How to Open a Grocery Online Store in Nigeria

This year alone, the increase in online shopping will make you think of How to Open a Grocery Online Store in Nigeria. The time of large supermarkets and retail chains is gradually becoming a thing of the past.

Today, people have to visit several stores in order to purchase the goods that they need. Since hyper- and super-markets often offer a different assortment of products, even in the middle price range. Some of the offers may simply not be available in other stores.

Earlier, simply the presence of a large number of goods on the shelves seemed a miracle, today the spoiled buyer is becoming more and more capricious. Buyers no longer want to waste time driving several supermarkets, and even more so, taking a long walk from shelf to shelf, choosing the right product.

This is especially noticeable after the “office time” when many go to stores after work.

The online store of unique products gives you the opportunity to collect the most popular products in the form of cards to provide visitors with a wide range. 

For starters, you can deliver products from supermarkets using the services of couriers, and over time, store the most popular goods in your own warehouse. This will provide an opportunity to quickly provide customers with fresh and quality products.

Therefore, an online store where goods can be selected without leaving their home is a great alternative to a supermarket. The online store can not only offer the buyer an interesting selection of goods, but also solve problems such as saving time and, often, money.

Online Store: Step-by-Step Opening Plan

Opening an online product store is more difficult than any other online store. If you work as an intermediary, delivering products from the supermarket, it is unlikely that your store will gain popularity, although this possibility is not excluded. But it’s best to organize your own logistics system. Therefore, you will need to:

  1. Find and rent a warehouse.

2. Purchase refrigeration equipment.

3. Rent transport for the delivery of products, which must be equipped with a thermal body.

4. Create a store website.

5. Register a business.

6. Solve the issues of delivery of products and delivery to their customers.

7. Make an advertising campaign.

How much money is needed to start a business

We’ll make a reservation right away, it’s profitable to open a large online food store either in a big city or count on the most solvent population. Good advertising will help, which should convince people that buying in an online store is not only profitable but also prestigious.

So, when drawing up a business plan, you need to build on prices that are relevant in the region. Given the registration of a business, the rental of premises and transport, the creation of a website, the purchase of equipment, advertising, and payment for courier delivery.

There is another option when the collection of products is carried out by a specially trained courier who receives order data from you. In this case, the time for the formation of one customer purchase will be 50% longer than from their warehouse, which should be notified on the site in an advertising form. For example, presenting this as an advantage – only fresh products! Collection of the order at the time of receipt!

How much can you earn

On average, an online grocery store pays off within six months. Your earning will depend on the goods you have and the attendance of the online store. It is advisable that at the initial stage the average attendance of your online store is at least 200 people per day. The next step will be promoted through contextual advertising, instant messengers, and social networks.

What equipment is needed to open grocery online store

The advantage of opening an online store is that it needs a minimum of equipment. You need to purchase: a phone or a computer(for convenience) and a printer, an uninterruptible power supply. In the second stage, refrigerators for food storage.

The secret of success lies in the work of the courier, who will ensure the start of the business. All first sales are made by collective orders.

Do I need permission to open a grocery online store?

Special permissions for opening an online store of products are not needed. A license is only required if you are selling alcohol. She will need a special package of documents.

Combined orders can significantly simplify the activity since you only deliver products to customers.

What documents are needed to open a grocery online store

First of all, you will need to register your store with the tax authorities.

Since the store requires a warehouse, you will need to obtain permits.

What you can sell in the online store of unique products

Any buyer wants to buy fresh, environmentally friendly products. In addition, at a relatively affordable price. On this you can base the policy of the online store.

The “trick” of your business may be products that are not available elsewhere. , for example, unusual pastries, salads, pickles, etc. But let the assortment be as diverse as possible. It can be

> vegetables and fruits from the “garden”;

> farm dairy products and eggs;

> meat and fish (fresh and frozen);

> convenience foods;

> “Home” sausages;

> bakery and pastry shops;

> seafood;

> alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

You can offer ready-made business lunches, street food, products from foreign manufacturers and, along with this, products from farmers. You need to decide: how much you are ready to invest in the business and what opportunities you have for its organization. But the larger the assortment, the sooner the store will pay off.

What should be the site of the online product store

The site of the online product store should include the online store itself, a procurement processing system, and an online warehouse. Good photos and a high-quality description of the product are required, without this sale they won’t go, no matter how excellent the assortment is. You should take care of the interface of the site, which should be as convenient as possible for the buyer.

It is desirable that the navigation be represented by both textual and graphic elements. Of course – the design should be adaptive for mobile devices.

First of all, you need to pay attention to the “Basket”, it should include the ability to not only put the goods, but also replace it with a similar one from the recent list viewed by the user. Selected items must be saved if the tab is closed. You can add a section with special offers and seasonal goods, if they may interest the client.

It is equally important to resolve issues with payment. The more payment options you offer, the more convenient it will be for the buyer. Payment should be applied through a courier, payment by card or through online services.

Where to find suppliers for the online product store

After starting a business, you definitely need to expand the range. The courier option, although reliable, is only the start of a business. To get a really high-quality product, you need to spend some time looking for reliable suppliers. And although there are many opportunities to find business partners, the search for quality manufacturers remains a problem.

Some store owners change dozens of suppliers a year to receive the goods they want. What actions should be taken to find suppliers for the online store of products?

  1. Web search

Most likely, good wholesale suppliers will be found after ten pages viewed in a search engine. But still it’s worth a try. Such a variety of offers as on the World Wide Web, you are unlikely to meet anywhere else. Here you can find a product that will diversify the range of your products.  You can search the database of wholesale suppliers

  1. Visiting agricultural fairs and exhibitions

Of course, this will take time, but the results can be very satisfactory. It is at exhibitions and fairs that you can find opportunities for the supply of eco-products: honey butter, flour, milk. Moreover, at affordable prices for the buyer and directly from the manufacturer.

  1. Supply from farmers and producers

It is possible that you will be able to negotiate with farmers and the owners of small workshops that produce meat products and semi-finished products. This is a guarantee that your product will be different from the goods of other farmers and online stores.

Secrets of fast delivery: how to find a courier to transport products

There are three main ways to search for couriers to deliver products. If you want to save you can look for:

1. through an ad on the job site;

2. posting announcements, including in student dormitories;

3. through friends.

To keep couriers longer, it is advisable to set their salaries above average and from time to time to encourage them. But in order to organize the work well, it is better to immediately resort to the courier delivery service, especially if you will distribute products in different areas of the city.

Since creating a high-quality online product store is more complicated than an online clothing or cosmetics boutique, the competition in this niche is still not very high. But, most likely, it is the brand of uniqueness that will help you get your customer. Therefore, you need to enter a niche today.

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