How to Develop an App Like Walmart: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating an app like Walmart offers immense opportunities for retail businesses to expand their reach and tap into the online market. With Walmart achieving a total income of $650 billion in FY 2024, it is clear that the company’s model of integrating physical stores with a robust e-commerce platform has set the standard for retail success. From a small store founded in 1962 to the world’s largest retailer, Walmart’s journey showcases the potential of combining convenience, wide product selection, and a seamless shopping experience.

As the most prestigious retail company, Walmart has become a global grocery store and retailer that offers a wide range of products. It is a one-stop shop for furniture, groceries, electronic equipment, music streaming, video games, movies, auto accessories and stationery, pet supplies, and more.

It has dominated the US market over the past several years. From its founding 1962 as a tiny store to becoming the No.1 worldwide retailer, it has reached significant milestones. It operates both an online presence and a variety of physical stores to meet the needs of both local and online shoppers. For retail businesses with their physical store, it’s the ideal time to get into the online market, too.

It is possible to build an e-commerce store like Walmart. Through our experienced team of professionals, The article is designed to offer precise solutions for grocery and retail app development. We’ll start by defining the most common terms.

What Is A Retail App?

In the past, it was said that the rise in smartphones would be more significant than in toothbrushes. Now, we have an app allowing mobile shopping at the store. Why are increasing apps being developed, and even retailers are moving to mobile? Sure, we’re all addicted to smartphones today. We can’t deny it; we are obsessed with facts and numbers.

Retail apps are mobile applications that enhance the in-store shopping experience and improve the buying process. Retailers can now manage their business in the hands of their customers. Utilizing mobile-based retail apps has helped many companies manage payments for their stores while keeping records more secure than before.

Before that, mobile session growth was just 6 %; however, the use of shopping apps increased by 54% in 2017. According to Statista, over 80% of U.S. customers already have one app for mobile retailers on their phones. Thus, it’s evident that consumers are constantly becoming comfortable with purchases they make on their phones. We can all see how this mobile technology has altered how retailers communicate with customers.

Customers don’t have to wait for printed material to get discounts and special offers when they can make it more accessible via the mobile application. People who have tried shopping apps for retail earlier can use them rather than buying from stores or online.

Therefore, it is the right time to create a retail app for your business and make it available on your customers’ phones as soon as possible before competitors take them.

Statistics and Facts Regarding Online Shopping for Groceries

We should begin by exploring fascinating information and figures related to Walmart and the general online retail and grocery business. The market for on-demand groceries is growing at an alarming speed, and there are many things to learn and inspiration from.

Read the following statistics and information below to find out more about the industry of online grocery shopping in depth:

• The global market for online grocery is projected to grow at an annual rate of 25.3 % between 2022 and 2030, reaching USD 2,158.53 billion in 2030.
• In 2023, online food sales will account for 11.2 % of all US grocery sales. Over half (51.3 %) of the US population will switch to a digital grocery shop in the coming year.
• Walmart, Alibaba.com, Amazon.com , and Instaten are the major players in the online grocery market.
• According to Statista, Walmart was the most popular retailer in 2021. The company’s revenue surpassed 538 billion US dollars, higher than Amazon’s 335 billion US dollars.
• At the end of the current fiscal year (January 31st, 2022), Walmart’s total revenue worldwide amounted to 573 billion US dollars.
• Walmart operates in 24 countries under various names. It is also the largest private-sector employer in the US, with more than 2 million employees.
• According to forecasts, Walmart International will generate around 31.4 billion US dollars from gross sales before 2025, a 40 % increase within four years.
• According to JP Morgan, more than 65 % of online shoppers find grocery shopping simple since they don’t have to carry large packages.
• Shoppers shop online for several reasons, including being able to easily shop from anywhere, comparing prices, and receiving easy shipping and payment.
• The amount of grocery shopping online is rising across the globe. The number of shoppers increased during COVID-19, but many people will continue to purchase online even after the outbreak.

Why Should You Create an App for Grocery Stores?

The data and figures above show that creating an app to run your grocery store is viable and financially profitable. Let’s provide more information on this subject and offer other reasons for app development.

Mobile apps are the best market for every business, and the creation of feature-rich applications for grocery businesses will provide the following benefits:

1. Profit from the Advantages of Localization

Many grocery delivery apps are available on the marketplace. It is common knowledge that people prefer shopping at their local store, which benefits both the shoppers and sellers. Using an app for your grocery store can attract customers who prefer the convenience and ease of online shopping but are shopping at their local shops.

2. Scale the Market for M-commerce Completely

Mobile commerce is rapidly becoming the dominant force in eCommerce, so it’s the ideal moment to download an app and get involved in the market. This will allow you to connect with mobile-friendly consumers and get rid of the limitations of third-party applications at the same while. You can run the business according to your terms and bring your unique concept to life with the application.

3. Manage Everything Under One Roof

An online grocery delivery service includes a variety of nuances. From managing inventory and orders to customers, partners, retailers, partners for delivery, and many more, much is at stake. When you create an application, it will be simple to streamline your business operations and consolidate them together under one single roof. This will enable you to reduce costs and free up time to focus on marketing, promotions, and business expansion.

4. Provide ease and comfort to users. 

Many customers are turning to the internet and shopping every day. They want to shop from the comfort of their homes and have access to their phones for any large or minor necessity. If you offer an app for your business, you’ll be able to make shopping easy for your customers and also increase their loyalty.

5. Get access to robust user data.

Native mobile applications are adept at utilizing the capabilities of the device on which they are installed. Thus, apps offer access to a wealth of data related to the user’s demographics and behavior details, such as app usage. These data can be utilized to improve business processes and to adjust the app to ensure improved performance, engagement, and revenue.

Features Incorporated to Build a Retail E-commerce App Like Walmart

To create an app like Walmart, it must meet the needs of every angle of the end-users. With this in mind, let’s overview the user experience and other elements that make a successful retail app.

Primary Features of E-commerce App

1. Quick Registration

The first step is the most essential aspect of any app. Each time a customer browses your grocery store’s website, the first process is creating a profile or signing up for an account. The app should facilitate seamless registration using an email address or phone number. Additionally, you can activate multi-channel registration, which permits users to create their profiles instantly.

2. Search & Filter

The search and filter options on your store’s website, similar to Walmart’s, aid users in navigating. The ability to use these options will help customers find what they require quickly, allowing your app to provide better-quality results and keep customers longer.

3. Profile Management

A profile created on behalf of customers must meet requirements and authenticate the customer’s details. Exact information about the user, such as name, address, and contact details, is essential.

Your application should offer an option to manage your account and help you send deals or marketing messages. Additionally, it should help you distancing memberships, which can be used for other benefits.

4. Management of Inventories

The app you are using for retail must-have inventory management and stock management tools. It monitors inventory inflow and outflow and updates the warehouse for stock replenishment.

5. Social Media Integration

An integration of social media in your shopping app. It lets customers sign up to your Instagram and Twitter accounts to sign up. With customer profiles on social media, you can enhance the image of your business through its social media channels.

The app could provide a specific user experience based on their social media searches. This would result in a higher level of engagement and increased awareness about your business.

Customer-Centric Features of an App Like Walmart

1. Push Notifications

The next most used feature, and one that is crucial, is the notification function within your retail app. Customers will be notified via mobile phones when there’s a brand-new product launch, holiday sale, or occasion,

It is essential to inform your users of their experience with your application. Personalizing messages or text messages increases users’ engagement with your app.

2. Product Recommendation

The product recommendation feature is powered by an AI model that gives you a search history as well as a wish list of products. It also shows the results of your recommendations for items that match your preferences and preferred areas. Therefore, having a catalog that includes similar items and benefits enhances sales on your shopping cart and encourages repeat purchases.

3. Review & Ratings

Reviewing and collecting accurate scores from customers after the delivery is crucial. This improves customer trust and helps ensure that they are engaged in shopping online with your eCommerce app, such as Walmart. The more favorable reviews your application receives, the more results it will provide to your business. It’s an indirect sales technique that attracts new customers.

4. Wishlist

The Wishlist feature within the app for retail is among the most popular and well-liked among the others. Users can choose to add items to purchase and then include them on their list of items they like for a price drop during sales.

5. In-app Chat Assistance

Live chat support inside the retail and grocery app allows customers to connect with administrators quickly to ask questions about the product. Customers can also call live chat support anytime to resolve any problem and address it quickly.

6. Various Payment Options

It is vital for online shopping websites like Walmart to provide multiple payment options. These options include cash, net banking, BNPL debit and credit cards, and others. Furthermore, using safe payment methods permits users to pay quickly for online purchases.

Additional Retail App Development Features

1. Curbside pick-up service

Alongside having a physical location for your business, your app may also allow delivery to your premises for customers. Customers can order online via an app before heading to the store to place their orders in person. It can help your business grow its client base locally.

2. Order tracking in real-time

Order status from purchase to dispatch and warehousing should be available on customers’ mobile applications. Customers should be able to be informed immediately about their orders. This keeps the delivery agents, sellers, and buyers up-to-date on the delivery process overall.

3. Store Locator

Businesses operating several stores worldwide need to enable store locator features for customers. This enables app users to locate the closest stores using their phones.

4. AR product visualization

The augmented reality feature enhances the product’s appearance. Customers can view 3D views and play around with your product in real time.

The features go beyond the most basic. If you’re trying to boost revenue, the gestures can create an app like Walmart.

Benefits Derived from the Store Owner’s Perspective.

We’d like to clarify the advantages of creating a grocery and shopping delivery service. The benefits list includes both consumers and the store/shop owner.

1. Competitiveness:

As we’ve mentioned in our previous blogs, customers or millennials are attached to retailers with an online presence. They will likely purchase products from online retailers that have an official name, address, and logo. These factors can affect the reliability of applications. So, if you’re planning to open your online store, it is possible to beat the rivals.

2. Instant result:

If you have an actual store It is likely difficult to determine if your customers have enjoyed your product or service until he or she visits the store repeatedly. However, when you shop online, you can ask your customers to write reviews or feedback regarding the experience and receive immediate satisfaction. It makes them feel valued, and at the same time, it gives you insight into areas you can improve.

3. Convenience:

Today, as the entire world is taking preventive steps to combat Coronavirus, a mobile app like Walmart Grocery could serve the objective. As a store manager, you won’t be in contact with customers, but you’ll be able to assist them in the most efficient way you can.

In addition, you will be able to address the needs of each customer and supply the product within the timeframe promised. This means you will develop an existing customer base that would purchase items from you instead of other options they have.

From the Customers’ perspective:

1. Convenience:

The convenience factor and its suitability are the top benefits in customers’ eyes. Customers would rather receive food and other items on their doorstep than go to the store. They are delighted with the experience they receive with one tap on a mobile app to skip the long lines at the supermarkets.

2. Time-saving:

We’re all aware of the challenges of taking the “extra” time from our hectic schedule to go to the supermarket. However, the online grocery shopping program lets shoppers shop whenever they want, whether during the afternoon or midnight. Customers can place an order and get it made within a specified time frame.

3. Secured payment:

Online shopping sites offer various payment options, allowing customers to purchase items and choose between online or COD payment. This ease of payment has led many shoppers to switch to online shops over physical shops.

4. It prevents overshopping:

Humans are prone to being lured by numerous discounts and deals on items, which leads us to purchase more than is needed. However, online shopping apps permit you to set limitations on purchases.

Many apps have wallet options that let you use your money to make a payment. This will allow you to avoid attractive discounts and offers and, thus, save cash.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Retail and Grocery App Development such as Walmart

The next stage is to develop an app like Walmart. These steps have worked on similar projects. You can verify these steps, which you need to do when developing an e-commerce application.

1. Determine the App Concept

It is the first thing to do. Establish the concept of your retail app. This will define your intended audience as well as the scope of your project. It is vital to identify what you intend to put in your app, and then decide on the resources needed to create the app that will allow shopping. Also, consider making a unique value proposition that distinguishes you from your competitors.

2. Perform Market Research

Market research is an essential element of keeping your business up-to-date and offers the opportunity to establish your presence in the marketplace. Furthermore, be conscious of what your competition is doing today and analyze the current market trends. This can help you integrate the most recent market trends to build an MVP.

3. Decide the Technology Stack

This is perhaps the most challenging aspect of creating an app. If you are planning to create an app that can be used for retail, similar to Walmart’s success, you have to choose reliable and robust technology. So, you need to determine your intended audience, i.e., Android or iOS users or both. To make the app accessible to Android, it is essential to choose Java along with Kotlin Programming languages. Additionally, Android Studio publishes apps for a range of different Android devices.

In the case of iOS, it is recommended to choose the Objective-C and Swift UI along with XCode to allow the application to run across different iOS devices, including macOS, iPad, etc. In addition, integrating other payment tools, such as map integration, maps, and analytics tools, is vital. If you’re not willing to devote time to this lengthy process, hire a grocery delivery app development company who will guide you through it.

4. Hire the Right Developers

When recruiting app designers, search for contractors with previous experience in retail and grocery app development. In addition, by hiring an experienced developer of Flutter applications and designers, you can create a cross-platform app compatible with Android and iOS. This means your project can be completed in a shorter time and at a lower cost using Flutter.

5. Prepare the UI/UX Wireframe

If you’re clear on your app’s requirements, you can begin to wireframe the process of your UI/UX design. Begin by making prototypes that show what you want to see in the appearance of your app when you create the flow of navigation. This can help make your pages easier for apps by providing concise and clear UX designs.

6. Begin by Implementing and Developing the Process

The team or developer who has been selected will begin the actual phase of development. It is essential to stay up-to-date with the completion of tasks and to ensure the proper process for team members. Be sure to make an MVP application to test your application.

7. Conduct App Testing

Examining the app’s performance, loading time, design, and other functions will assist you in avoiding errors before the app goes live. QA testers will examine the app and correct any flaws or mistakes, such as insufficient code. After that, your application is available for public release on the predefined platforms.

8. Launch the App and Plan Marketing

Once you’ve developed, you can begin by launching your toss platforms. Developers must follow the platform’s rules before launching the app on marketplaces. Once your app is accepted, you can start promoting your business and conducting campaigns to bring your app to the public.

The most effective way to keep the project running efficiently is to make sure you have the right resources at the right time. Furthermore, you need to create a cost estimate for the task on time by understanding Walmart’s costs for app development.

Cost to Build Walmart-like Retail and Grocery Delivery App

The precise answer to the cost of retail and grocery app development like Walmart is a figure we encounter when we determine your business’s requirements and expectations for development.

App development for grocery stores such as Walmart costs $38000 to $51000 for Android and $39000-$53000 for iOS. The price is also based on the hourly charges of the best mobile app development company in Canada you work with.

To estimate the cost of grocery and retail app development, you must consider several aspects. These include the level of complexity of your app, the features and platforms you choose, and the stacks of tech you use.

Conclusion

Walmart has brought about an era of change in retail sales. Retailers know the features they need to use to make money and reach more customers. If you decide to outsource your application development or hire an internal team to develop your project, executing it correctly is crucial to stand out from the competitors.

Techugo, the renowned provider of grocery delivery apps, will help you establish a plan for smooth app development. We’ve helped many industries develop their ideal apps. Our highly skilled developers team will ensure you get a flawless and reliable on-demand application.

We analyze your business requirements, conduct studies and research, create a prototype according to your requirements, and then test the idea before delivering mobile application development solutions that help you earn money.

Get in touch with us today to discuss your retail app development needs and discover how we can help bring your vision to life!