Introduction of internet has shaped the world of business as we know it. Nowadays, majorities of business are conducted through online portal both from the user and entrepreneur end.
If you are a novice who is eager to increase sales volume and acquire lion share of the business market but have limited knowledge from where to start, then worry not! In this article, we are going to guide you through the grove of Shopping App building that will allow you to fulfill desired goals.
Whether you are operating business to business, or business to consumer level transactions, intervention of internet has demolished the boundaries lined by time and distance.
At consumer level, it has empowered commoners to purchase any product of choice with just a click!
Business organizations, on another hand, have become able to reach every nook of the globe and represent their business to as many people as possible.
By the end of the post, you will become well aware of the strategies to make an effective shopping app in order to increase sales as well as interaction with the users.
Essential Features to Maintain in Shopping App Building
In order to build an effective application for your business, certain parameters will help you to assess whether your app is up to the mark or need further improvements. These include
- Navigation tool- It is the first tool a user encounters while accessing your app. Easy and convenient navigation is prerequisite for any application.
- Product search- It’s a rare occasion that a consumer opens your shopping app without considering a particular product keeping in mind.
- Payment tool- Use an easy and secure payment option that will avoid them be distracted with other options available in the market.
- Recommendations- With relevant recommendations for related products will reduce the fatigue of comparison for the visitors and providing recommendations with similar products with similar characteristics increases the likelihood to turn them into potential buyers.
- Ratings and reviews- Do not forget to include the feedback option for the consumers that will allow them to rate your products and share valuable responses against the product. The higher ratings and positive reviews for any product, higher the chances to sell the product.
- Reminders- Make your consumers feel they are prioritized. Sending reminders of special discounts and product information will let them feel better about you.
- Consumer support- another way to improve company impression is providing post-purchase assistance for any product disputes through expert advice. This will also help to lighten the mood!
- Shop- you can showcase your offline shop and promote them to consumers. Having a real store rather than only having a virtual online store will increase reliability of your existence.
Irrespective of the size of your business, if you are not running a part of your business through online portal then you are missing a big part of it.
As we have discussed above the essential features of a profit-making mobile development app, let’s proceed further and conceptualize which degree of technical solutions are required to fulfill them.
Pick up any of the above-mentioned tools, whether it is navigational menu or payment info, reminders – implementation of “Machine Learning” will manifest your app with an improved application of artificial intelligence. Search results will be improved and product recommendation will secure more conversions.
Procedure of a Shopping App building
There was a time when mere web presence was enough for your business. But with time, increasing competition and advanced technology have provided more power in the hands of consumers. More attractive, advanced and innovative strategies exhibited by web organizations have elevated consumer demands. To satiate their expectations, you need to put more effort – building an app is one of them.
Before you further proceed to develop an app for your business, let’s hold it for a moment and let’s dive further in the ocean of app development insights and start to cherish the sweet rewards manifested to you.
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Approval or authorization
Making user concentric authorization is one of the basic aspects of mobile app development. Let a user get accustomed to your dependability and do not hurry!
It would more appreciable to your visitors to let them roam through your app and ask them to register only in times of making a purchase.
No need to hurry and push, just wait and pull the attention out of them!
Additionally, detailed login criteria through platforms like Facebook and Twitter will manifest you with competitive advantages. It will provide you access to user information with a single step and without bothering your customers.
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Customized push notifications
Push notification is among the most effective ways increase your sales. If you are about to develop an app for your business, then interaction with the consumers through push notifications will be one effective way. You can knock at the door of your users in times of
- If they left any purchase incomplete
- Make them aware of sales and events
- Provide information for product pricing
- Encourage those users to make a purchase who hasn’t accessed your app for long by offering them coupons, discounts and so on.
Push notifications drive sales by reminding your customers of your products and encourage them to make a purchase.
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More resilient search
While developing an online app for your business, you must consider including intellectual and advanced search options that will draw better search results of your products.
Initially, you need to make sure your app is fairly fast and provides solutions against a query raised from the customer end. After that, you can add filter options for more relevant and appropriate search results.
Moreover, “capability of searching a product by photos” will effectively increase your sales.
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Provide space for ratings and reviews
Ratings and reviews are other options that will empower you to assess consumer demands and make improvements in your products based on user experience. Besides, it provides recommendations for new users who seek product of high standards based on ratings and reviews.
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Secure payment gateway
According to several studies, “almost 71% of the consumers abandon their carts due to high shipment fees”.
If you do not want to exacerbate the situation, you need to make the checkout experience more convenient and fast payment process including multiple payment options. You can shed-off the following criteria to reduce the frequency of abandoned carts.
- Enable your users to purchase any goods without registration process. Make it quick, hassle-free and less time-consuming.
- Enable sign in through social media platforms- if purchasing is not possible without registration, then at least make it simple and fast.
- Breakdown the checkout process into smaller steps. This will keep them from waiting and be more attentive to finalize and subsequently complete the purchase.
- Simplicity is the best essence! Keep your checkout screen as simple as possible- do not overwhelm your users with additional information.
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Simple checkout process
A payment gateway is a virtual mediator between your online store and the financial institution which processes transaction. As payment gateway dwells with very sensitive information, they need to be secure enough.
Consisting of a team of software developers will improve the technical architecture for payment gateway integration will help you to gain trust of consumers.
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Consumer support
While wrapping up things for Shopping App building, you must consider developing post-purchase relationships that will increase better impression out of you and your business.
At lit least, you can provide users with basic information regarding
- FAQ page
- Contact information
- Dedicated consumer support managers.
As per studies, “52% of global internet traffic is generated through smartphones where the rest of it is distributed between laptops and tablets.”
It indicates that if you own a business website but have not exceeded beyond mere e-Commerce websites, then you have not been able to reach to larger base of consumers.
Since majority of your potential customers are likely to conduct online purchase, you are reluctant to make your online presence compatible with mobile devices – building a mobile app is the most convenient way of all. On one hand, it fosters consumers with convenient shopping experience while on the other you as a business person are manifested by relentless and unparalleled growth.
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More Features
Now, since you have learned basic requirements for app development and there are already numerous competing apps prevailing, inclusion of additional features will increase the feasibility of your app. There are so many features that could be implemented in your app for further improved user experience that are mentioned below:
- Craft an attractive and innovative app icon that helps you stand out.
- Make navigation and feeds simple and clear.
- Make the “add to cart” button more distinguishable to your users.
- Implement ML (Machine Learning) powered technology to improve product search results. Also, it will help your app to recommend better based on past search queries.
- Make payment procedure more reliable and convenient.
- Implement real-time communication between consumer and company’s representatives through improved “Customer Support”.
- Include the option for location tracking for both the customer and the offline stores.
Things to Consider While Building a Shopping App
Fulfillment of the following factors will help you to develop an effective mobile app
- Conduct market research
- Assess the contemporary market situation
- Create a list for potential competitors
- Identify the strengths and weaknesses of their shopping apps
- Make an online of the app features and characteristics
- Get in touch with a professional app developer
- Integrate your ideas and attend regular meetings to deliver it into your app
- Promote your newly developed app
- Launch it through an event
- Maintain your shopping app and update it with new features from time to time.
As a result, you are manifested by an app that fulfills your desired goals.
As per the research work conducted by Business Insider, “mobile share of e-commerce will reach 45% of total e-commerce market.”
The percentage for mobile share is evident to increase and it raises an obvious question. Do you have a mobile app for your business? If the answer is not affirmative, you need to start crafting one!
Final Thoughts
Now has been the high time for organizations to showcase their business through online portal and online presence has been mandatory.
With increasing exposure to global context and tougher competition compel organizations to think out-of-the-box and act in innovative way.
Building a shopping app will be one of the few effective ways that will allow you to rise above the canopy of online competitors.
The above-mentioned discussion has provided enough reasons that will encourage you to develop a shopping app for business expansion.
So, let’s get up, contact a professional, build a mobile app for your business and taste the essence of unprecedented growth in the ever-promising field of online marketing.