Do you remember the Yellow Pages slogan “Let your fingers do the walking”? In this day and age, that saying is still relevant, and means so much more – although sorry to say YP, it’s not about phone books anymore. We’re so fortunate to live in an innovative era where everything is available directly through your mobile phone, in a few clicks or taps, making our lives a little bit easier (but perhaps not so much the pockets).

In this article, we will tell you all about the industries that have harnessed the power of mobile apps to deliver cutting edge ‘On Demand’ services to customers and a list of some of the most successful apps that have made life easy for the likes of us.

Every industry has been impacted by the Coronavirus Pandemic however the consumption of apps has dramatically increased. Working from home and learning from home meant that businesses needed to pivot and meet family needs. Let’s check out the industries and apps available in Australia that have been most useful in the last year and of course, the game changing GimmeNow store!

Food

Since the start of the pandemic and the series of lockdowns, the go-to apps have been the food delivery apps. Whether it was because we didn’t feel like cooking tonight, or we’ve cooked every dish we knew how to and cycled through them for the n-th time. Here are the ones that have made our top lists.

1. Deliveroo – with their offer of 14 days free Deliveroo Plus, you can get Take Out delivered for free, and they don’t charge those silly Service Fees on top.
2. Menulog – local Aussie business that’s now been bought out by a Dutch company. We still like to think they are true blue and home grown. Support local, we say.
3. Door Dash – restaurant choices are great, and really love the Double Dash concept, which allows you to order from a second nearby restaurant after ordering from the first, with no extra delivery fees. Watch out for those Service Fees though, they could be as much as the delivery fees themselves.
4. Uber Eats – the variety is awesome, but its further down the list because they like to charge those nasty Service Fees even though you have Uber Pass, not happy, Jan.

Health

With health being our top priorities these days, it’s good to have the ability to find the nearest GP for when anything should happen.

1. Health Engine – find a medical practitioner near you and book the best time for you. Easy.
2. Hot Doc – depending on which platform your practitioner of choice uses, you may need both apps

Buy Now Pay Later

Or what the cool kids say – BNPL. These are the must haves if you want to spread out payments over several weeks. Yes, in the end you pay the same amount, but there are benefits to doing it when you were going to spend anyway, but receive a reward when reaching a certain spend. Just make sure to pay on time to avoid penalties.

1. Afterpay – an amazing Australian business which has grown global. We’re big fans of the rewards you can choose from when reaching certain tiers.
2. Zip Pay – also an Aussie company, Zip has rewards and cashback offers which makes spending worthwhile
3. PayPal Pay in 4 – Who doesn’t have a PayPal account? Now you can choose Pay in 4 to spread out the payment. Although it doesn’t have the rewards attached, it’s a good to have if you already have PayPal.

Bargain Shopping

Hey, we get it. Money is hard to come by, and any cash back for purchases makes all the difference. When buying online, always see if there’s a deal to get something back with these apps.

1. ShopBack – get cashback on over 1500 online shops and gift cards; always check the rules for each store before using to avoid disappointment
2. Cashrewards – Similar deal to ShopBack, with apparently over 1700 shops, again, make sure to follow instructions and watch out for exclusions
3. Cheddar – a new comer to the scene backed by CommBank, and already have quite a large number of stores, give them a try

Travel and Accommodation

It’s been hard to know when you can next travel, without borders closing on you, or having to cancel trips and fighting for refunds. We’re suggesting these apps because there are glimpses of hope for travelling again, and you can always dream.

1. Luxury Escapes – we like browsing through the options of luxury resorts in Fiji, Bali or Hawaii where all meals and drinks are included in the package. Great destinations and offers… and one day, we will go! Right?
2. Agoda – great app to look for accommodation at a holiday destination, often has discounts and specials for members.
3. AirBNB – use this to support individuals who rent out their properties to others, make sure to read reviews on the quality of the rentals.

Online Shopping Done Right… Now

Online shopping is about to get a whole lot faster with GimmeNow. It only takes a few clicks to purchase and your order is delivered within two hours. It’s perfect for those occasions when you’re too busy to get to the store for gifts, baby products, medication, electronics and more. GimmeNow also allows you to track your purchase from the store to your door. It’s a huge improvement on existing online shopping where products can take weeks to be delivered. Get the app now and sign up today!