How to Develop an App for your E-commerce Site

Studies on E-commerce point to the phenomenal growth that this industry is facing. Thanks to the deployment of some amazing technology, the global E-commerce space is set to surpass the figure of $3.5 trillion within the next five years.  The web will account for 12.4% of global retail sales by the year 2019. This is according to the market research firm eMarketer.

There are many things that a smart business owner would do when it comes to growing his or her online shopping site. One of the important components of this growth strategy is the use of the right kind of mobile application. Here are a few things that you can keep in mind when it comes to developing an app for your E-commerce site.

Be aware of the benefits that an app can deliver

e-commerce app - android-iphone-ios-windows

One of the biggest debates that take place in this space is the merits and demerits of using a mobile application vs. designing a mobile website. The choice lies across important aspects such as:

  • The target market – customers and countries.
  • The products and services that you sell.
  • The investment that is required for each one of these components.
  • Marketing strategy for your online shopping site.
  • An analysis of what your competition is doing in space.
However, there is absolutely no denying the fact that the mobile application will take your E-commerce store places.

It is all about user experience

e-commerce app - UX-User-Experience

UX or user experience will be the one key component that makes a visitor into a customer and then you help you retain him or her as a loyal customer. The components that dictate fabulous user experience:

  • The visual appeal of your online shopping website.
  • Easy navigation.
  • Make it simple and make it clear – this is primarily for the information and content that you present on your site.
It is also good to remember that viewers scan information on websites rather than read them. Therefore, the entire interface that you use should be scannable and should contain information that has been presented rather stylishly. Fundamentally, these are the same principles that should guide you in creating an application for an e-commerce site as well.

Navigation is key

e-commerce app - navigation

A mobile application should allow users to interact with your website in a quick and effective manner. Mobile devices offer smaller real estate when it comes to screen space is it not? Therefore, it makes a lot of sense for you to have the most relevant information presented in a very structured manner. For instance, the online shopping site – mydeal.com.au has a very interesting ‘Go quickly to” Navigation bar that allows visitors to find various products without having to choose multiple filters. This navigation should also allow for easy payment options so that a customer can get through his or her shopping experience very quickly.

Use all the features possible

e-commerce app - featuresApplication integration allows you to use some really powerful features that are built into mobile devices. For instance, The GPS function of the smartphone can tell you the location of your customer. You can then generate and push information that could be relevant to a particular location or even a particular store that you may have tied up with in terms of a brick and mortar space.

You can also use gamification that allows your online shopping store to be more interestingly engaged with your customers. Interestingly, mobile apps also allow you to integrate high-definition visuals and even more complex technologies because an application has to be downloaded just once and then the individual can start interacting with your store. Through your applications you can also send timely and relevant notifications of daily deals, introductions of new brands and so on.

Choose the right tool

e-commerce app - right tool

When you set about developing an application for your E-commerce site, you will be completely spoilt for choice because there are such a large number of tools that allow you to create a fabulous app. Some of them are made for people who do not know anything about coding or are not developers either. Since quite a few tools offer free trials, you can easily check out multiple options before choosing your product that allows you to create a mobile app for your online shopping store.

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Published By: Souvik Banerjee

Souvik BanerjeeWeb Developer & SEO Specialist with 15+ years of experience in Open Source Web Development specialized in Joomla & WordPress development. He is also the moderator of this blog "RS Web Solutions".