In recent years, the grocery and food ordering industry has undergone seismic changes, paving the way for online, with small businesses such as bakeries launching websites to expand their customer reach. Further, the rising urbanization and modern lifestyle changes have led consumers to ready-to-eat convenient food items, steadily increasing the demand for bakery items. According to research, the global bakery market is expected to reach $436.91 Billion by 2026 and the global online bakery market is expected to reach $32.6 Billion for the projected period.
In this blog, we discuss all about creating an online bakery website, but first, we talk about the trends driving the popularity of bakery products in the age of eCommerce, reasons to go digital, working of an online bakery platform, revenue generation streams and so much more.
From ancient civilizations to modern times, baking has played a significant role in the history of food, curbing the hunger of countless people. It can be traced back to 2600-1200 BC when the Egyptians baked the first bread. Today, with the emergence of eCommerce, there is a transition in the behavior of how consumers shop baked products. In this section, we discuss a few trends that are driving the popularity of baked goods in the age of eCommerce.
Convenience drives the bakery market, i.e., in today’s fast-paced lifestyle, convenience is the foremost thing that an individual craves. Long working hours make it difficult for people to spend time cooking. Hence, a hectic lifestyle boosts the consumption of convenient baked products like bread, cookies, frozen pizza, and more. So, a bakery marketplace proves to be a convenient place to order bakery products at the touch of a button.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, health has become a top priority worldwide. As a result, bakeries are reshaping their product strategies to meet new consumer demands, i.e. growing interest in vegan baked products. Certain bakeries are even incorporating superfoods such as chia seeds and matcha into their baked goods for added health benefits. Therefore, rising innovation in the baking industry and the launch of new products can be seen as an opportunity in the market to be capitalized.
As a result of the fast-paced lifestyle, the rise of the global consumer class and growing urbanization are both mega drivers for the mounting popularity of bakery products.
Given the changing scenarios, online shopping has become a norm these days as whatever consumers want or need can be obtained within a few clicks. Hence, going digital is the next logical step. Still, we discuss in detail a few reasons to invest in an online bakery platform.
With an online bakery marketplace, you can cater to a much wider range of audience without having to make any additional investment in staff or infrastructure. You can even get new customers through promotions and deals and broader the overall reach.
You can operate your business round-the-clock with an online bakery website. There are no time issues which means that your baked goods are accessible to customers 24×7, thereby increasing potential sale opportunities.
By using an online delivery software you can gain access to real-time analytics. Insights include – who are your regular customers, which is the best selling item, the time when the footfall is highest and more. The data is valuable since you get to send customers personalized promotions and offerings to entice them and have them back over and over again.
As per a survey, orders placed online are 20% larger on an average, this means more revenue. So, you can highlight specific items on the menu to influence the purchase as growing the bottom line is the end goal.
The working of an online bakery marketplace is simple with the primary aim to bridge the gap between consumers and bakers by providing a door-step delivery of orders. The business model comprises of:
As an entrepreneur, generating revenue is critical to not only stay afloat but to stay ahead of the curve. A few possible revenue generation streams for an online bakery marketplace include:
You can generate revenue by charging a commission on each sale made through the platform.
The marketplace can offer a subscription model where consumers can pay a subscription fee to access benefits such as free delivery, discounts and so on.
The bakery vendors who want to showcase their bakery goods more prominently on the marketplace can be charged a fee to have their listings appear on the top, also known as premium placement.
This is a popular revenue generation method. Here, the online bakery marketplace can partner with other businesses to showcase their ads.
For every delivery, a commission can be charged based on the distance or order value from the bakery store/baker.
For listing products on the online bakery marketplace, the bakers can be charged a listing fee.
The world is increasingly becoming digital and so are businesses. To capture the mind space of the target audience it is essential to create a business website. But before that you need to know the essential pages to have. Below mentioned are a few website pages to have in an online bakery marketplace.
Homepage is the first page that the visitors will see when they will arrive on the website. Hence, the homepage should be able to entice the visitors and give them an overview of the bakery stores and the products available. It should also include geographical radius, filters and so on.
An about us page is a pivotal part of the website as it includes your story and gives you an opportunity to introduce yourself. You can also highlight any accomplishments or awards received.
An online bakery marketplace should have a page consisting of all the bakery stores (listing) so that the consumers can choose according to their preferences or requirements.
The menu page of an online bakery store should list all the products along with their prices.
This page should include the contact information such as email address, physical address (if you have one).
This is another important page and should include information about refund policy, terms and conditions and other information potential customers should need to know.
There should be a separate page that outlines how your site collects, stores and uses customer data.
By publishing engaging content through blog posts you can attract customers and drive traffic to your online bakery marketplace. It can also help to boost the site’s ranking.
In addition to the above mentioned pages, there are a few user-level dashboards that are a must-have in an online bakery marketplace platform. These are:
Displays the wallet balance, total number of orders placed, messages (read/unread), record of latest orders and more.
Showcases the earnings of the vendor, inventory of baked goods, top selling items, and so on.
The admin dashboard showcases the collective information of sales stats, recent orders, customer activity, top selling products and much more.
When creating an online bakery platform, it is important to have a set of pivotal features so that the end-user experience is seamless. Key features to consider include:
This feature allows users to create their profiles easily and simplifies future transactions.
Using this feature, bakery vendors can display an extensive list of bakery goods with detailed descriptions, quality images and prices.
Enables consumers to add products to a cart, review selection, apply discounts and proceed to seamless checkout.
To accommodate various user preferences, this feature offers various payment options such as digital wallets, credit cards, and so on.
Allows customers to provide ratings and reviews for bakery vendors and their baked goods. This feature helps in trust building and aids consumers in making informed decisions.
This feature allows consumers flexible delivery time slots. In addition, an in-store pickup option is also provided.
Progressive web apps provide an app-like seamless experience across various devices.
This feature allows an online bakery marketplace to evaluate the growth and make informed future strategies.
Using this feature, the users will be able to cancel their order.
In case, there is an issue with the bakery order, a refund can be issued using this feature.
Developed by FATbit Technologies, Growcer is a readymade hyperlocal marketplace software that is designed for entrepreneurs looking to launch their online bakery website. It is aesthetically designed with rich features that provide a seamless user experience. In addition, it encapsulates powerful dashboards for swift operations. Growcer also comes equipped with intuitive mobile apps for vendors and delivery staff (Android and iOS).
Key Highlights of Growcer
ShopExpress is a Zimbabwe based online grocery delivery platform that provides seamless delivery of baked goods that are purchased online. Powered by Growcer, several features present in the platform, amplify its scalability for present and future growth. For enhanced delivery, mobile apps were also provided.
Built using Growcer, Tap Retail is an Ireland based hyperlocal delivery marketplace that provides consumers a platform to purchase baked goods from local stores. The enhanced features available allow delivery of baked goods on the same day within a given time slot.
The bakery industry is a significant player in the global food market. With a diverse range of products, customization options available, and a growing demand for healthier options, the online bakery industry will continue to grow. Hence, if you are an entrepreneur who is looking to start your own online bakery business. This is the right time. Give bakery vendors the opportunity to display their gorgeously baked goods online and whip the magic of delicious creations.
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Vibha Sharma is an accomplished senior content writer and marketer at FATbit Technologies, where she brings her passion for storytelling and digital expertise to create compelling narratives. With a Master’s Degree in Computer Applications, Vibha successfully blends creativity with technical acumen. Outside of her professional pursuits, Vibha is a voracious reader, an avid traveler, and a lifelong learner.
