While many older generations still rely on desktop for their online shopping, this is slowly changing due to how powerful mobile devices have become over the years. In fact, mobile users made up for over 30% of all online retail sales in the US alone. That percentage is only going to grow as over half the internet users are using mobile devices to connect to the internet.
Having said that, present ecommerce trends are still not getting the best out of their mobile experience. Online stores are largely using websites, where the experience is far better on desktop than on mobile. That is why in this article we will discuss an underutilized aspect of ecommerce: developing mobile apps for your online store.
Find out the reasons for investing in eCommerce mobile app development is the future of the business and how you can get the best out of it to help maximize your ecommerce sales!
Let’s discuss why you should invest in developing a mobile app for your ecommerce business and what you should include in it to get the best out of it by divulging through these reasons:
The same website on a mobile device looks and feels off, due to scaling the desktop view down to fit a smaller screen. However, with a dedicated mobile app, you are providing a smooth interface, faster loading times, and features like personalized recommendations and streamlined checkout processes. All of these features allow you to deliver a superior experience for your customers.
It is not just about developing an app for your ecommerce store, but also making sure the user experience is the focus of the app. You need to conduct user testing to identify pain points and optimize the app’s performance. Incorporate features such as personalized product recommendations based on user behavior, easy navigation, and a quick and secure checkout process. Along with that, make sure to keep it updated and add features to the app to keep up with the latest trends.
Instead of the hassle of a mobile website view, a mobile app for your ecommerce store will help you generate more sales and revenue. With the help of features like push notifications, in-app promotions, and personalized offers, you have more opportunities to drive immediate purchases. These kinds of targeted approaches ensure that you have a higher chance of lead conversion, resulting in more sales.
To get the most out of it, you need to make sure the right message is conveyed to the customers. Online shoppers love personalized offers so make sure the offers they are getting are targeted to what they have been buying from your store. Promote sales and discounts that your stores offer to encourage customers to buy your products. Even exclusive deals via the app will encourage new customers to download the app and purchase from there instead of the website.
A regular brick and mortar store has many points of interaction through which you could help personalize a customer’s buyer journey. This is lacking when online shopping. But the limited interaction means you could enhance the customer interaction when it counts through a mobile app. Features like in-app messages and notifications allow your customers to know more about your store and the products you have to really drive home in a continuous stream of engagement. With higher points of engagement, your customers are more likely to remain loyal and make repeat purchases.
To improve customer engagement through your app, make sure you separate your customer segments. Not everyone will interact the same, so your mobile needs to cater to all the different types of customers. Encourage the interactions through rewards program and social sharing options to help engage the customers with your store so you get a loyal customer at the end of their buying journey.
Instead of a website, your customers are directly connected to your brand via the mobile app. It helps increase your brand visibility and allows more customers to know about it. With consistent branding within the app, it will create a lasting impression on your customers.
To improve brand visibility, focus on app store optimization (ASO) to ensure your app is easily discoverable. Use your brand’s colors, logos, and style guidelines to remain consistent throughout the app and your marketing effort. Encourage users to download the app through exclusive in-app content or discounts and showcase what your brand is really about. With regular updates, you allow the same customers to have a personalized shopping experience through the app itself.
While not everyone will download the app, it brings in a new type of insight into how your customers are buying and interacting with your store. You can never undervalue data in e-commerce because it shows you what marketing efforts are working and where most of your customers are buying your products from.
With the app, you are able to provide a much better service to your customers. Data collection is also much easier as long as there are analytics being tracked with each customer interaction. All you need to do is make sure your app is simple and intuitive to use, while also ensuring that customers’ data are being protected.
The review system for apps on app stores will also show insight in how you can make your app better. So you best utilize all the feedback that the mobile data is providing for your ecommerce store.
With such a low barrier to entry in ecommerce, it is hard to stand out. However, not all stores have their own mobile app to differentiate from the rest. While all your competitors are fighting over visitors to their website, you can take advantage of it by investing in ecommerce mobile app development to gain a competitive advantage.
Remember, the app that you make for your store has to be more than just an extension of your website. With it, you can offer features that your competitors will not be able to implement on their online stores. So identify features that your competitors lack and implement them to attract customers while maintaining a user-friendly interface so customers are not overwhelmed by their in-app experiences.
If your customers do not have your website bookmarked on their desktop or mobile devices, they would constantly have to search for your website and then find the products to buy. That added extra step in the beginning is exactly your reasons for investing in ecommerce mobile app development.
Mobile apps are there on the customer’s phone once they have it downloaded. Now customers don’t have to load up their web browsers constantly to access your ecommerce store. The store with all the products are presented to them from the get-go, which brings a convenience and accessibility to your store that your website is ultimately hindered by.
Your mobile app can help you streamline your business operations. When integrated with your website, you can now manage inventory more effectively. With features such as chat support, order tracking, and payment gateways, you provide all the convenience to both you and your customers.
The app helps manage your business more efficiently while you can focus your efforts in marketing and promoting the app so more customers are buying your products. The app provides you with operational efficiency and helps increase your sales at the same time.
Investing in eCommerce mobile app development is a strategic move that can yield significant returns for your business. You get to provide your customers with easy product ordering and greater customer satisfaction than you could have with your website. In return, you get customers who become repeat purchasers and will actively use the app to find new deals.
While it might be expensive to develop an app for your store, know that it is worth building one to scale with your business. The return on investment will be worth it in the long run and should be one of the major reasons for investing in ecommerce mobile app development for your business.