8 Reasons A Mobile App Will Benefit Your Ecommerce Store
Did you know there’s an easy way to boost your brand and strengthen your customer base, while increasing your sales? It may sound too good to be true, but it’s not. All of this is possible by creating a mobile app for your online store. In today’s world technology is about convenience and mobility, meaning an increasing majority of people spend their time browsing the web, shopping online and using social media from their phones, not their computers. Because of this, ecommerce apps are taking over the world of online shopping and it’s no surprise that they are also multiplying the profits.
This growing smartphone usage and increasing ecommerce activity brought the estimated worldwide value of the mobile ecommerce retail market to a whopping $151 billion, in 2017. This in itself is solid proof that ecommerce apps aren’t just appreciated by customers, they are here to stay and they are an asset to any ecommerce shop.
Why Does Your Online Store Need an eCommerce Mobile App?
If the above information doesn’t have you convinced, you may still be wondering what is so important about ecommerce apps. Why do customers prefer shopping on their mobile devices and what makes the experience better than that of using a desktop, or mobile browser? Below we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we discuss the main 8 reasons customers prefer mobile ecommerce apps over using a web browser.
1. Customers Prefer Mobile Apps
There is an undeniable advantage to using mobile apps, vs viewing websites on a mobile browser. This advantage has been argued many times and the answer remains the same. When asked, 78% of people confirmed that they would rather use a mobile app than view an ecommerce store’s website from their mobile devices.
There are several facts that explain this preference. Ecommerce apps allow users a quick sign in, without having to remember urls, or passwords and they provide a faster and more secure experience, just to name a few. However, the rising number of people who prefer ecommerce apps is not the only reason your online store needs a mobile app.
2. Ecommerce Apps Support Stronger Customer Loyalty
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People who download your ecommerce app are doing so because they already plan on purchasing something from you. It is unlikely that they have downloaded your app just to “window shop”, like those who visit your website. In addition, if a customer has downloaded your app, it is unlikely that they will just uninstall it after making their initial purchase.
With the icon as a constant reminder of your store on their phone, they are more likely to check your store before considering other vendors when planning another relevant purchase. Even if they are not currently viewing your store, that reminder will always be working for you on a subconscious level.
These are some of the ways that having a mobile app can increase your customer loyalty and retention percentage:
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Personalization – You can use a mobile app to cater to your customer’s preferences. This is easily achieved by prioritizing features, showing relevant products related to previous purchases and in depth search filters.
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Push Notifications – Push notifications are a great asset. They can be used to remind customers of sales and promotions, items that are back in stock and even forgotten shopping carts. You can personalize these notifications and make them more appealing by calling customers by name.
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Rewards Programs – You can implement a loyalty program to entice customers to continue using your store. This program can be in the form of points, discounts, free items, or even free shipping on future orders.
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Better Customer Support – A mobile app can offer better, more accessible customer support. By using a chatbot, or live chat option your customers will be able to voice problems, or concerns 24/7 and any issues can be solved quickly. The quality of your customer service can make, or break your customer loyalty.
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3. Faster Loading Times
Slow loading web pages and server timeouts are enough to frustrate anyone. Especially in today’s world where the quick paced hustle and bustle of life makes us expect instant gratification. The loading time of a mobile app is drastically lower than that of webpages in a mobile browser.
This is mainly because a large portion of the apps basic data is stored on the phone and quickly accessed by the operating system. Even though apps connect to the same server that houses your website, the amount of information that needs to be transferred and loaded from that server is 10x less when using an app.
4. A Cleaner User Interface
The way your store appears to your customers drastically affects their experience and satisfaction level. Cluttered screens and confusing navigation menus are one of the main downfalls of ecommerce websites. In contrast, mobile apps limit the amount of screen space you have to work with.
They don’t offer much room for banners, or sidebar ads, which leads to a cleaner, less distracting user experience. The easier it is for your customers to find and purchase what they want, the more likely they are to keep buying from you.
5. Better Conversion Rates
All of the combined customer benefits of using a mobile app, lead to you having higher conversion rates. Mobile apps are more likely to increase the chances of a customer completing a desired action than websites are. This is why the conversion rates of mobile apps are 3x higher than those of ecommerce websites.
This is partially because of the lack of clutter and the optimized item display. It is easier for your customers to view more products, in less time.
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6. Mobile Apps Interact With Mobile Phone Features
Unlike websites converted to be viewed on mobile browsers, a mobile app can easily make use of a phone’s built in features. Some of these features that can be beneficial to your store are:
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GPS – GPS allows you to have a better idea of your customer’s location. This means you can use a feature that geotags your customers address, eliminating the need for customers to manually input their shipping address and making checkout a simpler process. You can also use gps to offer your customers information about your brick and mortar stores near them.
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Camera – Allowing a camera feature will make it easier for your customers to include photos of purchased products in their customer reviews, which can help boost sales. This feature also encourages customers to interact with your app more.
7. Customers are Less Likely to Abandon Their Shopping Cart
Abandoned shopping carts are one of the biggest problems that ecommerce stores face. It’s not hard to convince customers to add an item to their cart, but completing the sale is another story. Mobile app users are less likely to abandon their shopping carts, this is partially because of the simplified process.
Another reason is that when using a mobile app, users are less likely to open another app, or their browser to compare your store’s item with another store’s options. When a user does leave their shopping cart, a notification can easily be sent to remind them of their unpurchased items.
8. Orders of Higher Average Value
The ability to view more items in less time and the simplified UI makes customers more likely to spend more per shopping visit. However there are other key factors that play a role in why customers tend to buy more when using a mobile app. Some of these factors are:
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Push Notifications – These easy reminders about sales and special deals encourage customers to take advantage of them.
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Simplified Ordering – Faster check out times make shopping in your store a more pleasant experience.
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Easy Payment – Multiple payment methods add to user convenience and cater to a wider spectrum of people. In addition, the apps ability to remember previous payment information increases the chances of completed sales, no one wants to manually enter their credit card number every single time they complete a purchase. Some popular payment methods to keep in mind are PayPal, Samsung Pay, Apples Pay and Google Wallet.
Having a highly successful ecommerce store is not an easy thing to achieve. But, you can make it easier by employing every beneficial aspect you can to your business.
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In the past, it uses to take thousands of dollars and months of development to create an Android and IOS app to your business, but no more!
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