Why Developing a Mobile App is Crucial for E-commerce Success in 2024

October 23, 2024
10 minutes
AWS Costs

With the growing shift to digital shopping, having a well-built e-commerce mobile app is no longer optional for businesses. A mobile app is what wins your product's performance on the market.  

An app lets your customers engage better than a website can. It builds deeper relationships by giving a much better experience, boosts sales, and simplifies your business processes.

Think of your website as the storefront. Your app, on the other hand, is like a VIP room for your most engaged customers, where they can have personalised experiences and receive special benefits.

The Shift from Websites to Mobile Apps

It’s not uncommon, but it’s also not optimal for online sales without an E-commerce app nowadays. Recent data shows that over 79% of smartphone users have made a purchase on their phones within the last six months. 

This means that businesses that use e-commerce mobile apps usually see higher conversion rates compared to those relying purely on mobile websites to drive their business because mobile phones are where your consumers are most of the time. And no, a mobile-optimised website is still not enough, as it lacks the overall experience that an app on the same mobile phone can provide. 

Apps are also better because they provide quicker and more customised user experiences. They make the most of mobile features like push notifications and camera integration—capabilities that websites cannot match as effectively. These features keep your customers engaged with your brand and build stronger loyalty.

Enhanced User Experience Drives Customer Retention and Sales

One of the main reasons businesses invest in e-commerce mobile app development is to improve user experience. Apps are designed to make the customer’s journey smooth and efficient, whether they’re browsing products or making a purchase. This ease of use and no hassle gets customers shopping more frequently and definitely increases sales.

The best part is that apps collect data about customer preferences and shopping habits. This really helps businesses offer personalised recommendations and targeted promotions. Personalisation can increase customer retention by up to 27%, giving e-commerce mobile apps a significant edge over websites.

Key Features that Make Mobile Apps Crucial for E-commerce

Building a successful e-commerce mobile app requires including specific features that enhance the user experience and support business growth. Here are the must-include e-commerce mobile app features:

Push Notifications for Immediate Engagement

Push Notifications help you send direct messages to customers to remind them of abandoned carts, special offers, or upcoming sales. It’s a simple yet very effective way to keep your brand in their minds and convey the brand personality to potential customers. 

Secure and Streamlined Payment Options

Smooth payment processing is the key to minimising friction in the buying journey of any user interested in your products. Every user wants a faster and more secure checkout. Hence, apps that offer safe and varied payment methods, such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal, gain credibility and witness significant increases in conversions

How Mobile Apps Build Customer Loyalty?

Mobile apps create many more opportunities to build long-term loyalty with your customers. Features like loyalty points, exclusive discounts, and rewards programs make them feel valued, and in many cases, this also encourages repeat purchases. Just by taking care of this, you can boost your retention by up to 30%.

As we discussed, apps allow for direct communication through push notifications, which is a big advantage. Customers will get timely information about special deals, restocks, or flash sales. This keeps them engaged and makes them more likely to return as an inbound lead.

Mobile Apps Boost Operational Efficiency and Business Growth

Investing in mobile app development is about more than just engaging customers. The biggest advantage it will bring your business is improving and optimising your internal processes. A well-designed app seamlessly helps with order management, inventory tracking, and automating mundane tasks. 

Real-Time Inventory and Order Management 

E-commerce mobile apps can integrate with your inventory system to give you real-time updates on stock levels, order statuses, and deliveries. This allows the app to monitor any errors, such as overselling, and keep the fulfilment process running smoothly.

Consider a tech store that sells the latest smartphones and can use its app to sync stock levels in real-time. When a customer makes a purchase, the app can update inventory across all locations, prevent overselling, and ensure efficient operations.

Automating Repetitive Tasks

With an app, you can automate many routine tasks, such as sending confirmation emails, sending customer feedback, or updating order statuses. When your precious time isn’t spent on the basic technicalities, your teams can focus on more strategic activities like customer support or business growth planning.

Emerging Technologies to Enhance E-commerce Mobile Apps

To stand out in the competitive e-commerce space, businesses incorporate advanced technologies like augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and voice search into their e-commerce mobile apps. Features like these significantly improve the user experience and also offer fresh and strategic ways for customers to interact with your products.

Augmented Reality for Product Previews

AR lets customers preview products like sofas or TV sets in their homes before purchasing. This is again a great feature, especially useful for industries like fashion. Seeing a product in context can sometimes make or break a purchase decision. AR helps customers make more informed buying decisions and be more certain to avoid returns and post-purchase hassle for both parties.

AI-Powered Chatbots and Product Recommendations

AI development plays a big role in e-commerce mobile app development. Incorporating AI-powered chatbots and other smart features like review summaries eases the capacity to reach more customer inquiries in less time. According to McKinsey, personalisation can drive 5-15% increases in conversion rates. 

The modern customer will always prefer to shop with businesses with shorter response times and a higher customer satisfaction ratio. At the same time, AI-based product recommendations can also help suggest products based on a customer’s preferences and past purchases. 

After all, subtle custom catering and decision assistance are the game changers here, eventually boosting an online business’ conversion rates significantly.

How to Ensure a Successful Mobile App Development for Your E-commerce Business

Building a successful e-commerce mobile app requires thoughtful planning and continuous improvement. Here are some steps to ensure your app meets your business goals:

Choose the Right Development Platform

Decide whether a native app (iOS, Android) or a cross-platform app (React Native, Flutter) fits your audience best. Make sure to look into the pros and cons of both options. While native apps offer better performance and access to device-specific features, cross-platform apps can be developed faster. So, your decision should revolve around what’s more important—the timeline or the depth of the application. 

Prioritise Security and Compliance

Security is definitely one of the most crucial aspects when building an app, especially with the ever-increasing risks of data breaches. Ensure your app uses data encryption and has secure authentication to avoid mishappenings. 

Additionally, the policies must be aligned with regulations like GDPR. This will protect customer data and your business from potential fines or legal proceedings. 

Continuous Testing and Optimization

After launching your app, the next crucial thing to focus on is figuring out the ongoing testing and updates. Regular updates help fix bugs, improve performance, and introduce new features. Apps that receive frequent updates typically have 2.5 times higher retention rates than those that don’t.

How to Choose the Right Mobile App Development Partner

Selecting the right development team is crucial to the success of your e-commerce mobile app. Here are vital factors to consider:

Evaluate Portfolios and Client Feedback

Begin by reviewing potential developers' portfolios to determine if they have experience with apps similar to yours and assess the quality of their work. Pay attention to how their apps have performed and whether their design and functionality align with your objectives. 

Validate their Expertise

Make sure the development team has experience with the platforms you need (iOS, Android) and that they have specialists in design, development, and project management.

Communication on the Project is Key

The development team must be in sync with your ideas and vision of the mobile app for your brand. It is especially important here to choose a team that involves you in every step of the development process. Clear and regular communication ensures that your input is considered and helps prevent misunderstandings, delays, or any later glitches.

Set a Realistic Budget

Investing in app development can be a hefty expense, but the truth is that cutting corners can lead to even costlier issues down the line. Dedicate your budget accordingly to ensure the final product matches the expected quality of work and is at par with industry standards.  Ensure your budget includes not just the development but also post-launch support and maintenance

Staying Ahead with a Mobile-First E-commerce Strategy

The future of e-commerce is mobile, and businesses without optimised apps risk falling behind in a competitive market. To stay ahead in 2024 and beyond, investing in a secure, innovative app is essential to avoid losing your business to competitors.

We at Atomic Digital Labs can help you design and develop an e-commerce app solution built for long-term success. Share your requirements with our team to bring your e-commerce vision to life.

FAQs

What is a mobile app for e-commerce?

An e-commerce mobile app enables users to shop via smartphones. It offers features like product catalogues, secure payments, order tracking, and personalised recommendations, ensuring engagement, sales, and customer loyalty.

What are the benefits of mobile app development for a business?

Mobile apps can boost customer engagement and improve sales with personalised offers. They are reliable and deliver a fast, seamless user experience. E-commerce mobile apps allow better communication via push notifications and outperform website conversion rates, building long-term brand loyalty.

How does custom mobile app development help to boost your business?

Custom apps offer tailored features and better system integration, improving user engagement and operational efficiency. This leads to higher sales, better customer satisfaction, and stronger brand loyalty.

Boost your business with a mobile app!
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Rachel Huck
Digital 360 Account Manager

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