Mobile Commerce shouldn’t be ignored in 2020 for all the eCommerce business owners. The steady shift of eCommerce (online retail) to mobile commerce (smartphone shopping) is leading to eCommerce mobile app development becoming a necessity than just a luxury.
With such a boom in the usage of smartphones and handheld devices, it’s more likely for e-merchants to take such a route. Also, from the online users’ point-of-view, eCommerce Mobile Apps have been serving in a better manner when compared to desktop websites & mobile sites. If you are willing to get a custom-built eCommerce Mobile App, now is the right time. Seeing such a demand for apps & also rise in the competition in the market, it is quite obvious to extend your reach to the most-used channel i.e. mobile devices.
In this write-up, you will get to know about the eCommerce shopping app & how can you get one custom solution for your business?
Types of E-Commerce Mobile Applications
Following are the types of eCommerce Mobile Apps based on different business models:
- B2C eCommerce Mobile Apps
- B2B eCommerce Mobile Apps
- B2A eCommerce Mobile Apps
- C2C eCommerce Mobile Apps
- C2B eCommerce Mobile Apps
- Hybrid eCommerce Mobile Apps
Each of these categories of eCommerce apps mostly requires some unique features & functionalities that are different from each other. To meet such a requirement, it’s best suited to have custom-built apps according to specific business needs.
We mostly come across two scenarios when any businesses decide to build their eCommerce Apps:
a) The first scenario is when e-business already has its eCommerce website running & decides to be available on mobile platforms too. For example, Amazon.
b) The second scenario is when a business initially decides to directly build a custom Mobile App for their online presence. For instance, food delivery apps.
The former would require to make both the app & the website be in real-time synchronization with each other whereas the latter would require to build all things in the app from scratch with no reference from its parent website (if there is any).
Factors To Check While eCommerce Mobile App Development:
#1. Platform Support:
In case, you have a running online store on any of the eCommerce platforms, here are the perfect solutions:
PrestaShop Mobile App Builder
OpenCart Mobile App Builder
Magento Mobile App Builder
Magento 2 Mobile App Builder
WooCommerce Mobile App Builder
But for those who are building an eCommerce Mobile App from scratch (with no parent website), be sure to choose the right platform according to your business needs. Take expert consultation & guidance before investing huge amounts in the project.
In case you don’t have any website and looking for a custom application, drop us an email at support@knowband.com or visit KnowBand.
#2. Omni-Channel eCommerce App:
Ideally, it’s good to be available on both operating systems i.e. Android & iOS & the app must be compatible with smartphones as well as tablets. But if the business model requires, you must choose only the channels selectively.
#3. Custom mCommerce Theme:
Take expert assistance to develop a well-tailored & unique theme for your eCommerce Mobile App. The eCommerce App Developers’ team at KnowBand ensures that all such goals are accomplished & you can make the best out of your custom mobile app Theme.
#4. User-Centric Design:
To cater to the app users in a better way, having a customer-centric design is a must these days. Such designs not only improve the UI & UX of the app but also help in boosting sales.
#5. Enhanced Navigation:
Have convenient navigation in your App using sorting & filtering options. Also, keep the navigation bar/ toggle-menu as a sticky bar so that users did need to scroll to the top to access the menu.
#6. Language & Currency Support:
Based on the audiences & the countries that your business is serving, set your app in one or multiple languages as well as currencies. Catering global or regional audiences can be an effective way to increase sales.
#7. Offline Mode Accessibility:
The reason why apps stand out from the websites is their ability to be accessed in offline mode. Adding this functionality, while developing your eCommerce Mobile App, ensures that users can access previously loaded data (like wishlist, cart, previously loaded products & categories) even if there is no internet connection.
#8. Advanced Search Options:
Ease the task of searching & browsing products by adding advanced search options like Voice Search, Bar-Code Search & Image Search options.
#9. Payment Gateway Setup:
To cater to all kinds of customers, add multiple payment methods on the application. Some of the payment methods are debit/ credit cards, net banking, eWallets, Gift Cards, mobile banking, cryptocurrencies, cash-on-delivery, EMI, etc. Also, be sure to have secure payment gateways that are convenient to use as well.
#10. Checkout Optimization:
Add a simplified version of the checkout page, like one-page checkout with limited yet necessary entries. This aids the app users to shop without the hassle to go through lengthy checkout pages.
#11. Order Tracking & Shipment:
Develop your eCommerce Mobile App with efficient shipping methods & order tracking. The order tracking feature is what most online shoppers look for these days as it keeps them updated with the whereabouts & estimate of their ordered products. Also, in case of any shipment mishap, it’s easier for the customer support team to track down the fault using the order tracking feature.
#12. Returns, Exchange & Refunds:
Configure your eCommerce Mobile App to have options for returns, exchange & refunds. At KnowBand, we ensure that on the vendor panel/ admin panel, the merchants get full control of the products on which they want to enable/ disable the return or exchange options. Similarly, the modes of refunds are also configured so that admins & customers don’t face any glitch while sending/ receiving the refunds by desired payment methods.
#13. Security:
On every eCommerce platform, adding an extra layer of security is a must. Be sure to have all the relevant encryption & certificates to have your eCommerce App secure on both frontends as well as backend.
#14. Brand Uniqueness:
Don’t go for the pre-existing templates & styles as it may set your app off-brand. Have your own unique Mobile App design as it also helps in brand recognition & hence promotion.
#15. Push Notifications:
Set up Push Notifications using Firebase to drive more user engagement & retention. They are mostly used to inform the app users about upcoming offers, about their abandoned carts, price drops & a lot more. Push Notifications help reduce the cart abandonment rate & increase overall sales.
#16. Quick HomePage Editing:
Because of the nature of the eCommerce Industry, the homepage must undergo frequent changes designed to be in line with the new arrivals, trending items, sale & offers. So, be sure to have to feature quick-edit options for effectively modifying the home page. Also, such editing panels must be user friendly for the non-tech savvy admins as well.
#17. Chat Support & Chatbot Integrations:
Add chat support options in your eCommerce Mobile App to easily communicate with your customers. You can even add automated chatbots. These chat support options help resolve the issues your customers could be facing. Be sure to choose the right platform for your chat support.
#18. Live Synchronization With The Website:
If you also have an eCommerce website, both your app and website likely are to use the same database. This ensures Automatic Inventory Management & both the platforms remain synchronized in real-time with each other. Hence, changes made on one must instantly reflect on the other.
#19. Testing & Quality Assurance:
Upon the completion of the eCommerce Mobile Development task, have your developers thoroughly test & debug the app for better Quality Assurance.
#20. Option For Unlimited Customizations:
Like most businesses, you may want to customize your app in the future. So, make sure that your eCommerce Mobile App can undergo heavy modifications of any kind. Having the app updated according to the latest trends is a must-considered factor while eCommerce Mobile App Development.