App-schapp. The desktop is here to stay and here’s latest proof

Photo credit : goodluz / 123RF Stock Photo

Grofers, one of India’s biggest app-based hyperlocal delivery startups (it delivers everything from grocery to beauty products to your doorstep within 90 minutes) has just scrapped its app-only model to launch a working desktop site. More proof that despite all the hullabaloo about app usage, startups really cannot afford to forego the traditional online modes of transaction yet.

“Launching Grofers website on desktop – Grofers.com. Best offers, wide assortment and home delivery of your groceries. Extra 15 percent cash-back on everything. Log on now,” said a message the company sent to its users.

Founded in 2013, Delhi-based Grofers rivals Bigbasket in India in the fast delivery sector. It counts Softbank, Tiger Global and Sequoia as investors. Bangalore-based Bigbasket, which started off as a desktop player, eventually launched its express service to take on Grofers’ promise of 90 minutes delivery. Grofers, however, steadfastly stuck to its model till now, using the website only as a placeholder that did not allow actual purchase.

“We never even built a website, we have never had that intent. We don’t even have web developers, so I don’t think we can do anything about it,” chief executive Albinder Dhindsa had said in an interview to VC Circle last year.

However, the news of an app-based success may have been greatly exaggerated, at least in India. Earlier this year, both Myntra and parent Flipkart had to backtrack on their ambitious app-only plans to revive their websites. Data showed that reconsidering the app-only move helped the companies improve customer engagement.

Despite a rise in smartphone usage, Indians use fewer apps on their phones as compared to their global peers. Patchy internet, poor quality handsets, and smaller phone memories are all part of the reason why.

The launch of a transactional website for Grofers will help the startup gain volumes – the chunk of customers who were so far being alienated by its app-only business model. Grofers has recently been changing a bunch of strategies, ranging from shutting operations in some cities, to firing employees, to moving to a more inventory-based model, as it gears up to put a better fight against Bigbasket.

See: BigBasket’s secret to handling 35,000 orders a day, where even Amazon fumbles