Companies like BigBasket and Amazon are proving now that we are living in exciting times. We can see how mobile app development for retailers is a boon for everyone and acting as a great aid for shopping. Moreover, what is the most difficult decision any business has to make? It is, of course, the decision of opting for the mCommerce industry. Any small or medium-sized business will choose between a website or mobile application. But, an average consumer spends more time on a mobile application when compared to a website. Though this might not be the case with every industry it is true when it comes to retail shopping. So, let us know more about how retail mobile app development will benefit the industries.
How mobile commerce app development will benefit retail sales?
It will not be surprising to know that today, 66% of the world’s population uses mobile devices. It surely impacts retail sales. More and more people are using mobile devices to make purchases. This is because smartphones give mobility to consumers. They also allow them to make purchases at any time in any place. The convenience and accessibility for customers make mobile commerce a hot option for retailers.
According to Statista, the fastest growing mobile app categories based on the year-on-year growth of consumer time spend include shopping, entertainment and business.
However, the shopping apps have the biggest gains with a 54 per cent increase in sessions over the year.
Besides, as per a survey conducted by Statista, the frequency of use of retail apps in the U.S. is high. Almost 43 per cent of the respondents uses retail apps at least once a week.
It is clear that mobile applications have become an integral part of our modern lives. Mobile commerce will definitely be the future of retail sales. This is due to its convenience for customers to make purchases and stay connected with smartphones. But, why should any retailer opt for any e-commerce application development company? Let’s take a look.
User-friendly and convenient to use
What is so different with mobile applications that make them more engaging? It is the design and UX. Though websites follow a usual industry standard, people enjoy the unique characteristics of apps. Also, customers prefer mobile apps as they have made the processes easier than before. They are more engaging, much user-friendly and convenient to use too. Customers have access to any information about business’s products on the home screens of their mobiles. This makes it quick and easy to access.
According to TechCrunch, mobile apps have higher engagement rates than mobile-optimized websites. This is because apps are more convenient.
Also, the conversion rates are 100-300% higher than other traditional methods of marketing.
In fact, mobile apps give a whole different kind of shopping experience. That is why companies like Amazon, WalMart, etc. are successful with their mobile apps.
Exclusive benefits of mobile apps
Benefits like special promotional offers, discounts, etc. are possible only through mobile applications. These advantages influence the in-store customer experience as well. Besides, the process of redeeming coupons and availing discounts attract more consumers towards apps. Also, many businesses are working on enhancing the in-store experiences and customer loyalty. This is possible only through retail mobile app development. Some examples include loyalty programs and easy online payment options. Payments using PayPal, CCAvenue and Braintree have made lives easier for retailers. Moreover, billing and inventory management have become efficient with an e-commerce mobile app.
Advertising and marketing
When it comes to mobile commerce, apps can store the purchase history of shoppers in an efficient way. Also, apps could give users every data about the exact kind of products and offers they are looking for. The most important part of any business is advertising and marketing. E-commerce can help in getting a lot more customised and personalized feature through a mobile app.
Besides, spending your money on advertising and marketing would cost you a lot of money. But with e-commerce, it becomes a cheap option too. Popular social media platforms are used as advertising channels and are enough to do the whole work. Further, techniques for advertising include social media traffic, pay-per-click, search engine traffic etc. Mobile marketing is actually the forefront of digital marketing.
As per Adweek, in 2017 almost 87% of Facebook’s advertising revenue came from mobile. It is definite that this percentage will keep on increasing in the coming days too.
Enhanced engagement through AI
One may ask that what is the relationship between AI (artificial intelligence) and mobile applications? Well, AI has a potent force to improve interaction through mobile apps. Let’s take a look at how AI can revolutionize mobile apps for retail e-commerce.
- Offers better predictions and recommendations to customers
- Improves the sales figure through strategic data mining.
- Engages with customers on a real-time basis and retail owners via chatbots.
- Enhances the engagement quality through chat box options like Skype, Facebook, WhatsApp and others.
Thus, from social messenger integration to data mining, AI is definitely a blessing in disguise for mobile commerce. It helps you to gather the online data of your target audience and improve your reach. In fact, this will help you to design your business model in an effective way and earn more profit.
One-click ordering feature
With a single click, one can include information in their e-commerce shopping cart. This replaces the current cart system which is prevalent in many online stores. Moreover, using the one-click feature, your customers can include information in a safe and secure manner. These include bank details, shipping addresses, emails, contact numbers etc.
Besides, the process of buying and selling becomes much easier with this feature. Also, algorithms within mobile apps automatically use the data of the saved settings and help users to choose any displayed product. Users can also connect with their bank accounts through these algorithms. The saved addresses can help in easier shipping with the single click feature too. All processes become faster and more efficient. Besides, an automatic email sent to the user also follows the same one-click feature. Further, it increases sales by eliminating the issue of cart abandonment.
Omnichannel experience
Today, customers shop across multiple channels and devices. They may find something online and try to get into a store to buy it. They may also find some interesting pamphlets about some clothing and try to check the inventory of shops via their smartphones. Scenarios like these exist a lot but that is where omnichannel serves the purpose. Omnichannel makes all channels interconnected to provide a seamless experience. It gives users a connected purchase journey and boosts retail sales.
Omnichannel is actually a multichannel marketing strategy. This is how a company may use different channels to interact with the customer. Managing of each channel happens separately with specific strategies. Moreover, it’s centred around the customers. It ensures that they can navigate between each company contact-point to make a single purchase.
An omnichannel also allows a company to use the onboard GPS of your consumer’s smartphone to find their location and send push notifications about any offers or products. This will not only improve the traffic to your brick and mortar stores but also increase your company’s sales.
Signing off…
Web purchases are still popular for online shopping. But, one can’t ignore the growth of mobile apps when it comes to retail sales. Mobile app usage is exploding. There will be an exponential growth in the retail sales through mobile apps in the coming years. Soon mobile retail will overtake the traditional retail as the preferred shopping method. Besides, any company will want to use this channel to help their business grow. This is because it will help in improving the customers’ experience. Yet, you need the right mobile app development company for building a retail app. So, what are you waiting for? Hire the best retail mobile app development company as soon as possible!
