If you are running an e-commerce store, you will probably realize the significance of having a mobile presence. Of course, you must have a responsive website but investing in mobile app development is the best decision you can take for your business. Not only will it give you an additional promotional and selling channel but also keep you in competition as most of your competitors will probably have one running already or will have it soon.
However, you need to think beyond just having an app that replicates your online store. The number of shopping apps on the App Store is humongous, which translates into humongous competition for your app. The only way to entice the shoppers to choose you over the rivals is to be better than them. Whether you are a startup or an established brand, there are some essential features that you must offer to the app users to maximize the chances of success. A few of these features are listed below.
Appealing imagery
To start with, appealing images of the products you sell is the key to capturing the user’s attention and driving conversions. These should be clear and eye-catching visuals that render well even in the limited screen sizes of mobile devices. Make sure that you ho an extra mile with imagery because this is what the potential buyers have to decide whether they would want to buy what you are selling.
Custom branding
Besides clear and bright images, your app should also be empowered with custom branding. In fact, make sure that you have professional mobile UI UX design services to replicate your brand image in your app as well. It should have the brand logo, while the color combinations used should be consistent with the brand’s image across all other channels.
Easy onboarding
A simple and seamless user onboarding process is critical for any app, more so if it is an e-commerce app. No user would want to go through a cumbersome process before actually being able to shop through the app. The focus, therefore, should be on having a simple and neat interface that is intuitive enough for the user to move from installation to checkout with ease.
Simplified navigation
Simple and uncluttered navigation is another vital aspect of ecommerce app development. Since mobile devices have limited screen sizes, apps need to ensure that the content and navigational elements are placed in a way that they are easy to use. Responsive designs are to be prioritized as they get the elements fit into the screen automatically for rendering easy navigation and immersive experience.
Strong data security
The growing number of data breaches has brought emphasis on data security. This is a crucial aspect for e-commerce sellers as they hold personal and financial data of the users. Therefore, data security is a feature that every e-commerce app must definitely have in place. The idea is to hire mobile app developers who are adept at creating feature-rich and secure apps for businesses.
Social media integration
By integrating social media into your shopping app, you can make things easy as a breeze for the shoppers. Social media integration enables them to log in and registers from their social accounts, thus limiting the steps involved and making the entire process hassle-free. Moreover, you can avail the benefits of extensive outreach and promotional activities on social media by integrating this feature into the app.
Multiple payment options
Since the ultimate objective of e-commerce apps is conversion, payment should be convenient for the users. In this context, it becomes vital to have multiple payment options that are popularly used by online shoppers. At the same time, the security of these payment options is critical to ensure safe and hassle-free checkout for the shoppers.
Personalized messages and push notifications
As the e-commerce space is highly competitive, personalization is the secret to booming sales and wider outreach. Hence, you should empower your app with personalized messages and push notifications that engage the users and make them feel connected with the brand. Location-based push notifications can take the app experience a notch higher.
Analytics
Another key component that can drive success for an e-commerce app is mobile analytics. This feature is more useful for the business owner rather than the end user as it enables the tracking and identification of the users’ actions. The data so gathered can provide useful insights that can be used to understand the patterns of user behavior and preferences and align the business tactics accordingly.
Innovative technologies
There are several high-tech features that you can integrate into your app to make it capable of delivering exceptional shopping experiences. An AI-powered chatbot is a good example as it can offer seamless customer support through a conversational interface for the users. Similarly, you can try something innovative as a Virtual Shopping experience by leveraging technologies such as Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.
Conclusion
An e-commerce mobile app can unlock tremendous opportunities for your business. This is the reason that you should settle for nothing but the best when it comes to investing in one. At Mobibiz, we specialize in creating e-commerce apps for diverse businesses. Whether you want to take up iOS or Android app development or plan to opt for a hybrid app, we can help. Just share your requirements and expectations with us and we will create an amazing e-commerce app for your business.
