Home Based Business Grocery Shopping

The increase in the number of two career households has created a demand for services such as grocery shopping. That demand makes this a home based business to pursue.

When time has to be spread between errands and family, grocery shopping takes a back seat. It is easier to stop at the drive-thru fast food restaurant or pop a frozen dinner in the microwave.

Major grocery store chains have started offering this service online. The market is not saturated yet, especially in small cities and towns. If your home based business grows, you may be able to sell it to a grocery store chain.

If you have a van or SUV and a cooler for perishables, you can start your business.

For a more profitable home business, you can add services such as picking up items from the liquor store, deli, or fast-food restaurant.

What does it take for this business?

This home based business requires a person who is organized and has the ability to get along with different types of people.

Organization is key. You will be juggling clients and their orders. Your clients will be dependent on your ability to fulfill their requests and deliver their products as scheduled.

What does it take to operate this business?

You should set up a separate space for your home based business office. The start-up costs for this business ranges from $200 to $20,000 if you need to purchase a vehicle. You may consider leasing one.

You need to create flyers and distribute them in your target area. You can design the flyer and print them yourself. You can distribute them or hire someone else to do it.

Another method of distribution is direct mail. Select the zip code in your target area and send the flyers by bulk mail. You can also distribute the flyers at the supermarket where you intend to make purchases. Speak to the manager and also ask if you can place a notice on their bulletin board.

You will want to create a standard shopping list. To make shopping more efficient, you should set up your list according to the way aisles are set up in the store. When shopping for more than one client, you should have two carts and use a hand held basket to separate orders. Each order should be rang separately so that each customer gets the proper receipt.

Organization is key. You may want to create an entry in a database for each client. You can keep baa record of their most frequent purchases and the brands they prefer.

Your clients may also make requests for additional stops to pick up items at a liquor store, deli, or take-out restaurant. You can add these to your services and charge an additional fee for a more profitable home based business.

Basic equipment and supplies include:

• Computer
• Printer
• Fax
• Business phone line
• Cellular phone or pager
• Personal Digital Assistant
• Contact Management or Database software
• Cooler for refrigerated/frozen items
• Vehicle - Van or truck

You can review resources for this home based business here.

What services do I provide?

You do the grocery shopping for your clients.

What are my potential earnings?

As a solo operation, you may earn $15,000 to $20,000 annually

How much do I charge for my services?

Consider the cost of gasoline when accepting clients. To preserve gasoline and to keep your service charges reasonable, you will want to consider the distance to the closest grocery store and your client's home.

If you are to purchase less than 12 items, fees typically range from $4.00 to $6.00. If you purchase more than 12 items, the fee is typically $4.00.

You can charge a flat fee based on volume. If you purchase 50 items, the fee can be $10.00. If you purchase less than 10, the fee can be $5.00.

The amount you charge is depend on the area you service. If possible, conduct a survey. You can do this by asking shoppers as they enter or leave the grocery store if they would use the service and the amount they would pay for such a service.

How do I bill for my services?

As a home based grocery shopper, you should pay for the order and your client writes you a check when you deliver the items.

How do I market my business?

Offline

• Create flyers and distribute them in your target neighborhoods.
• Post a flyer at grocery store.
• Post a flyer at community centers and senior citizen centers in your target neighborhood.
• Place a classified ad in the local and community newspapers.
• List your home based business service in the Yellow Pages.
• Offer an incentive for customer referrals.
• Issue a press release in your local and community newspapers.

Online

• Create an informative Web site listing your home based business service.
• Create an online order form on your Web site.
• Include shopping tips or other helpful household information on your Web site.
• List your Web site in online directories.
• Issue an online press release.
• Link your site to related businesses.
• Link your Web site to local Web sites in your community.
• Publish client testimonials on your Web site.

If you are an organized person and like helping people, this may be the home based business opportunity for you. Review the resources for this home based business here.