The views portrayed in this blog are subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions and are current as of July 2, 2020. While all material is deemed to be reliable, accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed.
“A big business starts small.” -Richard Branson
At AFZA Capital, we are focused on solving tough problems and finding solutions that provide the best path forward. No question about it, the world is a different place than it was several months ago as the world embraces the new challenges of Covid-19, companies try to maintain their core business models as people look for new solutions.
Many are wondering about the long-term impact of coronavirus. Specifically, the retail and e-commerce industry as it appears that it could be forever changed. We starting to see companies quickly working to make technological advancements.
Front and center of the efforts, FinTech appears to be leading the way with a tremendous amount of financing via venture capital. The most notable funding was with Stripe, which said it raised $600 million at a $36 billion valuation. (Series G) Stripe is a software company that allows individuals and businesses to make and receive payments over the Internet. Stripe supports the backend for companies such as Instacart.
Furthermore, in my research, I was surprised to learn that online grocery adoption has been slow in the U.S., but the coronavirus pandemic may turn out to be the catalyst grocers have been seeking to push this service to the next level.
Some interesting stats have been reported by Apptopia:
Instacart has seen an increase of downloads by roughly 218%
47% of consumers are reporting that they are shopping online for groceries. This figure compares to only 11% just three weeks prior to the pandemic
41% of those who are ordering groceries online during the pandemic are first-time online grocery customers
Walmart’s grocery app downloads increased by 160%
U.S. downloads of Target’s mobile app more than doubled from Feb. 15-March 15, 2020.
Another model known as "Buy-Online Pick-Up In-Store" (BOPIS) is a curbside pickup and is becoming increasingly popular in the states.
BOPIS figures are posting a 62% YOY increase according to Apptopia
FinTech solutions are being utilized and adapted more and more. Efficiency is no longer the only driver. These new habits are being created and yet the mechanics of these solutions are overlooked.
We continue to be excited about the future of Popote Pay as they continue their positive momentum in East Africa.
Popote Pay enables any business, no matter its size, to go 100% digital on payments. It offers sky-high transaction limits & instant multi-channel delivery with a host of management & expense accounting features which reduce losses, increase efficiency & drive growth & profits. They have a growing list of companies and positive testimonials.
While there are many unknowns, we do know that consumer shopping habits will change, and retailers need to adapt in concert while remaining financially viable. With adversity comes opportunity. For retailers, focusing on customer needs and building loyalty may never be as important as it is right now.
Facts and figures reported within this document can be credited to Apptopia. Apptopia provides services in-app analytics, data mining, and business intelligence for the mobile industry.