Shopify Mobile App
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Why does your shopify store need a Mobile App?

10 min read

Shopify is the fastest-growing ecommerce platform that provides an affordable solution for ecommerce startups to build a powerful web store with an appealing interface and the best features. Shopify is undoubtedly the most popular eCommerce platform which powers more than one million businesses across the globe.

Shopify controls 31% of the total eCommerce market share in the United States.

In the last year, 218 million people have purchased something from a store built on Shopify.

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So, if you already are using Shopify to sell online, you’ve made a right choice. It literally eliminates all physical boundaries. Having an eCommerce website is a good start but a website alone, even if it’s mobile-friendly, is just the tip of the iceberg. No matter what you’re selling or what industry you’re in, you Shopify store needs a mobile app. Let’s see why!

Why?

I have dictated the key factors on which developers and owners need to focus before developing mobile applications. Let’s see them one by one.

Consumers worldwide prefer to shop via mobile apps. A mobile app offers businesses the perfect medium to offer personalized information to customers. Mobile apps seem to be the distinct choice of shoppers. Research has proved that users prefer ​native apps over the mobile website​.

​In the 3rd quarter of 2019, 81% of traffic and 71% of orders on Shopify stores are coming through mobile devices.

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    1. Websites alone don’t work

      Like I said earlier, it’s amazing that you already have a Shopify website for your store but have you ever noticed that your online store has a poor traffic and conversion rate. That’s because, over the years, people’s style of searching and ordering has changed. Today, more than 70% of people use their smartphones for searching online. Also, viewing websites and comparing products on the web is a painful task. On the other side, mobile apps offer a personalized shopping experience. A mobile app in the form of a Shopify mobile app allows users to pick from where they left.

    2. Push notifications

      Communication is limited on a Shopify web store on its own.You need to rely on emails to reach your potential customers. But needs a lot of work in order for an email campaign to be successful. Let’s assume, the average person receives 121 emails per day, but there is no guarantee that emails will be noticed and opened by customers.

      That’s when exactly Push Notifications will help. Research says, push notifications beat emails in every category. Your customers just need to download your app.

      What is Push Notifications?

      A push notification is a message that pops up on a mobile device. App publishers can send them at any time; users don't have to be in the app or using their devices to receive them.

      Because, push notifications appear on a user’s mobile device just like a simple text message, the chances of them reading it and opening it are much higher than an email. But just saying hello or something as a push notification won’t be fruitful, you should only send push notifications that add real value to app users like, flash sales, discount codes, etc. You can also send customized push notifications to remind customers of their abandoned carts.

    3. Simple one-click purchasing

      Mobile apps have changed the way people shop with one-click purchasing. What’s the traditional way of the checkout process? Find a product, add product to cart, navigate to cart, enter name and other details, shipping address and then finally payment. That’s a lot of steps. And there’s a possibility that your customers change their minds in between or get frustrated.

      Here comes a simple one-click purchasing solution. All you need to do is put a “Buy Now” button directly on your product pages. This simplifies the process as users will already have their name and other details, payment method saved on their profile within the app. It's hassle-free.

    4. Variable payment options

      Don’t think that everyone buying from your store has a Visa or Mastercard. So, you need to offer as many different payment options as possible. This will help you in increasing your conversion rates at checkout. As we know, more than half of all checkouts on Shopify come from a mobile device.

      If you create an app for your store, here are some of the major payment options you can add. All major credit/debit cards, Gift cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. Most of the users likely have these payment apps on their mobile devices. So you just have to integrate them with your checkout process, which allows users to checkout as fast as possible.

    5. Smart marketing tool

      A mobile app is the best marketing tool for your online store. There is more to online retailing than simply selling merchandise online. You can market your new product launches and offer discounts and gifts. Through your app, you can communicate directly to your customers and offer instant help and support.

      As I mentioned before, push notifications is a way to send offers to customers. In this, you can use your app to leverage geofencing technology to deliver relevant promotions. First of all, you can set up your app to integrate with the GPS on a customer’s device. Now, whenever a customer enters a predetermined barrier within a location, you can automatically send them relevant push notifications. For example, if a customer walks by the beach, the app can send an offer for discounted sunglasses or sunscreen. If a customer with your app is in Miami, it doesn’t make sense for snow boots to appear on their homepage. Basically, location-based services can improve the user experience.

    6. Improved customer service

      A mobile app allows you to provide better customer service. Like, customers can track the status of an order directly within the app. They’ll see updates on when the order has shipped and you can send them a notification when the shipment has been delivered. But without an app, it's a bit of a painful experience.

      You can also offer enhanced customer support directly in the app. If a customer has a question, your app can facilitate live chat with a customer service representative. Customers can submit inquiries or start support tickets within the app as well.

    7. Augmented Reality

      This may not be for everyone out there, but some of you can definitely benefit from using AR to drive sales on your app. Augmented reality is another top trend in the technology world.

      So, how does AR work? Augmented reality apps for eCommerce lets your customers see and imagine how products will look, feel, or fit in their home. Even without buying it. For example, the makeup retailer Sephora introduced an app which scans your face, figures out where your lips and eyes are, and lets you try on different looks. If you like the look, well, you can buy it.

      There are other ways to get creative with AR as well. But the technology behind these features is a bit complex, though the opportunity is still there.

Still not convinced?

Checkout the facts below, they don’t lie!

  • Mobile apps have the highest retention rate.
  • According to a report published by the World Advertising Research Center (WARC), nearly three-quarters of the world’s population will access the internet with just their smartphones in 2025.
  • Customers tend to spend 4 times longer in mobile apps than desktops.
  • Mobile apps have the lowest shopping cart abandonment rate: apps - 20%, desktops - 68%, mobile sites - 97%.
  • The average order value on mobile apps is 140% higher than on mobile sites and 130% higher than on desktops.
  • Increasing your retention rate by just 5% can increase your profits by over 75%.

Conclusion

After reading this, you must have known that the majority of Shopify sales come from mobile devices. So if you can’t adapt to this trend now, your competitors will get ahead of you and it means your eCommerce business will suffer..

Unlimited product listings, push notifications, stunning and intuitive interface using best UI/UX, personalizations, real-time sync with your Shopify store, and whatnot! It means let your customers love your Shopify mobile app and you relax. You’ll never again have to worry about it. Just impress your customers by giving them the best mobile shopping experience!

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