How to identify an on demand app need in the marketplace
An on-demand app is one offering products or services provided by a third party. Examples of product based services include ebay, Amazon or Etsy, and examples of service based services include apps like Uber, Just Eat or Airbnb. The owner of the business does not store or own any inventory, nor do they have a physical location. Their business model is presenting other people’s inventory or service to a buyer and facilitating a transaction. The owner of the app collects commissions on each transaction whether it be from the service provider, the customer or both.
The emergence of on-demand apps like these is filling a gap in markets. Providing services on an as-needed basis benefits both the consumer and the service provider as the consumer has the convenience of ordering what they need when they need it and the providers can pick up work as they wish.
Providing the platform that brings the two together without occupying physical space is where the value of your offering lies. On-demand apps are rising in popularity as more and more people enjoy the convenience of having services at their fingertips.
There is a common misconception that making money online is easy. It’s not. It requires the same amount of time and dedication as any brick & mortar to get started. You will have to do your research, and know your market in order to figure out how you can be successful at it. You will have to invest money into your idea in order to bring it to life, but once you do, there are very real opportunities to make a significant return on your investment.
The key to the success of apps like Airbnb and Uber is that they identified a need and they provided a solution. So the most crucial step in creating your own on-demand app is to:
Find a need and fill it!
This is where having a great idea comes in handy! If you don’t have one yet, have no fear, people are always looking for solutions to their problems. If you can offer one then they will pay you for that. Ask not what your community can do for you, but what you can do for your community and the answer is where you will find your niche.
For example, a candidate running for school board trustee in London, ON realized that there was no information about the candidates running for school board trustee readily available to his constituents, so he contacted a developer and created an app for that.
If you’re not sure where to start, check your local Kijiji or Craig’s list listings. There you will find people both offering and wanting services in a variety of niches. You can be the person who brings them together!
Once you have your idea, you’re ready to bring it to a professional on-demand app developer to help make it a reality.
