By Snigdha | Last Updated on November 27th, 2023 11:51 am | 4-min read 
Life is now divided into two time periods. Pre-pandemic and post-pandemic. It’s true that we cannot say with certainty when this pandemic will be over, but we as a global community have adapted to a new way of living. In the pre-pandemic world, what we saw as niche trends became standard practice in the post-pandemic world.
The wide use of grocery delivery apps similar to Instacart is one such phenomenon. In the pre-pandemic scenario, most of the younger generation, especially the millennials, would use grocery delivery apps and other shopping apps like Instacart. But today, in the post-pandemic world, it has become the norm to use on-demand delivery apps or other apps like Instacart almost on a daily basis.
In 2021, Instacart generated about $26 billion in sales. It is predicted that by 2023, their sales in the US may reach $35 billion.
These numbers are impressive and lucrative enough to get entrepreneurial minds wondering whether they can build apps similar to Instacart. An app like Instacart can be pretty complex to develop the traditional way. However, with Appy Pie’s no-code platform, you can make an app like Instacart in minutes without any coding.
What is Instacart?
Instacart is an on-demand grocery delivery app that lets customers order groceries and other products delivered to their homes. It isn’t really a groundbreaking discovery or service, but when this service is offered through a mobile app, the convenience grows manifold on both ends of the spectrum. You didn’t have to worry about going to the shop and back again or depend on someone to pick up groceries for you anymore. Just click and order, and you’re done!
How does Instacart work?
Instacart works much in the same way as any other on-demand delivery app, but for groceries. Instacart consists of two apps, one for the customers and the second for those making the deliveries. When a customer places an order, the delivery personnel can see the order pop up, accept it, and deliver the goods to complete the order.
Top features you must add to make an app like Instacart
Instacart made life easy even before the pandemic, and in the post-pandemic world, it simply became a necessity. Without an app like Instacart, many people would have had trouble surviving the pandemic. If you plan to make an app like Instacart, you must ensure that it has the features listed below.
Registration
Add the registration and login feature so that your app users would first have to register on the app and create an account before placing an order. As an app owner, you must ensure that the registration process is quick and easy. You can also enable social media logins so that the app users can register and create an account with just one click and authorization.
Search
With the search feature, the app users would be able to look for the exact product by entering the search terms in the search field. Another important aspect of this feature is to add filters. Using the filters, the users would be able to narrow down the search so that only the relevant results pop up in the search result.
Payment
Payment is an important part of the delivery process. When making an app like Instacart, you must include all the popular payment methods and gateways to ensure that as many app users as possible would be comfortable with making payments on your app.
Schedule delivery
Adding this feature to your on-demand delivery app would help the app users schedule delivery of their orders at their convenience. This is a great idea for people who have a routine they like to stick to but do not have the time or the ability to go out and pick up those things on their own.
Ordering & Cancellation
The app users can choose the items they need and place an order easily using the ordering feature. However, there should also be a window of time where the app user can cancel an order they just placed.
GPS tracking
Your customers will be more tolerant of a delay in delivery or generally if they could track their order status in real-time. Add the GPS tracking feature so that your app users can see the position and path of the delivery personnel. In this era of instant gratification, it is challenging to make someone wait patiently, but this real-time tracking helps induce some patience in an eager customer.
Returns and replacements
Like any other online purchase, a grocery order can be received in an unacceptable condition. In such a situation, the customers should have the option to return or replace the items that are in less than satisfactory condition. This option invokes trust among the app users for your app.
Push notifications
Push notifications are a highly effective method to stay connected with app users. You can send out targeted notifications with relevant information, deals, discounts, and more with just one click! You can also use push notifications to remind inactive app users of your app and bring them back to your app.
Product listings
This is a necessary feature for the vendors as they can list their stores and create individual product listings where they can provide detailed information about the items they are selling.
Inventory management
Another helpful feature for the vendors, inventory management, is necessary to keep a record of the stock as products are moving in and out of the store. Having an accurate measure of the inventory helps you stay organized and only accept orders that you can actually fulfill.
How to build an app like Instacart?
At this stage, we know what the Instacart app is and how it works. Once we have this information, it is easier to answer the question – how to make an app like Instacart. Many entrepreneurs, even grocery store owners, may want to make an app for their business. But most of them shy away from it because they are intimidated by the cost, time, and skilled resources needed for the project.
This is where Appy Pie’s no-code app development platform emerges as the perfect solution for businesses and individuals. The platform is entirely no code, so no skills are needed. It is affordable and only takes a few minutes to build an app.
Enter the name of your app
Give your app a name, choose a design theme and an app layout. Add your brand logo and choose the right brand colors.
Choose the right features
Add all the features listed above to your app by dragging and dropping. No need to code!
Test your app and publish your app!
Once your app is ready to your satisfaction, you can test it on real devices and see what your app users would see. Now your app is ready to go live on the app stores of your choice.
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