Should my eCommerce Store Have an App

eCommerce has steadily been on the rise for the past decade, and although desktop purchases still prevail over mobile sales, it’s likely this will shift in the near future. Many businesses such as Depop, are seeing the benefit of branching out to the mobile app market. After all, it’s a win-win for retailers as apps allow businesses to meet consumer demands while personalizing their experience. Should my eCommerce Store Have an App ?

Should my eCommerce Store Have an App

Although developing a mobile app for your eCommerce store has the potential to promote growth, it may be unnecessary due to several factors. Let’s take a look at why you should, or shouldn’t, leverage mobile features and in-app features to attract customers.

How to Determine if Your eCommerce Store Needs an App

The products you sell don’t necessarily determine whether your eCommerce store requires an app. Flower shops that offer Valentine plant delivery and websites that primarily sell services, like landscapers, could all benefit from a store app as long as they have a demand for one.

Yes, Your eCommerce Store Needs an App

A survey conducted by Apptentive concluded that 88% of respondents had used retail apps. 61% of those same respondents are active on retail apps at least once a month. There’s an obvious shift in consumer behavior that all eCommerce stores need to account for here. 

M-commerce (mobile commerce) contributed $22.7 billion to online spending and 21% of digital commerce revenue in the United States in 2016. It’s estimated that by 2026, this number will double. It’s clear to see that the need for m-commerce is only going to become more apparent.

Besides industry need and increased revenue, you may want to develop an app because:

  • Your website can’t handle a large amount of incoming traffic 
  • You want to use built-in mobile components, like GPS, to enhance user satisfaction
  • You want to use shopping extensions and currency
  • You’re interested in providing a personalized shopping experience
  • You want to easily share your products or services on social media

If you have the time and money to develop an app, you should do so at your earliest convenience. However, there are many problems within app development that may deter you.

No, Hold Off on Developing an App

According to a 2017 Clutch survey, the average cost of agency-developed applications ranges between $30,000-$700,000. The median cost of app development is $171,000, but the average cost of building an eCommerce mobile app from the ground up starts from $5000 for one platform and $7000 for both Android and iOS. That cost is likely out of range for most startups.

The research involved in creating an eCommerce app, even at the most basic level, may be enough to keep you from developing one at all. From deciding on an app type to settling on a monetization model, it’s enough to make your head spin. App programmers need a bit of direction from you. Otherwise, they won’t be able to create an app for your business.

Besides high costs and research, you may want to avoid developing an app because:

  • You have a responsive website that is capable of supporting heavy traffic
  • Your website excels in performance and usability experience
  • You don’t need to personalize your customer’s shopping experience
  • You don’t have enough products or services to constitute an app
  • Your website is mobile-friendly and can share on social media

We’d recommend putting some money aside for a future app development project, but your business likely doesn’t need a mobile application at the moment if the above applies to you.