Thursday 12 May 2011

How To Start an Online Grocery Delivery Business

Online grocery delivery businesses have been attempted in the past, but with unfavorable results. Some people, however, think that the failures of past online grocery delivery businesses are due to lack of business planning. If you want to give online grocery delivery a try, here are some steps to help you start this kind of business.

* Research. The market for delivery grocery businesses is rather slim, and it is a very specialized niche market at most. There are some people who are very busy and who would like to have their groceries delivered right to their own doorsteps, but most people are actually quite willing to set a couple of hours each week to do their grocery shopping. This does not mean, however, that setting up an online grocery delivery business is impossible. This just means that you need to make sure that you do your research well, and that you select your audience or market demographic very carefully.
* Website. You will need to create a website. Because you are basically launching an online business, one of the most important things is for you to create a good website. Creating websites today is quite a complex process, because they are so much more sophisticated and complex, and now allow for user interactivity. Because you will likely conduct most of your business online, make sure that you hire a good web designer who will make a sleek and professional looking website for you. Also make sure that there is a shopping cart in your website so that visitors can do their grocery shopping online.
* Marketing. Next, you will need to form some marketing strategies to promote your website. This involves advertising your services. There are many ways to do this. The best way is to start small by advertising in local television stations and radio stations, and by running print ads in the local newspaper. Also make sure that you leave fliers and in car windshields, and add posters in bulletin boards around town. Remember, the grocery delivery business is best when it starts small-scale first.
* Shipping and sourcing. Make sure that you have contacts with some of the local grocery stores in town. Ask if there are any discounts for you if you purchase their products in bulk, or if you purchase the grocery that you deliver solely from them. There are some groceries that offer this, and most mom and pop grocery stores are easy enough to talk into it. This way, you will be able to earn more money by finding cheaper goods to deliver to your clients. Source out a good shipper that can do the delivery for you. Or if you are working only in town, you can deliver the goods yourself.


Running a grocery delivery business has its share of risks, but if you live in a town where people are busy and need someone to do their groceries for them, it is possible for this type of online business to take off, and with success.

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