Online delivery has changed the way the entire world works–and these days it’s possible to have anything you want straight to your doorstep. From groceries to pharmacies, almost everything is available at the touch of a button on platforms like delivery app. This fixation on convenience has radically shaped consumer spending, and merchants have to deal with more touchpoints now than ever. That said, being a GrabFood merchant is almost a necessity for any food and beverage business in Southeast Asia.
What are the benefits of GrabFood?
Food delivery marketplaces like delivery app have catapulted takeaway to being one of the top meal opportunities for humans, globally. It has significantly transformed the way people access meals. For business owners, being a merchant in marketplaces like GrabFood is almost essential to supplement traditional income streams. Not only do these provide access to new customers beyond the immediate local area, but they also offer an additional digital presence–enhancing visibility with potential customers. Grab’s Southeast Asia Food and Grocery Trends 2023 report, showed that over 57% of Southeast Asians discover new restaurants through food delivery apps. Beyond delivery, GrabFood’s self pick-up and dine-in transactions contributed 2.4 times more to Grab’s total order volume in July 2023.
What are the drawbacks of food delivery?
It’s also worth reflecting on the potential drawbacks of ‘aggregated marketplaces’ like GrabFood. According to Feddough, these platforms operate under the aggregator business model, bringing together many restaurants in one place and allowing customers to browse and order from different options easily. While it’s fantastic to offer these customers so much choice, merchants have to pay 20-30% commission to the marketplace.
What can businesses do?
In essence, the world of digital sales means that you need to be selling everywhere, anywhere and all-at-once. It is fundamentally best to pursue multiple platforms and channels to reach as many customers as possible. This means selling on all available markets, like being a GrabFood merchant for example, is essential. But on top of that, businesses should also consider creating their own channels to generate more direct sales. Websites, social media, and Google Business Profiles are a few examples of channels that merchants can utilize for direct sales. With this, they should also ensure that listings across these marketplaces and the direct storefront are stabilized–ensuring price parity, alongside photos, item descriptions and more.
How do I build a direct sales channel?
Firstly, it is important to set your expectations. In the United States, for instance, third-party platforms have become significant players in the food delivery industry. According to Smooth Commerce, 38% of people use third-party services for their orders. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should give up on direct sales but rather, adjust your frame of reference. If you are able to grow direct sales to even 5-10% of your business, you will be saving thousands of dollars in commission. At the same time, you’re growing your customer database by collecting phone numbers and email addresses–which you can then use for marketing. With klikit, we can not only integrate your delivery app orders directly, but also connect with third-party logistic partners to enable your own direct ordering channel. We have worked hard to create an ‘out-of-the-box’ experience for GrabFood merchants that is reminiscent of the global food delivery giants, and in some cases we believe better.
Enter klikit Webshop.
What is klikit Webshop?
klikit Webshop is a direct-to-customer ordering experience that can be used for dine-in, pickup or delivery. It looks, feels and performs just like a food delivery application–except it’s all from within a web browser. This means your customers don’t have to download yet another application, and you also don’t need to manage the headache of listing, fixing and publishing new versions on the Apple and Google Play Stores. Additional benefits include the ability to sell multiple brands in a single cart by default–perfect for ghost kitchens, food courts, and markets. We can also create a customer loyalty points program that encourages your customers to earn and burn points–not only with your store, but a range of other participating outlets. Lastly, we have a customizable promotion engine with a range of options for you to attract, reward, and retain customers directly.
How does the delivery work if I’m a GrabFood merchant?
klikit is partnered with third-party logistic partners to power on-demand delivery to your customers, allowing us to tap directly into their pool of professional drivers and fulfill your orders at the best price possible. By using klikit, you can configure a range of rules such as when to dispatch a driver, and you can set up radiuses to ensure your target location is exactly where you want. Our system performs all these dispatches automatically in the background, and is totally integrated with your store order management device. This makes direct ordering a total breeze, especially if you’re already a GrabFood merchant–and doesn’t impact your store or staff.
So what are you waiting for?
