time on an app rather than visiting website(s).
So, are people ditching websites completely?
No. Non. Nein. Nee.
We can’t give you a blind-spot for comfort that websites are irrelevant. Let’s explain with an example. Myntra – an Indian e-commerce Fashion Company – reintroduced its website just within a year after witnessing a 10% decline in sales after it went for its controversial “app-only” model.
Since websites catch up with native applications, especially by providing app-like swift & intriguing features, quick searches, and so on, websites won’t see the end of the day at all. Also, it shouldn’t be. It pushes for a sharp competition & interesting challenges.
Coming to the first question on why app-based delivery services have a greater edge as against web-based or phone-based applications. The time-spend quantity was just one of the primary points, but betterment has come from multiple facets too.
Popularity of App-based Solutions for Different Niches in Various Industries
Want to order food? Download Swiggy or Zomato or UberEats or anything else!
Need a plumber to repair taps & pipes? Use UrbanClap, Helpr, Housejoy, etc.
Checking out a hotel for the next holiday destination? Browse for hotels on Pobyt, Trivago, or Trivago and book them in seconds!
Whatever you need, it’s there. People love, admire, and respect services available at their fingertips. Give them a Smartphone and they will quickly download a verified app for using those services.
Let us tell you that there’s a downside on this too. If people don’t like the app, they will thrash it black and blue with a brutal 1-star rating and unflinching comments. The businesses that thrive on app-based delivery services have hardworking contributions to make these things work efficiently.
Back in 2018, global mobile app revenues crossed over 365bn USD. And, it is expected that by 2023, it would exceed 935bn USD. So, app-based businesses await a bright & flourishing future ahead.
Food delivery businesses have sustained their popularity for delivering food to hungry people right on time. Consumer spending on buying food online just shot to 40bn USD in 2015. If this Statista’s outlook is to be believed, Platform-to-Consumer Delivery will remain the market’s largest segment with a volume of US$70,741m in 2020.
We know the enticing statistics feel dreamily weird, but they are true even if you check it through a semi-transparent film. Global opportunities rack up for aspiring entrepreneurs and app-based delivery services will be the key.
App-based Delivery Solutions for Customers, Businesses, and Delivery Contractors
We can start talking all over and over again, but the statistics won’t fall low, at least not for now.
Brands like DoorDash, UberEats, Zomato, Uber, and many more have eased user access to their services through on-demand delivery apps. Be it a customer, a restaurant (company), a delivery/valet guy, each of them has a smooth touch-point for operations.
Engaging user experience through simplicity, reliability, and consistency plays a huge role. The user must get what they want on the app, which could be an elaborated menu on a Food Delivery App or a list of professionals on a home service marketplace app.
Similarly, the restaurants would enjoy a boss’s control for delivering excellent services to their respective customers. Meanwhile, a business revenue model should come for their approval regarding profit-making abilities.
Brands won’t invest in an app that does nothing for them. Commissions, higher sales, much higher ROIs, and branding are what businesses chase every single day. If they can achieve their objectives & targets through an app, they will trust it.
The delivery contractors in the Food & Beverage industry can optimize their movement with the help of features like GPS Tracking, area-wise notifications, lucrative incentives, and more. To create a win-win solution for all stakeholders, a business should study each aspect wisely.
Brands have focused on this methodology for facilitating outstanding results to all stakeholders. It won’t be wrong to say these app-based delivery services aren’t just solutions for consumers, but also for every single user from any category.
What Do Mobile Apps Offer That Web-based Apps Don’t?
For someone wanting to leverage on the pros of mobile apps, they can’t hoodwink this question. If you want to start an app-based business, you should have well-research ideas to do so.
For instance, let’s say, apps provide personalization like none of the web-based apps, which provides bespoke communication to users based on their location, interests, usage behavior, shopping pattern, and more.
Users relish customized content that pampers them as a special user. This has a dramatic influence on improving conversion rates for businesses. People build on personalized content and find it engaging when an app serves those offers relevant to them only.
Push and in-app notifications are another distinguished way to entice customers. We wouldn’t use the word lure here because it’s for the customer’s benefit that they may choose to accept or ignore. Notifications work along with offers & deals for users.
Mobile device features like camera, GPS for live tracking, contact list & calling options, etc. are giving a solid boost to the conversion rates, making operations smooth and building fun & interactive user experience.
Apps do work faster than web-based apps and you have to give them the credit where it’s due. But, did you know they augment performance through working offline. You still need the Internet for placing orders, but you can prepare lists for orders, perform calculations, and so on.
On-demand Delivery Apps and Exciting Features for Customers
We’ll be damned for focusing on end customers in apps because we’re hell-bent on proving practicality in front of you. Just like businesses demand better commissions, customers ask for better recommendations (and even special ones too!). A happy customer returns again & again. This mantra has worked for large e-commerce companies in the B2B and B2C sectors.
Some of the stimulating features include:
• Easy-to-use payment system with diverse options. Customers have e-wallets, debit cards, credit cards, PayPal, etc. Having an easy-to-use payment gateway helps users make simple and reliable transactions. We’d slip a note here that payment platform integration shouldn’t come at a cost of declining privacy & security features. Brands should know well about seamless checkout options for their customers.
• Customization for the customer. This sounds clichéd, but it’s true. Apart from layout, typography, and features, customers would want to see personalized recommendations, such as food specials, combo packages, discount offers, etc. Enriching user experiences make a killer app for sure.
• Speed and reliability. We would like to leave that on a professional app development company who knows the nuts and bolts of an on-demand app development project. Speed and reliability justify frequent usage behavior. If an app fails at these prominent parameters, it may need some tinkering or tweaking or replacement.
• Feedback system and social media integration. Mobile apps linked to social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, etc. have better usability for the customers. Besides, a solid feedback system in an app generates confidence in customers for shopping again and again. However, businesses should follow-up with relevant actions on that record.
Future of On-demand Delivery Services App and Economy Stuff
The on-demand economy is here to stay strong and thriving. We know aspiring entrepreneurs across the globe want their startups flourishing with opportunities without worrying about the financial side. If some splendid ideas didn’t work out in the past doesn’t mean they were failing due to the idea. No, they didn’t. They failed to accomplish what they desired because of their poor execution strategies and lack of relevant adaptation, inefficient engaging skills, and the list goes on like this.
We are hearing the right noises from angel investors and venture capitalists about booming this sector with the required funding. Having said that, we can’t assume an improper idea would survive any of the competition. In a marketplace, where contemporaries have something better to offer, entrepreneurs need to step up their game for achieving long-term success.
Reportedly, 51% of startup entrepreneurs catering to the on-demand economy are under the age group of 35 years. These figures depict a bright future ahead for the rookie players of the game. Besides, nobody has had success without testing the uncharted waters.
Conclusion
Food delivery apps or home service marketplace, the on-demand service apps have set a global precedent of delivering high-quality services at the doorstep through a few fingertip movements.
With technological inventions, innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking, startup businesses can garner defining opportunities to connect with the consumers and deliver solutions that they need. We can bet app-based delivery services bring out fare high & colorful with solid points.
