If you are thinking of partnering with BrewRound you have likely considered creating your own branded app for your coffee shop. Initially, your own branded coffee shop app may seem like a good idea but don’t rush into it! There are a few things to consider before you go ahead.
1. Think of what coffee shop app users want
People want to support independent coffee shops they also desire the convenience of one handy app wherever they are. The majority of people who order coffee to-go order from more than one coffee shop.
Let’s say the average person orders from three independent coffee shops regularly. They commute a decent amount and like the convenience of ordering ahead. It is unlikely they are going to be willing to use three different apps to get this convenience. All three apps will work differently, have different features and there is no guarantee of them being reliable.
This is why people are more likely to go with a national chain app rather than each coffee shops individual apps. Except this is where BrewRound comes in… having all independent coffee shops within one app increases the likeliness of users ordering on the app and using it regularly.
With BrewRound people get more chain, a loyalty program that works across independent coffee shops, a user-friendly app that works consistently.
2. Coffee shop branded app pricing
Often the biggest misconceptions when it comes to coffee shop apps is pricing. Branded coffee shop apps include a combination of different fees that can add up to be more pricing than you would originally expect.
Payment processing
For any app that takes advanced payments, you are going to be charged a fee for processing this payment. Just like you would with any card transaction. The fees will vary depending on the payment gateway. Estimate fees: 1.4% – 3% +20p per transaction.
Setup fees
You may need to pay upfront to set up your app. Because it is unique to your coffee shop the app will need to be configured to match your branding and the features you wish to include. If you are working with an out the box solution this fee may be fairly low but if you are working with a developer this could be thousands. Estimate fees: £100 – £10,000 depending on the supplier.
Fixed monthly fees
In most cases, a branded coffee shop app will come with a flat monthly fee. Initially, this may seem like a good thing unless you have any seasonal fluctuations. You then may up sending over the odds some months. Estimate fees: £100+ per month.
Developer accounts
Because the app is yours you will need to have the relevant developer accounts to make your apps visible to customers. The fees vary by the marketplace and will need to go through a setup process and app verification. Costs: iOS $99 per year, Google Play $25 one-off payment.
App promotion
Just getting the app made and on the app store doesn’t make it a success. Now you need to get your customers to use it and entice more customers to order from you by promoting it. If you don’t promote it and no one uses the app you may as well not have one. The cost of the promotion will vary drastically based on your skill level. If you don’t have any skills yourself, you may also need external support to make it a success. Estimated cost: £100+ per month.
When you factor together all these costs you can soon see how it all adds up very quickly. Just keep this in mind when pricing up creating your own branded coffee shop app.
At BrewRound we offer an alternative
There are no upfront fee’s or fixed costs when you join BrewRound. You only pay for orders that come through the app. You will need to pay a flat 5% commission on orders that come through the platform and we also collect a 5% loyalty fee. Don’t worry, you will get the 5% loyalty fee back when users spend loyalty points in the app. Find out more about how BrewRound’s pricing works.
3. The time you need to invest in your branded coffee shop app
Having your own app isn’t just a big expense, it is a time investment as well. You need to go through the creation process of the app, designing, adding content and testing functionality.
And that is only when the app launches. You will need to ensure that is in functioning as expected as devices change and mobile operating systems update.
At BrewRound we understand you are already busy enough running your coffee shop and all the day to day activities that entails. We aim to take up as little of your time as possible! If you chose to go with BrewRound app you already have a product that is built, maintained and optimized to get the best performance for your coffee shop. We will even create your menu for you! You just need to login and start taking orders.
4. I already have a branded coffee shop app, can I still join BrewRound?
Of course. We understand that some shops already have an app or they have something unique they want to create.
At BrewRound we can either be your sole app coffee shop app or we can be used as an additional distribution channel for you to reach more customers.
If you are interested in BrewRound you can submit your interest here or you can email us at info@brewround.com for more information.
