When talking about mobile applications for an online store, their advantages and disadvantages, many companies form the wrong idea about these digital products.
In our guide, we will explain to you the main aspects of developing such custom application development company applications, as well as highlight the pros and cons that this process entails.
The Benefits Of A Mobile Application For An Online Store
A mobile application for an online store is one of the ways to scale an eCommerce business that helps companies in several aspects at the same time.
First, given the fact that in recent years the number of purchases on mobile platforms has increased several times, such an application can significantly increase sales.
Secondly, by personalizing offers and push notifications, you can also increase the average check.
And thirdly, the application can turn into a very effective marketing asset that will not only retain your existing customers, but also return customers who have not made any purchases for a long time.
What Features Should A Commercial Application Include?
At a basic level, commercial mobile applications should have the following features:
- Convenient navigation with sections and categories that would allow users to quickly find the goods they are interested in;
- well-implemented functionality for searching products with filters by price, popularity and customer reviews; shopping cart leading to checkout pages with integrated payment services;
- Recommendation offers that would show users products based on their purchase history and thereby encourage them to new purchases;
- A feedback system for consumers, on the basis of which a product rating would be formed;
tools that allow the company to analyze the key performance indicators of the application, for example, the frequency of visits, the duration of sessions, etc.
How To Choose A Development Platform
The choice of a mobile application development platform is dictated, first of all, by your wishes and needs.
On the one hand, our team can create a native application for you from scratch for a specific operating system, be it iOS or Android.
On the other hand, you can choose cross-platform development, which will allow you to cover both Android and Apple smartphones.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Mobile Application For A Website
A mobile application for a website provides eCommerce businesses with a number of significant advantages:
- If there is an Internet connection through the application, consumers can view the goods they are interested in anywhere and at any time;
- The application can generate more company sales;
- Because the app can make the purchasing process much easier for your users, they are more likely to return to it in the long run;
- Push notifications with personalized offers will allow you to interact with customers more often and track their reactions to certain products;
- The process of placing an order becomes easier due to the linking of bank cards, so the number of “abandoned carts” can significantly decrease;
- Through the application, you can better analyze the behavior of your target audience and form more suitable offers for them.
As for the shortcomings, it also could not do without them:
- Development of a multifunctional mobile application for an online store can be quite expensive;
- Over time, the optimization of such a product will require additional investments;
- Monitoring of the application is assigned to specialists, which also entails costs.
Factors To Take Into Account When Developing A Mobile App For Your Online Store
- The main factor that we must take into account is without a doubt the operating system , remember that one of the main benefits of a mobile application is the presence that it offers us, that is why you must take into account the operating systems in which it is most convenient for you to be , among these you can find Android, iOS (iphone) and BlackBerry, the most common decision is Android and iOS so that you can cover a greater part of the market and optimize your online store.
- Once you have decided on the operating system, it is time to think about the graphic design of your app , this is an important part of the creation, do not forget that the aesthetics and usability of the App of your online store will depend on this design, a good design can capture the attention of the client and that they want to keep your application, so before starting the development phase make sure you get a design that meets your expectations, thus you will save time and money.
- In the same way, you must decide if your app will be available for tablets, if so, the designer and developer must work as a team so that your application looks properly on both mobile phones and tablets.
- The database is another slightly more technical aspect that you should consider, we will explain to you, mobile applications generally use web services, which are in charge of exposing the data that they need to function, in this way, the data load can be done online or using a synchronization so that the app works autonomously until some important change is presented on the server to synchronize, whatever it may be, you should discuss this with your developer to make sure you choose the option that best suits you.
- You must also take into account the functionalities of your mobile app , once you have the technical and aesthetic aspects of your application ready, you need to decide what functionalities or characteristics your app should have, remember that these will be essential to achieve your objectives, for that reason they must be in accordance with what you want to achieve, for example, if you have a virtual fashion store, a visual catalog of products must be an essential part of your application.
- Finally you must decide if you need a Native or Hybrid App , this is depending on the needs of your virtual store. Native Apps are usually a little more expensive but much more professional, while hybrid developments allow us to make more accessible applications.
Conclusion
Mobile app development is an important step in the development of any eCommerce business, but you need to be sure that such a product will really help your sales.
Here it is important to take into account the specifics of the goods, the activity of the target audience in the context of mobile devices, and many other factors that can affect the final result.