Why delivery platforms need to stop guessing if they want to win the grocery game
Convenience is no longer a niche. RealityMine tech deployed on MFour’s panel reveals that nearly 1 in 4 online orders in the US were for convenience categories — think snacks, pantry staples, pet food.
That’s not a blip. It’s a signal.
Platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash, Deliveroo, Wolt, and Just Eat are no longer just moving meals — they’re building out full grocery ecosystems. But despite the growth, most users still haven’t tried grocery via these apps.
So… what’s holding them back?
Quick commerce might look like an easy win, but the economics are brutal.
Customer acquisition is expensive, and without strong retention, the return just isn’t there. Platforms are in a race to increase average order values, boost repeat orders, and spend smarter on user incentives.
But you can’t optimise what you can’t see, especially when rivals are using the same tactics.
When decisions are driven by surface-level metrics like MAUs or total orders, it’s easy to miss the real drivers of growth — like why users switch apps, what keeps them loyal, and which tactics move the needle.
Delivery platforms are using a familiar playbook: offering discounts to win back churned users, prioritising speed or premium customers in fulfilment, and securing exclusive deals with retail partners. But these tactics mean nothing if you can’t see your opponent’s moves and how users are responding.
Most platforms lack visibility on:
You might see that a competitor is outperforming you in a specific city with faster delivery times, higher repeat usage and bigger baskets. But can you see why?
Do they have better positioned fulfillment centres? Do they prioritise of high-value segments? Or maybe they offer targeted, time-sensitive incentives?
Without granular, user-level insight, these questions stay unanswered — and decisions based on incomplete logic can lead you in the wrong direction.
Teams on the ground aren’t just asking what happened, they want to understand why. Why did this user choose a competitor? Are churned users receiving better offers elsewhere? Are we underperforming in fulfilment across key segments?
Bots, scraping tools, and receipt data can only get you so far.
To make high-leverage decisions, you need:
Grocery is becoming one of the most competitive — and least understood — verticals in the delivery space. Growth is possible, but not if you’re flying blind. Winning this category takes more than speed and discounts. It takes visibility into real user behaviour, strategic clarity, and the ability to adapt before your competitors do.
If you’re serious about grocery, it’s time to get serious about visibility.
