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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU Would You Pay For This?

172 replies

lottieproc1 · 28/06/2021 10:29

Hello everyone I'm looking for your opinion I am about to start a business offering a personal shopping service for people within my 8 mile area for supermarkets that don't offer home delivery so Aldi for instance. I plan to charge £10 for a weekly, £15 for a Fortnightly & £20 for a monthly. I would also run errands (post office, Click & collect etc) for £1 each when booked with the shop. I plan to offer discounts, refer a friend get a free delivery, share the cost with a neighbor
I have discussed this with friends & family, some think it's a really good idea but a few have said they think I'm charging too much & wouldn't pay for it.
What are your thoughts?? TIA

OP posts:
RightOnTheEdge · 28/06/2021 10:57

I think it's not enough money to be worth it to you but too expensive for the customer.

A lot of people shop at Lidl to keep their costs down. £10, £15, £20 on top of that is a lot.

As PPs have said you can get unlimited deliveries from other supermarkets for less.

ClaryFairchild · 28/06/2021 10:58

Tbh I think you'd make more money hiring yourself to wait at someone's house for large deliveries/workmen etc. So many companies only allow you to book a morning or afternoon slot, and people have to take the time off work to wait in.

WorraLiberty · 28/06/2021 10:58

No I wouldn't pay that and also, imagine how big the shop would be if 2 neighbours were to share one.

Not to mention all the running of errands, you couldn't even guarantee a delivery time really.

Frazzledd · 28/06/2021 10:59

@ClaryFairchild

Tbh I think you'd make more money hiring yourself to wait at someone's house for large deliveries/workmen etc. So many companies only allow you to book a morning or afternoon slot, and people have to take the time off work to wait in.
Also a good idea!
WillowintheUK · 28/06/2021 11:00

In our town there are things like this set up for free and run by volunteers, ie for vulnerable people unable to shop due to isolating, etc. I am pretty sure these schemes are still running. Don’t they have something like that in most towns? Personally I wouldn’t use such a service as the one you are offering. If I’m unable to get out for something I have family close by to help.
I think you will never make money this way.

2021DNA · 28/06/2021 11:00

How are your customers supposed to order their items? What are you going to do about out of stock items or if you accidentally pick up the wrong product?

How many customers can you currently manage. Do the supermarkets you plan on shopping at put any limits on people bulk buying? If they decided to offer a delivery service, will they prevent you from accessing their stores?

Dixiechickonhols · 28/06/2021 11:01

Would you be better marketing as a personal assistant and charge by hour with DBS. So you could run errands, collect shopping even put it away etc. It might be attractive to people who feel don’t need care but need a little help - reassurance for families that mum/dad has been checked on by a human.

SoupDragon · 28/06/2021 11:03

YABU

godmum56 · 28/06/2021 11:07

I am stuck at home at the moment (covid) and sorry but I wouldn't pay it

SleepingStandingUp · 28/06/2021 11:07

Ridiculous delivery prices. Esp as you could well be doing two or three monthly shops together and dropping them all off within streets of each other. And how will you know of its weekly, fortnightly or monthly? Do they have to book several in advance? What if I pay for a monthly shop but realise mod month there's not enough X and I need you to do another shop?

ChainJane · 28/06/2021 11:08

I fear you would be charging too much for most customers to consider it but too little for you to be making money from it yourself.

How much extra will the £1 errand service cost you? In fuel getting to and from places plus time spent queuing in the post office.

How will people pay you for their shopping, in advance or on delivery? What happens if something is out of stock or they decide the bananas aren't green enough for them or the bread's best before date is too short? You're going to need the money up front and may end up getting lumbered with items they refuse to accept.

It's a good idea in theory but I hope you have thought through all the drawbacks.

SleepingStandingUp · 28/06/2021 11:09

Will you be dropping it on the doorstep at a time suitable for me? Putting it away for me? Taking away the bags?

LakeShoreD · 28/06/2021 11:09

Sorry but I just don’t see how it can work. It’s way too expensive for the customer but also you won’t make money. You can get much cheaper supermarket deliveries elsewhere without the hassle of dealing with a third party person, including Aldi via Deliveroo which I think costs £4.99. I also don’t think you’d even make minimum wage charging £10 per shop unless you had loads of customers (which you won’t at that price) because of the time it will take you to drive to the shop, pick the items, drive to customers house, plus the cost of petrol. I’m not even going to get into how you’d handle substitutions and inevitable disputes because financially it just won’t work. Back to the drawing board I think and good luck for the future!

BanditoShipman · 28/06/2021 11:09

Dog walking / cat sitting much better idea especially with people returning to the office who got pets in lockdown. And with summer holidays coming up should be lots of plant watering / cat sitting / small animal feeding needed

FortunesFave · 28/06/2021 11:09

As others have said, it's a bad business model. For many reasons.

Set yourself up ironing and washing if you can. Charge to collect and iron. There's loads of advice online about this.

Original poster
lottieproc1 · 28/06/2021 11:10

Thanks everyone for your responses. One of the reasons behind my idea is that Deliveroo & similar don't offer a service in my area. With regards to lists etc I was thinking of having a basics list then contacting the customer the day before to add any extras to the list if required.
With the payment and trust issues I wouldn't ask for payment until the shopping was being dropped off I realise this is risky for me but equally as someone has pointed out I wouldn't want my Grandma handing cash over to someone random.
I already have business insurance on the car. I did plan to try and book people in together so I could do shops then deliver, investing in refrigeration to keep items cold/frozen.
Based on these responses I think my friends are just being nice lol.
I was thinking of offering the service between 8-12 daily as I run another business but don't need to do that full time so I'm not looking to make masses of money.
I come from a social work background but moved away from this because I couldn't stand to work in a job that doesn't put the person first and everything you do is tied by money. I really miss working with the people though if that makes sense.

OP posts:
Yaykyay · 28/06/2021 11:11

I wouldn't but don't need it. I can see people who would use it.

One thing though is charging £1per errand is super low. If you need to collect a letter or package and post it then this is going to take ages. At least 30 min. Even driving to another shop for click and collect is 15 min, plus admin of emails to get the collection info, how is that £1 charge profitable?

TheYearOfSmallThings · 28/06/2021 11:13

too expensive for the customer but also you won’t make money

This sums it up. I would start again with a different idea.

gotalottolose · 28/06/2021 11:14

I think it’ll be awkward. How will they pay you? You could run into trouble with sorting out money, people complaining about damaged goods etc. Also, I wonder if there would be food hygiene restrictions.

I think you’d be better off setting up as a cleaner or dog walker. There’s a shortage in a lot of areas.

Original poster
lottieproc1 · 28/06/2021 11:15

@Yaykyay

I wouldn't but don't need it. I can see people who would use it.

One thing though is charging £1per errand is super low. If you need to collect a letter or package and post it then this is going to take ages. At least 30 min. Even driving to another shop for click and collect is 15 min, plus admin of emails to get the collection info, how is that £1 charge profitable?

The errands would be done on top of the shop so if I was collecting the letter it would be done when I drop the shop off if you see what I mean. The errands would need to be booked with the shop so I didn't want to charge a huge amount on top of the £10 fee
OP posts:
Frazzledd · 28/06/2021 11:15

Personally I wouldn’t use such a service as the one you are offering. If I’m unable to get out for something I have family close by to help

Unfortunately alot of people (too many) don't.

There are volunteers offering things like this to vunerable people, but I know MIL and her pals at the retirement community didn't use this and very much relied on each other, they hated seeing themselves as vunerable, or eldery/incapable. They'd have rather paid someone-

It's quite awful to think that people are stuck who wouldn't ask for help, offering a paid for service does take the stigma they might feel out of it.

NoSquirrels · 28/06/2021 11:16

I think an ‘errands’ service would be more financially viable, tbh.

Maggiesfarm · 28/06/2021 11:17

I can't tell if your fee is expensive or not. I know it is more expensive than the usual supermarket delivery but you are prepared to do other things (go to post office and chemist), so I don't know.

It all depends on what your customers can afford, for some that would be too much and others wouldn't care.

I suggest you try it and see. If it doesn't work you will have lost nothing. Good luck.

FrankButchersDickieBow · 28/06/2021 11:20

This service is already offered on taskrabbit.

Not sure of their charges though

Original poster
lottieproc1 · 28/06/2021 11:21

@Frazzledd

Personally I wouldn’t use such a service as the one you are offering. If I’m unable to get out for something I have family close by to help

Unfortunately alot of people (too many) don't.

There are volunteers offering things like this to vunerable people, but I know MIL and her pals at the retirement community didn't use this and very much relied on each other, they hated seeing themselves as vunerable, or eldery/incapable. They'd have rather paid someone-

It's quite awful to think that people are stuck who wouldn't ask for help, offering a paid for service does take the stigma they might feel out of it.

That's kind of the angle I was coming from. I worked with adults with disabilities and they were so patronised I literally couldn't work there anymore. I also was thinking about my Grandma who hated getting old and not being able to do the things she was always able to do. Sadly I lived too far away to offer support and my family who lived in the area were rubbish and couldn't be bothered. She would never have sought out support from voluntary or social work agencies but would have paid someone to come in and do things for her. Plus she loved a natter which Tesco/Deliveroo/other delivery services don't have time for
OP posts: