Mobile is becoming an important growth driver in e-commerce. The mobile e-commerce market size is currently estimated at 40 billion USD. Mobile visits account for one-third of e-commerce sites traffic. eCommerce store needs mobile app To have an e-commerce mobile app for electronic commerce store is like putting a retail outlet in the customer’s pocket .
Most e-commerce store owners simply rely on a responsive web design for mobile visitors. Although this is a good commerce strategy, it isn't a complete solution because responsive web design has some limitations such as :
All content is downloaded whether it is used or not.
Pages load slower; full-size images are downloaded, then resized to fit the device.
The initial cost of having a responsive website designed is usually higher than having a non-responsive site designed.
A complete and effective strategy has e-commerce mobile app as an integral part of it.The eCommerce store needs mobile app because this is not just a “good to have” for e-commerce stores, they have become a must.
In this article, we have highlighted 6 reasons why we think mobile apps should be an important cornerstone of your mobile commerce strategy. Below are the reasons why your business needs mobile apps:
1. Customers Prefer Mobile Apps to Shopping Through Mobile Browsers
In a poll, 78% of customers said they prefer to access their desired shopping sites using an e-commerce mobile app than through mobile browsers. Mobile e-commerce makes shopping experience faster and more secure. Users do not have to worry about memorizing a URL or having to log in every time they want to place their usual order or even see what's new.
2. Easier, Faster, And Secure Payments
A mobile app has secure payment options, which can be programmed to remember payment options for subsequent shopping. This reduces the buying process and time spent for the user. Buyers get discouraged when a buying process gets too complex leading to high cart abandonment rate. You definitely don't want that.
3. Mobile Apps Support Social Sharing
Want your customers to do advertising for you by sharing your wares on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites? Mobile app developers have the ability to build social sharing right into the app. So your eCommerce store needs mobile app to share your store products socially which is very important for the store marketing.
4. Mobile Apps Allow Push Notifications
The mobile app enables a personalized experience and interfaces perfectly designed for each device such as the Android or iPhone. Push notifications can be location based so that you can send your customers special offers when they get near one of your physical stores. Notifications can also be dispensed when you need to offer a promotion, run special sales, or even to get the word out about a new product. You cannot utilize push notifications to increase sales if you do not use mobile e-commerce.
5. More Control Over User Experience
Mobile apps give room for your developers to create a unique and powerful user experience tailored to the user's device. You have control over the interface and present faster service. Apps let you go beyond the limitations of a responsive web design and work with the user's preferred OS (iPhone, Android, etc.).
6. The eCommerce Store Needs Mobile App To Build Brand Loyalty
Nothing puts your products and brand at the forefront like a mobile app that the user sees every time they use their phone. Mobile apps are with the customers everywhere at all time; they have become like the virtual eyes and arms of the shopper making mobile apps a powerful tool for building and nurturing loyal customers.
Conclusion
These are just 6 of the benefits of developing an e-commerce mobile app, but not everything. Some of the other benefits include caching heavy interface elements at your device once, geopositioning integration, offline mode, marketing advantages etc.
Want to see what mobile app development can do for your e-commerce business or startup? There are various native e-commerce mobile apps available in the market for example MagentoShop, SimiCart, Wooshopee etc.
