Change the concept of our online store had almost immediately after its launch. What was the result?
From his experience will tell you that well-designed concept is not less than 50% success rate. But not anymore, as even the ideal concept can be spoiled by poor execution. In our case, not very hard to believe in the concept of the ideal, though, and would like it to be such.

As I said, we have decided to give up perishable food, hoping to save not only for storage but to write off spoiled food. Thus, it was possible to avoid many losses.

Initially, our concept is something like: “That’s enough to carry weight, we can do it for you.” In addition, we provide customers with free shipping if the order value exceed 2000 rubles. Soon, this figure had raised to 3,000 rubles. And the average weight was 60 kg baskets. Thus, the client needs to go to the store just to buy bread, cheese and butter.

All products and goods that have been standardized in our catalog. That is, if a customer orders a pack of sugar from “Mistral” diapers or Huggies, then it is good that he will deliver. But when it comes to veal, then there really tastes may differ. And how do you can buy meat online? Therefore, in our range of meat and was not.

As for the food, then one has decided to sell only quality products are well-known trademarks. For example, sugar cane should be only as pasta made of durum wheat.

Moreover, abandoning the perishable products, we seek to maximize the range of groceries. Suppliers are fast enough, and many by endorsing our idea, offered goods and products at wholesale prices, regardless of the volume of purchases. Such action by the supplier has put us in an advantageous position, because in many hypermarkets, promising low prices, margin amounted to 80%. And so to beat them did not present a particular difficulty for us.
In general, the range in our shop had a good, largely coinciding with the “ABC of Taste” and “The Seventh Continent”, but lower cost by 10-35%. Still, the number of orders left much to be desired.

Everything was very simple. Even though we did not try to compete with the “Auchan” or “platypus”, as we did not try to determine for themselves a separate niche, but still people continue to compare us with them. We lost as a pricing policy, so in the range. Of course, pricing is not so concerned with us, because we wanted to attract your customer and build your audience. In addition, not all customers understand that the delivery of products to Moscow – is the service is not cheap. And if the client did not understand what the client is not ours.
What really surprised us is the fact that even “our” customers were unhappy with the assortment. As it turned out, they did not want to go to the store for butter, and meat were ready to buy blindly. Moreover, even our columnist Cyril Haratyan was extremely surprised that there was no store in the range of greens.

So we lasted three months. Many complaints received from customers with requests to add a range of cheeses, yogurt, dairy products. Many openly stated that will buy only when selection is bigger. We did not want to give up. And at this time, Moscow was preparing for the New Year, and the golden period of retail we are not caught. Then we recognized their mistakes.

Already in the beginning of December, added to the existing range of sausages, meat and milk products, which has helped increase sales tripled (this helped and New Year). In the spring we added more and freezing that adds about 40% to sales.

We were able to admit their mistakes and even more. Now on our website you can see a new concept, which states that previously we thought that klmenty not trust the orders of perishable products over the Internet. But as it turned out, we were wrong, so myy recognize our mistakes and understand that it is necessary to carry everything and so on.

Following the expansion of the range followed by a change of the location of the warehouse. Now we have moved to the outskirts, so were able to save on rent premises. But it became more difficult with the delivery of products to Moscow. As before, we do not really want to buy perishables in bulk. At the stage of development of stable orders yet, the number Bole in waves, so to calculate the necessary amount of food was very difficult. And the write-off of damaged products revenue decreased to zero. And customers are very careful about it to the “perishable”, and therefore there were complaints that, say, the products are brought to the expiration date.
As a result, the decision was made to purchase perishable food or in the nearest supermarket or grocery bases. Of course, even if such goods are much more expensive, but always delivered fresh, which is very important. Because of this, the special damages from damaged goods we do not have. But now, we continue to look for suppliers of “perishable”, getting to know the other members of the market and creating favorable conditions for further cooperation.

A little easier with the freeze, because it can be stored in freezer for months, and sooner or later it is still the buyer.

After changing the concept, we realized that customers are not that hard to tolerate high prices, especially for sour-milk production. It is much harder to solve the problem of lack of stock of some items, and late couriers do not really like the clients. Of course, there are days when you just can not find green basil, and traffic jams are deprived of hope for the prompt delivery. And if the lack of products in stock, can be solved by offering an alternative to the client, the problems with the movement of the Moscow transport is almost impossible to solve. But if we say about good service, it is necessary to conform.
The range of our store and more continues to grow, even there were two new partitions “OnoVamVOfis” and “Cooking”, where you can enjoy a meal prepared by our partner. Now engaged in gathering statistics. Of course, I want to extend the range, and the customers are also requested to do so, but do understand that no one will embrace the boundless. And when the stock rises, and store management becomes much more difficult.

In addition, only in the process have noticed some flaws on our site, but more on that next time.

CEO and co-owner of the grocery online store onovamnadom.ru, Natalia Kulakov