Market Research for a Community-Driven Grocery Shopping App

eZpZe is a tech startup that aims to empower neighbours to support one another by simplifying shared grocery shopping. The app enables users to connect within their communities, save time, reduce carbon emissions, and build genuine local relationships. eZpZe envisions this community-driven app as a way to revolutionise local commerce while contributing to sustainable, neighbourhood-oriented living.

To introduce their app effectively, eZpZe needs a solid understanding of the market landscape. They seek insight into target companies and potential partner organisations that would align with their community-focused values and benefit from this shared shopping concept. These insights will guide their launch strategy, positioning them for success in a competitive tech market.

Objective

This project invites you to act as a market research consultant for eZpZe, providing insights, recommendations, and strategic advice for the app’s launch. Your findings will inform eZpZe’s management team on how to position their product and effectively reach their target audience.

InnoMinds' Insights

The client would be happy to collaborate with you on the whole project or parts of it. Feel free to submit your proposal by clicking on the Apply button. We have a few suggestions that could be helpful for this project:

• Visit the eZpZe Website: Thoroughly explore the website (https://ezeypezey.co.uk/) and the App's demo to understand the company's offerings and product features
• Competitor Analysis and Similar Community-based Products: Identify eZpZe's main competitors and analyse their marketing strategies. Also, understanding similar community-based Apps, e.g. NextDoor, may help you understand the ideal users

Useful Academic Frameworks:

The following academic framework may be useful for your project. Keep in mind that using the most relevant tools yields an in-depth outcome compared.

• PESTEL Analysis: This tool helps analyse external factors in the environment that may impact eZpZe’s success, particularly relevant for a tech startup targeting local communities. PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal) enables you to examine how environmental and social trends around sustainability, community-building, and technology adoption can shape eZpZe’s market entry
• Porter’s Five Forces: This framework analyses the competitive landscape by examining Rivalry among Existing Competitors, Threat of New Entrants, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Bargaining Power of Buyers, and Threat of Substitute Products or Services. This analysis is useful for assessing the challenges eZpZe may face in a competitive market and identifying any industry pressures or opportunities
• SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats): A SWOT analysis will help you assess eZpZe’s internal strengths and weaknesses relative to competitors, as well as opportunities and threats in the external environment. It’s a practical tool for synthesising competitive insights and identifying how eZpZe’s unique features could be positioned to stand out
• Blue Ocean Strategy: By using Blue Ocean Strategy concepts, you can explore how eZpZe might differentiate itself from competitors by focusing on untapped opportunities in community-driven services and eco-conscious shopping, rather than competing directly in the traditional grocery or delivery app markets
• STP (Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning): AT the core of your market research, STP helps you define and target specific customer segments, craft a value proposition, and create a positioning statement. STP is highly relevant for formulating eZpZe’s positioning strategy and ensuring it appeals to the values and needs of the chosen audience segment
• AIDA Model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action): This framework is useful for designing a launch strategy. It helps you consider how to grab attention, generate interest in the app, create the desire for its community and eco-friendly features, and motivate users to download and try the app

Potential Data Sources:

• • Statista (Offers valuable industry data on technology trends, mobile app usage, and the grocery and delivery markets.)
  • Eurostat
  • IBIS World (Provides detailed industry reports covering market size, key players, and industry trends in the grocery, tech, and e-commerce sectors)
  • Passport (Customer behaviour and demographic data)
  • HolonIQ