Online shopping is becoming an increasingly popular and in-demand practice in our country. There are several reasons for this. First, lack of time. Walking around the shops in search of the right thing is a rather tedious and often lengthy task. While on the Internet, the purchase is completed in minutes.

Second, more choices. If in real life the offer is limited to the stores available in a particular city, then in the virtual space you can buy goods from all over the world. Thirdly, banal laziness or unwillingness to go somewhere, if the right thing can be brought right to the threshold of the door. The most popular items to order online are clothing and footwear, electronics, household appliances and other durables.

When it comes to food, we do not hesitate to go to the supermarket or the market. Like it or not, but if the refrigerator is empty, you have to go. But if it were possible, many citizens would not refuse to order these goods on the Internet. The need for such a service exists, especially among busy people. So why not start a home delivery business? Some entrepreneurs have already taken this idea into circulation, but the niche is still free.

Ways to organize grocery delivery: which one to choose?

There are several options for providing this service. The first is to open your own online store with a certain range of products. However, this idea requires large financial investments and is quite difficult to implement. It is necessary to think over transport logistics, organize a warehouse where thousands of items will be stored (if the assortment is small, it will be difficult to compete with ordinary supermarkets), and create a single IT platform.

The second way to implement this business is an online grocery store based on an existing, real trading network. This method is much simpler and more convenient, since in addition you will only need transport and a courier, and the "parent" company will supply the products. But the option is suitable for those entrepreneurs who already have such a business in real life.

The third is to organize the delivery of products from the stores existing in your city, earning money on courier services. This method is the most interesting, the least expensive in terms of financial investments and quite attractive in terms of profitability, if you approach the implementation correctly. At the same time, there are free niches in business. In Russia, this service is not yet so popular, although in some regions it has already become quite popular.

Scheme for the implementation of product delivery and the necessary attributes to start

The main working platform for the delivery business will be an Internet resource. It should be as convenient and understandable as possible for all categories of the population. This is where the order will take place. The essence of the work is:

1. Buyers go to your site, fill out a product order form and a questionnaire, which indicate the name and contact phone number. In addition to the list itself, stores are selected from which products should be purchased, and specific wishes for the product. For example, brand, grade, fat content, etc.
2. The operator receives the order and contacts the buyer to confirm it. If there are any clarifications, they are entered into the form according to the customer.
3. The list with detailed instructions is then handed over to the courier. He makes a purchase, observing all the requirements and wishes, and delivers the order to the buyer.
4. Payment is made either in cash to the courier, or through the site by bank transfer.

Such a home delivery business is unique in its own way, but in demand. The service will be of interest to both young people and the elderly. And in order for the service to be really convenient and of high quality, you need to think through all the main nuances. So, the site should have detailed instructions for placing an order, information about the rules for providing the service, its cost.

When calling the buyer, the operator must warn that if the list does not indicate the wishes for the product, for example, the fat content of sour cream, then the purchase will be made at the discretion of the courier. Therefore, it is in the interests of the buyer himself to fill out the form as detailed as possible (when developing the site, pay special attention to the purchase field).

Features of ordering products: payment and other nuances

It is necessary to think in advance how payment for delivery services will be carried out. Will it be a fixed price or a percentage of the purchase amount? Both have their pros and cons, so pick the one that works best for you. You can offer particularly impatient customers express delivery, when the purchase of products will occur as soon as possible, but at a higher price.

It is also worth offering customers the opportunity to specify wishes for a specific delivery time. For example, place an order in the morning, given that the courier will bring it at 7 pm. It will be convenient for customers who are at work to shop and receive them when they come home.

In addition, some buyers will be interested in specific services, such as home delivery of village products. It can be offered as an additional one if you have the opportunity to establish cooperation with producer farmers. However, this option is suitable as a seasonal.

What do you need to organize a delivery service?

We figured out how to place an order and deliver products to your home. The business plan should include detailed information about all the attributes necessary to start the activity. Let's talk about what you need to get started.

The site of the company

It should be convenient, understandable, functional. If customers get confused about how to place an order, what needs to be filled in, where to find out about the price and other conditions, then they will simply refuse to complete the application.

Staff

This is a dispatcher who will accept and process orders, transfer them to couriers and provide comprehensive customer support by phone. He can work both in the office (then you have to rent a room and equip it with a workplace), and remotely. The main thing is that during the working day he is constantly in touch and monitors the receipt of orders.

The most important employees are couriers. Their number depends on the frequency and number of orders. Minimum - two people. It is best to hire people with a private car and just pay them gas. This will significantly reduce the required investment.

Transport

As mentioned above, the most convenient option is to hire employees with personal vehicles. Otherwise, you will have to buy it, and this is a significant cost. The only desirable thing to do is to purchase one van equipped with a thermal body, which will deliver specific orders (for example, very bulky or requiring maintaining a certain temperature).

In general, that's all. In order to organize a home delivery business (not to be confused with an online grocery store), nothing else is needed. The most important thing is to competently organize the work of the dispatcher and couriers. It is good if employees report on the status of the order (purchase / delivery) to the coordinator so that he can control the progress of its execution and, if necessary, inform the customer.

Together with the ordered purchases, the courier must necessarily hand over the check to the customer - directly into the hands, and not just in the package with the products. This will avoid possible misunderstandings and complaints. It is also necessary to organize feedback from customers in order to know what points should be finalized / corrected.

Organization of food delivery activities

The company can be registered as LLC or IP. You just need to have permission to carry out business activities related to courier services. Since you yourself will not produce or sell anything, there will be no difficulties here. Your job is delivery services. This is a huge plus compared to other types of business, when the company itself rents a warehouse, purchases and resells food products.

Conclusion

Doing business on the delivery of products to your home in our time is very profitable. People now do not have much free time, which is often expensive. Therefore, many of them are willing to pay to have someone else do the purchase and delivery of products for them. For a novice entrepreneur, this is an opportunity to start their own business with minimal financial investment and good earnings prospects.