eCommerce Apps: 8 Reasons Your Business Needs One

eCommerce app usage is on the rise

Apps are increasingly popular with shoppers, with 78% of people responding to a survey stating that they prefer using an app to a mobile website. More people are downloading and using apps than ever before, with predictions expecting downloads will reach as many as 258 billion in 2020. With increasing amounts of app users and advances in technology, businesses using apps are seeing increased revenues. This shows that it’s a great time to invest in an app for your eCommerce business.

Ecommerce apps can use device features

With an eCommerce app, you can use phone features to enhance the customer experience and in turn, boost loyalty and sales through more personalised experiences.

Consider things like:

• GPS: Using location, let your app users know about exclusive offers when they are near your store. You can use location to set the nearest click and collect, or locker locations when at the checkout.
• Push notifications: These will help you keep in regular contact with your users. Use these notifications for stock alerts, marketing messages, and delivery updates.
• Camera: Camera access means your app can let customers search using images. You could even implement augmented reality features. AR is great for trying on items, or seeing how larger items will look and fit in the home before buying.
• Microphone: With the rise in voice search and natural language processing abilities, using the microphone can help customers search your app using voice commands. This is also great for accessibility.

Increase customer loyalty with an eCommerce app

Customers are more likely to keep coming back to you for goods after downloading your app. Accessing an app on their phone is much more convenient than having to log in using a mobile browser. Consider rewarding loyalty with personalised offers for app users and incentives to purchase.

Offline availability

With offline availability on your app, you’re always there for your users to access at any time, from anywhere, regardless of connection. This is great for the people using apps during their commuting times who may be suffering signal interruptions during browsing. Offline availability for eCommerce apps increases the likelihood that a user will make a purchase. Even if they’re unable to actively checkout while offline, they can easily save the items for later and buy them in a few short taps of the app.

Apps keep your brand visible

Consider how many times a day you check your phone. Probably too many to count! The average person “will click, tap or swipe their phone 2,617 times a day”, according to information from SlickText. Having a native, branded app on your customer’s phone increases brand visibility. The more a customer sees your brand, even if it is just your logo, enforces brand trust and loyalty. This connection keeps you in mind when they are looking to shop again.

Super-fast app checkouts

There’s nothing more frustrating for shoppers than a bad checkout process. It can result in distrust in your brand and cause cart abandonment. Apps are a great way for maximising on a great checkout process for your customers. Apps integrate easily with Apple Pay and Google Pay, using biometric payments or 1-click checkouts. Offering payment options like these is in keeping with consumer preferences for mobile payments.

Social media and eCommerce apps

Integrating social media with your app is extremely beneficial for eCommerce companies. Easier social media sharing increases brand awareness and attracts new customers, with no direct spend involved in social media advertising. It’s all organic. Users can share their own curated wishlists, recommend products and share buying updates on their social media platforms through the app.

You can also implement social media logins for your app users. This saves the time and hassle of setting up usernames and passwords – not to mention the effort of remembering yet another password! Signing in with social media simplifies the experience so users can get on with their shopping quickly and easily.

Apps offer a better user experience

Users don’t need to log in with every visit, which means it’s a lot easier to manage orders, returns and deliveries on one simple app. This helps with the decision-making process, removing barriers in the journey to purchase.