Are you trying to increase eCommerce sales by releasing a mobile app to your customer base? That is an excellent idea since an increasing number of buyers are utilizing smartphones to complete the checkout process. In fact, it is predicted that by 2021 m-commerce sales will account for 53.9% of total sales. That is a statistic worth paying attention to if you do not offer an eCommerce mobile app for your customers.
The advantages of eCommerce mobile apps include improved communication, push notifications, increased market share, customer convenience, and personalization. Combining these benefits means you will increase eCommerce sales considerably when releasing an eCommerce app to your audience.
Let us go over each advantage in greater detail to appreciate the power of eCommerce mobile apps in today’s competitive landscape to increase eCommerce sales.
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Improved communication
Once the app is downloaded on a customer’s phone, you have a piece of virtual release on their hand-held device. It provides you with another method of communication that you can utilize to engage the customer. For example, if your email marketing or social media posts are not affected by a specific customer, you can try your luck sending the same offers via the eCommerce apps.
However, do not program apps to have an intrusive communication approach. You will run the danger of frustrating your customers and causing them to uninstall your app – avoid this counterintuitive outcome at all costs. Later in this article, you will see how by using personalized content, you can send marketing messages that are helpful to the buyer’s journey instead of adding to the spammy clutter customers receive.
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Push notifications
This advantage builds upon the last – it is a communication method that gives mobile apps a big advantage over other marketing platforms. Smartphone users might check their phones hundreds of times per day. It means your push notifications will get noticed and acted upon if it is a good offer.
What are push notifications, you ask? They are messages that appear as a notification on the user’s smartphone. They are hard to miss, and most users check their notifications regularly. You can send push notifications daily or only when you have a good offer. The latter is a great strategy for reducing the chances of frustrating your customers.
It is important not to abuse the push notifications feature because you risk users blocking them. Users might be willing to deal with 1 or 2 useless push notifications in a row, but too many means they will go into their smartphone settings and turn off the push notifications feature for your app. Once you are on the blacklist, it is hard to convince users to switch back.
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Personalized content
Tailoring the communication to the user’s relevancy leads to extra sales – after all, 65% of customers say they want personalized recommendations. It works because suggesting relevant products is a shortcut for users, so they do not have to spend hours researching to arrive at the same conclusions.
Are you wondering what type of personalization you can implement to your mobile app? Here are a few suggestions:
- Based on the location: Using location data, you can offer products that are an appropriate match. For example, if you sell clothes, then the current seasonal weather should be taken into account. Offer thick warm coats for shoppers in colder climates and summer shorts in warmer ones.
- Based on interest: Once you gather browsing and buying data, you begin to form a clearer picture of the user’s interests. Offer more of the same or products from alternative categories that compliment what they have already searched for. The quality of your recommendations will ultimately depend on the sophistication of the algorithm.
- Based on culture: Consider the tastes and customs of the local region. You will have a much better time selling products people already use than offering products that are not the norm in their country.
These are just a few simple personalization ideas that you can use to improve the quality of your offers. You can track data to determine what recommendations lead to increases in sales and those that are not.
Want to know where you can add personalized content? It is possible at every step of the buyer’s journey through your app, for example, within push notifications, product pages, and checkout pages. You can get creative and look for parts of your app where users are focusing their attention.
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Convenience
Buying from a mobile app is convenient for users who prefer to use their smartphones for most online activities. It also allows them to buy when outdoors and in situations with downtime. For example, when traveling on public transport or waiting in line at the grocery store.
You can increase the convenience of using your eCommerce mobile app even further by considering these features:
- User interface: The app must offer a user interface that is easy to navigate. Therefore, button sizes should be large so users can easily press the navigational links and buy button. It is also handy if the app has a logical structure that buyers can intuitively follow. Most eCommerce apps have a similar structure that you should follow, so the learning curve for new users is small.
- Speed: Test your app for speed so that each page loads quickly. It is no secret that quicker loading speeds lead to higher customer satisfaction scores, which increases sales numbers. Optimizing loading speeds means you need to decrease the data bandwidth requirements for loading each website’s page.
- Simplify checkout process: You will increase the number of successful checkouts by decreasing the number of button presses required. Do not ask for more information than required, or you will frustrate buyers by jumping through extra hoops to complete the purchase.
Continue to improve your eCommerce app by asking for user feedback. Spot patterns in what aspects of the app they do not like and work to improve them. The investment of resources into testing and making improvements will pay for themselves in higher sales numbers.
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Increased market share
Some customers may only buy from eCommerce apps because they do not use their desktops for anything. To gain access to this type of customer, you need to release an eCommerce app. Otherwise, you will be giving up customers without a fight with competitors selling through their eCommerce apps.
Think of eCommerce mobile apps as other marketing channels where you must be visible to attract new customers. The correct implementation of your eCommerce app should result in a steady flow of new customers as they learn about your app. The success of your app depends on how you raise awareness. Here are a few suggestions to inform and persuade your customer base to use the eCommerce app:
- Discounts: Offering product discounts for new in-app purchases is a proven way of generating interest. It gives users a reason to download your app and complete a purchase. Once they experience the ease of using your app first-hand, then they are more likely to return in the future.
- Utilize other marketing channels: Raise awareness of your new eCommerce mobile app on other marketing channels such as social media, your website, and YouTube. Promoting during the launch period creates buzz around your brand.
- Encourage feedback: Remind your app users that they can leave feedback for your app on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. You can ask for feedback after the checkout process is complete to give a thorough account of their experience.
Marketing your eCommerce app is a worthwhile investment since you will get the money back in increased sales.
Final Thoughts
The advantages of eCommerce mobile apps in this article are just the tip of the iceberg. As smartphone technology develops, it will be even more beneficial in the future. They are a vital part of any eCommerce business to increase eCommerce sales, market share and raise brand recognition.
Not sure how to create an eCommerce mobile app that is competitive? Then execute background research on your competitors. You will see that the top brands have common features worth implementing in your own app. However, do not copy other apps – use the examples as inspiration to create your apps that bring something new to the mobile shopping experience and increase eCommerce sales.
While you are trying new methods to increase sales in 2021, do not forget to check out.
