Europe’s on-demand food ordering and grocery delivery space has taken massive hits after the pandemic. Many of the on-demand companies—especially the flash delivery companies—are now struggling, and the ones that remain are seeking new avenues of revenue or profit.
Glovo, the 2015-launched “multicategory app” as they like to call it, is taking a whole new approach to the on-demand delivery category.
All in their quest to break even and become profitable even by the end of 2024.
Today, they have beta-launched their new app in Barcelona and Madrid, in Glovo’s home market. This signifies Glovo’s most significant product update since 2016.
Social media features Glovo
The revitalised app features new ‘social media features’ and video ‘enhancing food discovery’. Throughout this year, they will roll out the improved app in all 23 European, African, and Central Asian countries, in 1500 cities.
Firstly, it’s good to point out that many companies are now adding so-called ‘social features’ . Belgian e-bike company Cowboy (‘social gaming’) and Germany’s Songpush (social music creator platform) to mention in particular have announced it lately.
Glovo’s app latest product update includes social networking features for customers, the introduction of ‘Picks’ – a feature that allows users to create lists of their favourite restaurants and a new video discovery wall.
Beyond the norm
Daniel Alonso, Glovo’s Chief Product Officer, stated:
“Glovo is going beyond the norm by becoming the first in the industry to combine social media elements within our platform. We’re excited to present this new and interactive way for users to discover, share, and engage with the products offered in our app. Users will be able to enjoy their favourite products like never before.”
Glovo claims it has now become the first on-demand app that enables customers to connect with friends, share recommendations, and discover new restaurants through social network features.
Glovo new app
How does Glovo’s new app work? After connecting with the phone book, users can invite their friends.
The social features then enable users to discover trendy restaurants and dishes based on what others, including friends, are ordering in their city.
Thus, Glovo wants to create ‘a shared experience’ where users can connect with friends within the app and directly inspire or share restaurants with them in ‘a new foodie community’.
Picks
Secondly, in addition to the social networking features, Glovo introduced ‘Picks,’ a new way for users to save and organise their top restaurants and dishes.
This feature allows users to group their favourite restaurants and dishes, providing an easy way to access and revisit their preferred picks.
Video discovery wall
Last but not least, Glovo unveiled a ‘video discovery wall’ in the restaurant section to help users make decisions and ‘make food discovery more dynamic and engaging’.
The video discovery wall showcases full vertical videos of the actual products available to order.
Alonso mentioned that this has been tried and tested with over 500 restaurants, with positive feedback. He very much expects customers to enjoy the videos, too. “The concept of video resonates more with Gen Z.”
Created by restaurants
These videos are created by local restaurants, offering an additional opportunity to engage with users organically. Glovo then reviews the videos.
So, how often will the videos be updated? It is uncertain, but there may be daily updates for special offers in the future.
Alonso: “People nowadays expect that videos are constantly refreshed, but we don’t know if we will apply this to food in the app. We’ll have to see if users get tired of the videos or if they need to be refreshed regurarly.”
Glovo Next
The new app features were presented during “Glovo Next,” the first annual product event during which Glovo will disclose upcoming features for the international press and users.
After testing the app there myself, it was obvious that it feels natural to invite close friends and even family. However, it may seem like a new way to spy on everyone. Then again, haven’t we been doing that for decades?
Opting out is not possible, but ignoring friend requests means they won’t see any picks or other behaviour. The user profiles are displayed without a profile picture, and Glovo doesn’t anticipate adding it as a functionality.
Feedback
Neither with DMs and they won’t be doing anything dating-related, like in Spanish supermarkets with pineapples, either.
My friends offered mixed feedback on the new features.
“I think I would be more inclined to use it if it included only the positively or negatively rated dishes and not the whole order history for the last 12 months.”
With another one, on a positive note: “Really interesting.”
Profitability for Glovo
It will be ‘really interesting’ how the social features pan out for the Spanish company, now owned by Berlin’s Delivery Hero, when it reaches profitability by 2025 as anticipated.
Glovo ensures that the social features are just that though: features. CTO, Shiro Theuri, said: “We’re not a social media company. That should be clear.”
After that, she denied our suggestion to label it as “the Instagram for food delivery”. Theuri: “Fundamentally, we remain an on-demand company.”
