SLC-S29/W5-“Thinking and Ideas!| Ideas That Failed (and Why)!”

In 2024 there was a startup business in Lagos created by quickpick, a mobile app for fast grocery delivery, the goal was very simple which will help busy people save time by ordering food and household items from the local markets with just a few clicks, the team believed this would work because many nigerians were using smartphones and also traffic in cities like lagos made shopping stressful but other countries had a successful delivery apps like glovo or jumia food

This was really bad because after six months, quickpick was shut down, here are some reason:-
a. High Delivery Costs :- motorcycle riders used for deliveries charged high fees due to fuel prices and bad road that's why customers refused to pay extra for delivery when they could buy cheaper in-person.

b. Poor Internet & App Issues:- many users had slow internet, making the app frustrating to use, also the app crashed often, and some features were confusing.

c. Trust problems :- customers worried about fake products or expired goods.
Small market sellers preferred cash payments and didn’t trust digital transactions.

d. Wrong target market :-The app focused on high-income areas, but most nigerians in those areas already had helpers who shopped for them.
Low income users couldn’t afford the extra fees.

If given another chance, here’s how the team could improve:

a. Start Small and test first :- Instead of launching a full app, they could have tested with WhatsApp or SMS orders in one neighborhood to see if people really wanted the service.
b. Cheaper Delivery Options :- use bicycles or tricycles keke in areas with bad traffic to cut costs, also to partner with markets to reduce fees.

c. Simpler Technology :- make the app work offline or with low internet and also to use voice commands for users who struggle with typing.

d. Focus on Real Needs :- sell only high demand items like rice, oil, or baby products instead of everything, that will be ok, also to offer cash payment options to build trust.

(Why People Rejected the App)

Beyond technical issues, the app didn’t consider cultural habits:
Market Socializing: many nigerians enjoy the social experience of bargaining in markets, quickpick removed this interaction, making shopping feel impersonal.

Cash Preference: over 60% of nigerians distrust digital payments, the app forced online transactions instead of offering cash on delivery early on.

Competition Missteps :- quickpick ignored local rivals like Jumia food and glovo, which already had:
Strong logistics networks artnerships with big supermarkets (e.g., Shoprite).

Financial Burnout:- the startup spent heavily on app development hiring expensive foreign programmers marketing billboards, Instagram ads,
But they ran out of cash before fixing core issues.

Regulatory Hurdles :- Lagos state laws on motorcycle delivery permits changed suddenly in 2025, quickpick’s riders were fined for operating illegally, causing delivery delay, the lesson is that before you startups anything you must study local laws deeply, especially in transport and food safety.

What success could have looked like If quickpick had pivoted wisely, they might have become a "Niche" service, focus on delivering only perishable goods like fresh fish or vegetables to high-end restaurants.
Used Local Agents: Partner with corner shops ("kiosks") as pickup points to cut delivery costs.
Added Value: Offer free price alerts for market goods e.g., tomatoes are cheapest at Ketu market today

The Lessons Learned
Not every good idea works in every place because my country nigeria’s challenges is the high costs, poor internet, trust issues which is needed in a special solutions.
Because listening to customers early could have saved time and money and a small steps work is better than a big launches in uncertain markets.