Retailers who have yet to establish an eCommerce mobile app risk being left behind by customers. According to Business Insider, eCommerce mobile app shopping will more than double its current sales to $728.28 billion by 2025, accounting for 44.2% of retail eCommerce sales in the US.
Mobile eCommerce has become so popular that it now has its own term: mCommerce. Exactly like Brangelina and Bennifer. So, if you own a retail brand, no matter how tiny, you should start thinking about mCommerce app development. Yesterday.
But don’t be alarmed. Creating a shopping app is a thrilling opportunity for your eCommerce firm, and you want to get it right. You only have one chance to make a mCommerce first impression on your customers. So, before you begin developing, keep these tips in mind to ensure a smooth growth process.
1. Think About Whether You Want Development of Native vs. Web Apps
Shopping applications can be created as native apps, web apps, or a hybrid of the two. Cost and functionality will determine which form of mCommerce App Developers Vancouver is best for your company, but here’s a quick explanation of the three types of mCommerce apps.
Native Applications
“Native” signifies that this kind was created natively in Android or iOS software and may be downloaded as an app from the App Store onto a mobile device. They have the advantage of being easier to use, more frequently updated, and perform better for the shopper. However, they are expensive to code, and you will need to construct two apps – one for iOS users and one for Android users – effectively doubling your already-expensive budget.
Web Applications
Web apps are created for desktop devices utilizing less expensive programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JS. They are actually a website that appears to be an app when visited through a mobile device. Not only are web apps less expensive to produce, but you just need to create one app rather than two (one for iOS and one for Android) as with a native app. However, you cannot submit a web app to the App Store because it is accessed through a browser, much like a website.
Hybrid Apps
As you may expect, hybrid apps combine the benefits of both online and native apps. They’re developed on HTML/CSS/JS, so they’re less expensive than native apps, but they’re still available on the App Store. They’re slower than a native software (but less expensive!) and more expensive than a web app (but easier to find and download!).
2. Greet Shoppers with A Clean, Easy-to-Navigate Interface
Shopping on a mobile app development device means gazing at a smaller screen, thus it’s more crucial than ever to have a clean and simple mCommerce landing page. Customers will leave soon if your UI is finicky or confusing, with a lot of shouty graphic components. Using light backgrounds and lots of whitespace will help your UI feel less cluttered. It motivates people to continue browsing, exploring, and shopping.
When customers come at your mCommerce landing page, they should be able to find the products they are looking for right away. On that landing page, you should include direct links to your product categories, so if you’re a clothes business, shoppers may see MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, MATERNITY, SHOES, and so on.
Make it simple for customers to find the products they desire by using powerful filters and sorting. Customers will stay in your mCommerce app longer and add more items to their baskets if products are easier to find. So, for a clothes retailer, categorize each product by price, size, and color, and then add even more depth with categories like occasion, use, sleeve length, neckline, style, and so on.
3. Professionally Present Your Products
Don’t scrimp on product images to save money. If your product photos are amateurish, so will your mCommerce app and, by extension, your brand. Hire a professional product photographer and go all out: lighting, setups, mannequins, and, if you can afford it, models. Images should be shot in a beautiful and professional manner, with excellent quality and resolution.
To make your product presentation uniform, get three or four angles for each product, and make sure they are the SAME three or four angles for each product. Include a video clip highlighting each product if you can afford it and Custom Software Development Service.
Using a predetermined naming convention, label each video or image accurately (with the product’s name) and consistently. Save them in the correct file format and size for faster loading.
Keep your product descriptions to 300 words or less, and use a consistent voice – one that resonates with your ideal buyer. So, if your brand is exciting and trendy, let that personality shine through with entertaining and hip product descriptions.
If you want to attract a higher-end, more formal buyer, tailor your product descriptions to their preferences.
Check that your app appropriately shows your inventory and keep track of when things are in short supply. It’s an excellent technique to instill urgency in the shopper and boost conversions.
If a customer isn’t ready to buy right away, let them add goods to a “Love” or “Wish List” section so they can store the products they want to buy later.
4. Priorities Shopping Cart Transparency & Simple Purchases
Display accurate photos, quantity, size, and all pricing (including tax) to allow customers to see exactly what’s in their cart. When shoppers can readily adjust sizes and quantities from the cart page, they are more likely to convert to a sale.
Display all available options and pricing on the shipment screen. Again, shoppers prefer variety, so provide it wherever feasible.
Fill in as much billing and delivery information as possible using information from their customer account. Shoppers can be intimidated by row after row of blank forms to fill, especially on a mobile screen, so make it easier for them to click purchase.
Many customers would rather avoid the “Create Account” stage entirely. But, of course, you want to collect all of that delicious client data. As a result, make account creation as simple as possible: ideally, two steps.
There is some disagreement about when it is appropriate to ask customers to create an account. Many retailers recommend that you prompt customers to create an account as soon as they launch your mCommerce app. You risk alienating some customers, but if you make it simple to join up – through Gmail, Facebook, and so on – you can personalize the consumer experience as soon as they begin using the app.
Because the shopper has already established an account, the checkout process may concentrate exclusively on checking out. Maintain a tidy interface and use autofill as much as possible to encourage spontaneous purchases.
5. Make Returns and Customer Service Simple Accessible
Returns are a constant irritant for retailers, yet they cannot be avoided. Customers also have an advantage in terms of returns, as eCommerce has long encouraged an easy return culture.
However, permissive return policies are here to stay for the foreseeable future, and customers adore them, so you might as well take advantage of them. Make the return procedure simple for customers by providing benefits such as automatically creating shipping labels.
Make it simple for customers to see where their item is in the returns process on the returns screen. When customers require customer assistance, invest in a high-quality chatbot service and actual people. actionable FAQs that can handle most client questions.
Some returns and customer difficulties will still require a human touch. However, if you’ve integrated strong returns and chatbot capabilities into your mCommerce app, you should be able to minimize the price of human representatives to a minimum.
6. Design Around Re-engagement
A well-designed mCommerce app, like any other consumer touchpoint, has the ability to increase loyalty.
At Linkitsoft, Customers appreciate personalization, even if it is as simple as displaying a “Hello, NAME” greeting when they start the app. Displaying “Recommended for You” products at the bottom of the page can improve cart sizes while also providing clients with the delectable impression of personalized, bespoke attention.
Loyalty programs should be the foundation of your existing client interaction, and your mCommerce app should be no different. So classify your users into loyalty program levels such as VIP, returning, or loyal consumers, and then inform them of their special position.
Personalized discount codes based on previous purchases are an excellent approach to increase engagement.
