Hyperlocal delivery is a new style of shopping. Everyone is looking for a home delivery option for the required things to avoid going out. Moving out of the walls for shopping isn’t safe and buying stuff from a supermarket or a grocery store can put you into risk.
Practicing social distancing, taking extra care, and maintain hygiene is the new normal. We are now habitual of the work from home and not willing to leave the comfort zone. Every coin has two sides. With the dark side of the pandemic, On-demand, near-me, hyperlocal delivery services are the new business opportunities that came into existence.
Hyperlocal delivery businesses work in a small region by providing different types of services. The process can be monitored in real-time. To start a hyperlocal business you need to decide the service you want to provide or you are good with, find the target audience, decide the geography and make it happen in the given time.
Hyperlocal delivery business overcomes the biggest constrain of renting or owning a physical space. Instead, you only need space on the cloud and an app or a website, to begin with.
I will be discussing the top 10 low investment hyperlocal business ideas for 2020. It is important to understand the concept, how it works and for that, you can refer to our blogs on Hyperlocal Marketplace. The hyperlocal business basically revolves around on-time home delivery.
1. Fresh Edibles
Getting your morning bread and fresh milk delivered on your doorstep that too from the store you purchase from can be a great relief.
The fresh edibles delivery business is the niche you won’t fail on. It hardly requires any investment. The main focus of hyperlocal business is to cater to the needs of people living in a certain geography. The store owner can decide the region or the distance where they would like to serve.
All you need to give express delivery for fresh fruits and vegetables, bakery products, and dairy items. Managing an inventory and keeping the tracks of the demand will help you expand.
2. Groceries
Next in the category is the Grocery home delivery business. A hyperlocal marketplace for a grocery business can give you a kick start. No individual can live without food grains, cereals, millets, or pulses. You can start delivering these day-to-day essentials on the doorstep.
An e-grocery has observed tremendous growth in the last three years. Now after the pandemic, it is the most demanded and successful businesses in the economy.
3. Health and Hygiene
I have put health and hygiene in a single category because the two works together. The hyperlocal business idea does not just stick to delivery services but giving on-demand services is an important aspect. In the last couple of years, e-pharmacies has been a popular concept in India. Now the need is higher than ever before.
COVID-19 outbreak increased the demand for home assistance, nurse facility, medicine delivery, doctors’ home visit, and many more on the line. You can connect with some of the doctors in your area and ask them to join your hyperlocal marketplace on-demand service platform.
Provide Baby care facility, old age caregiving services, home delivery of pharmaceutical products and medicines in your neighborhood. If you live in a small town then it is a great idea for starting a new hyperlocal business.
4. Personal Care
Traveling kilometers for personal care in heavy traffic will waste your weekend. Why not bring the salon to your home? Oh! Yes, I have quoted the line from an advertisement but this can become a reality with the hyperlocal business idea of personal care.
Personal care home services have received a good response in urban cities in the past few years. Urban Company is one of the popular personal care company providing on-demand services. You can start with beauty salon services, Spa and Massage, or hairdressing.
Also, you can make the home delivery of personal care products like soaps, shampoo, floor cleaners, detergents, mops, etc. You will have to make some research before starting this business. For that, you can ask people to fill up a form asking all the personal care requirements for a week.
A good plan can bring success and this won’t need much of an investment. Hyperlocal on-demand services in personal care can be a good option to start with.
5. Expert Hospitality Services
Make a list of all the handyman services a person needs. You can gather all the experts in a place for providing services like plumbing, carpenter, welding, stone works, etc. for your new hyperlocal business. A craftsman or an expert in any of the fields can work with you on a commission basis.
You can take advantage of the current situation and ask people in your neighborhood for the requirements. It would be more suitable for a retailer or an artist to work with you in this crisis.
Handyman implies a person who can do minor repairs and tasks but who does not have the qualifications and experience or credentials for more than minor repair jobs. If the work does not need expertise or mastery then you will easily find many people looking for work.
Start giving work to people and make money for you too. This can be at the top of the list as not many people are into this business.
6. Cleaning Services
Providing cleaning services can be a perfect way to start doing what you love — soon, with a low barrier to entry. Start with your neighborhood and see the response to this. You can hire people on your behalf and provide cleaning services like vehicle cleaning, carpet, cleaning, sofa cleaning services, or garden maintenance services.
Word of mouth can work for this hyperlocal business. Share ads in your neighborhood, and get more bang for your buck by gaining some local businesses as customers. Usually for a comparable amount of work they would pull in a higher paycheck.
7. Pet watching
Do you love pets? Consider turning into a pet sitter. Or even if you don’t then you might find people who do and in the need for work. Start a hyperlocal business with pet watching services or with pet suppliers.
Pet suppliers are equally as important as food or medicine. A business idea needs some strategic planning and if you see many people with pets around you then this can be a good option for starting a hyperlocal business. You will be able to provide the required items on time which gets delayed with existing eCommerce stores.
Join in to start a pet sitting service like Rover or Care.com.
8. Fitness equipment
In my opinion, fitness gyms are the most unhygienic place out there. Many people use the same machinery and equipment which needs sanitization every now and then. You can start a hyperlocal home delivery service by providing fitness equipment or renting them for a few days.
People are more conscious about health in urban areas and this can be a one in a million idea for a newbie with a little investment.
To get the word out, give in-home seminars, customized diet and fitness regimens, and online group boot camps. Don’t forget to load an Instagram feed with motivational quotes, free workout videos, and even nutritious snack ideas — it’s a great way for fitness gurus to create their brands.
9. Logistics
This can be put a bit above in the list but all the mentioned hyperlocal business ideas are equally important. A document delivery, on-demand pick up and drop services, Stationary delivery application can be a great help during this work from home time.
We are well aware of the fact that people are going careless with social distancing. Why not start a business providing delivery services like existing courier companies? Here, the only difference will be the addition of the location factor.
Hyperlocal delivery services will operate in a smaller region with safety and hygiene. You can pick a parcel from one place and deliver it to another in minimum time.
10.Tow-truck
Tow-truck business can be a good choice when we talk about hyperlocal business. With a tow-truck, you can provide services like movers and packers, tie-up with delivery service providers, become a partner with local auto repair shops, motor clubs, auto auction companies, and property owners.
This might need some investment if you do not own a truck or a suitable vehicle but can make a lot of money if planned well.
A tow truck company makes money by charging fees for a tow. A standard charge will include a flat tow charge, a mileage fee, and a storage fee. Hyperlocal tow truck business can be profitable and if done with safety and hygiene, people won’t mind paying a little extra.
Pro tips from the author:
A hyperlocal business has two constraints, time and geo-location. Firstly, identify your small business idea and determine if your business idea works well from home. If you are a beginner, then start as a side business or hobby. Research well before starting up and reach your target audience. You can take the help of a website developer or a mobile application for creating a market place. Make a strategic business plan. Get to work!
Recommended Reads:
- What is Hyperlocal Marketplace Business? Why is it blooming in 2020?
- Why Hyperlocal is a new trend after COVID 19 outbreak?
- What is Multi-vendor Marketplace? How it helps you to earn more profit?
- 6 Ecommerce Marketing Strategies to Grow your Business
- 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting an Online Business