Create shopping mobile app australia

Shopping app development is gaining popularity day by day. No wonder, after all, according to Visa, in 2017 almost half of the consumers have opted for online purchases in the New Year season, and a third of these purchases were made through mobile devices.

Over the past year, smartphone users have spent 52% more time to buy various products via trading applications (compared to last year). And this indicator is going to grow even more, as US m-commerce forecast shows. So, it’s high time to think about how to create an online shopping app and make it profitable and successful.

mobile app developers Australia

Why do you need to make a shopping app?

Flurry Analytics Experts have found that demand for applications for purchases is increasing at an incredible rate, and more than a quarter of shoppers start searching for the product they need in the application right away, without even visiting a website first.

You can say that applications are becoming a kind of “middle way” between online and offline shopping. They allow customers to learn about current offers and discounts, make purchases online or determine the best time to go to the store.So, owners of online (and real) stores can and should build a shopping app, that is – offer their clients one more tool for buying goods and services.

Types of stores for mobile commerce

Usually, online shopping applications are selling such good as:

• clothes
• cosmetics
• products and beverages, especially exclusive ones
• sporting goods
• medications
• kitchen appliances
• housewares
• computer hardware and home appliances of any kind

Although this is a very short list, obviously you can expand it with any other kinds of goods or services.In fact, it does not matter what you sell, in any case, you can think about how to create a mobile shopping app.But before moving on to the heart of the matter, let’s see if the game is worth the candle.

Why is the app for shopping so efficient?

As you’ve already understood, today a significant percentage of users regularly make purchases through mobile devices. Therefore, shopping app development will bring you:

• Increased sales and growth of the audience. Shopping applications are created primarily to improve the sales curve. Special built-in marketing features allow increasing the number of customers very quickly.
• Customer loyalty. If you create a shopping app, you will get an additional competitive advantage. Your typical customer definitely has a smartphone, and he is actively using it. So, by offering to install a mobile app, you make the life of your clients easier and better. In addition, you can take advantage of information about user behavior in your app so that you will be able to provide a customer with individual bonuses, discounts, recommendations. All this leads to rising the loyalty factor.
• New sales. If you find out how to make an app like Amazon (or a better one), then the clients will undoubtedly appreciate all the benefits of mobile collaboration with you. And the first successful purchase will lead to the second, third, and, in the end, turn the casual buyer into a regular customer.
• Expansion of interaction with the client. The chance of leaving a review, getting an invitation to an event, being the first one to know about the arrival of a new product is something that your customer will like and enjoy. So mobile shopping service will help you to engage the audience in much closer interaction.
• Optimization of internal business processes. Besides, you should build a shopping app to manage your company more efficiently (and at a lower cost). Believe us, if there is an application at hand, the task of managing and controlling becomes so much easier.

Successful applications for m-commerce are constantly supporting the desire of users to search for products and make purchases at any time and in any place. Studying the audience behavior, the stores stimulate curiosity and interest of their customers, prompting them to open the app again and again.

Still in doubt, whether you should order online shopping app development? Well, we are ready to argue our position even more strongly.

Again, reasons to create a shopping app…

There are 4 main arguments that will convince retailers to find out how to make an app like Amazon, and get the cherished places on the AppStore and Google Play:

• According to Google study, more than 80% of online mobile purchases are triggered by the spontaneous impulse. And such an impulse is a powerful stimulus that influences all areas of our life including this one.
• Your customers love mobile applications because these services make shopping more interesting, easier and more interactive.
• Shopping app development is a service available almost to everyone. Many small companies mistakenly believe that only the largest corporations can make a shopping app. In fact, the cost of the app creation is quite comparable to the cost of developing a perfectly good website. However, we will discuss the price issue later.
• Your competitors are also on their guard. After all, you are not the only one who knows about the demand for mobile applications.

Perhaps, the competition issue should be considered in more detail. In the end, it’s useful to know your enemy.

Shopping app features

To build a shopping app that users will like and enjoy, you need to know what they expect from mobile services in the retail sector. The following statistics give some idea about this issue.

Many believe that the mobile application must necessarily be as creative as possible. Of course, uniqueness is always important, but the usability is a much more significant factor. And this usability is provided by the correct functionality of the application.

There are several “classic” features that you can take advantage of during online shopping app development.

 User registration

Undoubtedly, this is really a “must-have” feature. Be sure to give the user the opportunity to sign up in various ways: through a phone number, social networks, email…

A helpful tip: let the customer, if desired, make a purchase without registration, this will expand your audience. To persuade a person to become a registered user, try to give convincing reasons (for example, a system of bonuses and discounts).

 Catalog

You cannot make a shopping app without this feature which goes second on the list of importance (the first one is registration).

There are two types of people: some come to the store for choice, others look for something specific. To meet the needs of both, you need to create a searchable catalog. This catalog should colorfully present the whole range of your products and provide the possibility to find the goods according to the given characteristics (for instance, color, size, collection).

Purchase online

It is impossible to create a shopping app without allowing users to buy online. But, doing so, don’t forget to take into account the specifics of your business niche.

For example, sometimes it is important to see the product before buying it, so if you have goods delivery points, your application must include a map of their location. In addition, in the shopping app development process, try to make a purchase system as simple (for a user) as possible. Otherwise, why should a customer download your mobile service?

In particular, you can simplify the purchase process by binding a bank card to the application: the shopper selects the goods, clicks the “Buy” button and confirms the purchase with the code.

However, this approach has its own pitfalls: cases of fraud, alas, are not uncommon, and people don’t trust their data to mobile devices. Therefore, it is worthwhile to seriously consider security issue and develop a reliable authorization system.

 A shopping basket

Of course, you cannot build a shopping app and forget about implementing this feature. What should a shopping basket be like? Here are its important characteristics:

• an intuitive interface (do not force the user to think about what exactly he should do to place an order or add goods);
• the ability to add and remove items to the basket;
• calculation of purchase price.

Search bar

How to make an app like Amazon?… first of all, follow the example of this popular service and offer a convenient search for the desired product, with a filtration and sorting system.

Wishlist

Not all stores sell online, but this does not mean that they should abandon shopping app development. In this case, you can provide such a feature as Wishlist, its purpose is to shorten the customer service time by facilitating the buyer’s choice.

The mobile app can serve as a user assistant in the selection of goods, allow creating lists of desired purchases (so-called wishlists) and making pre-orders. Then the client should go to your store and pick up his order without the hassle. This simplifies the customer service and thus saves time both for clients and your staff.

System of recommendations

If you want to know how to make an app like Amazon, this feature is just what you need. As we have already explained to you, the Amazon application has won the sympathy of users, among other things, thanks to the system of recommended purchases.

The principle is simple: by analyzing the user’s behavior, you can understand his needs and suggest a product that can interest him – something that he is likely to buy. For example, you can offer products similar to those ones that he has already bought or viewed.

Customer Support

If you want to build a shopping app that will attract users, you need to think about bonuses for them. There are heaps of ideas of the sort: layaway programs, the chance to ask a question to the consultant, leave feedback, get a discount, etc.

And you can think over a special loyalty system for the users of the application – for example, a good discount for those who order products through your mobile service.

Online Chat

This feature will allow a potential buyer to ask you a question online, any time he wants. This is beneficial to both parties of the shopping process since many customers prefer to communicate with online consultants instead of dealing with real ones.

To implement this features during online shopping app development, you can use the chatbot system. This means that the questions will be answered by the program (at least initially, and your manager can join the conversation later if there is such a need). This is convenient because a number of clients use applications during off-hours when managers are usually no longer available.

Scanning codes

This feature allows using barcode scanning to find out prices and information about products. The user won’t have to spend time on asking sellers or searching for help.

Search for the nearest store

If you decided to create a shopping app, then you want to make the purchase process much easier for customers. In that case, the feature that allows finding the nearest outlet is necessary – of course, if you have the chain store system.

Instructions and useful materials

This feature is especially important if you are selling complex or specific products. Then the mobile application becomes, among other things, a kind of manual.

Push Notifications

It’s not enough to make a shopping app. Moreover, it is not enough to convince the user to install it… it is also important to remind him of your mobile store from time to time. Notifications serve this purpose quite well.

However, to make sure that these reminders aren’t distracting the users’ attention from your services, you need to notify only about important marketing promotions, discounts, and activities on interests (for example, an exhibition of new products, etc.).

Interactive Elements

Even if the main purpose of this mobile service is to stimulate demand and build a sales channel, it is quite possible to supplement the online shopping app development with interactive elements.

For example, appreciate our interactive version of the product presentation:

This shopping animation conceptis bright and simple at the same time, right?

Shipping system

Of course, you can create a shopping app where the customer will be asked to make pre-order and pick up the goods in the store itself. This is useful in cases when the product should be preliminarily studied, examined in detail. However, it is much more reasonable to provide a reliable shipping system. A good option is to establish cooperation with one of the many third-party delivery services.

Customer Feedback

Reading negative reviews is unpleasant, but it helps to fix the situation and solve the problem that your buyer might have experienced. As statistics show the implementation of this feedback feature increases sales by 15-20%.

How to create a mobile shopping app?

We hope we convinced you, and you decided to build a shopping app. What are your actions then (apart from finding the right experts)?

Market analysis and collection of requirements

It is unreasonable to begin the process of shopping app development without analyzing the demand and supply rate. In other words, you need to conduct market research.

Objectives:

• your competitors (not only world-scale but also local ones): who they are and what they offer;
• consumers’ expectations. What user problems can you solve if you create a shopping app?

Features Set

Understanding the market requirements, you can figure out what your application should be like, what you can offer the consumer. Based on this information, you must compile a list of the features of your mobile store.

Specifications & prototype

This stage of online shopping app development implies the coordination of your requirements with an expert company. It is important to make up a technical project and create the prototype which includes the wireframes of each app screen.

 Application Design

If you come up with how to create an online shopping app that is visually appealing, you can assume that you’ve made a first step to the future incomes.The successful design for the shopping app includes a stylish logo, a user-friendly basket and a brightly illustrated catalog of products.And it is very important that your application be as easy to use as possible. The fewer actions required for ordering, the better.

For example, take a look at the design examples for shopping applications that our UI/UX experts have developed:This shopping app design concept is very informative and appealing.And this design idea is just perfect for e-commerce purposes. Actually, as well as the following one:

 The right choice of the platform

To make a shopping app of the highest quality, you need to choose the right application platform. So, it is necessary to understand which audience you are targeting at and what is the level of your ambitions.

Mobile app development for iOS

• The audience is the owners of iPhones and iPads. Firstly, these are people who value brand image, and sometimes they are even ready to buy an expensive device on credit. Secondly, these are wealthy individuals who attach importance to the status and security of data, as well as to good quality.
• The rules for publishing applications in the App Store are tougher than in Google Play. It takes a lot of time and effort before the application is available for users.

If you want to build a shopping app for self-confident people who are striving to make a strong impression on others, then choose the iOS platform.

Mobile app development for Android

• Mobile devices on the Android operating system are being produced by a large number of companies: Samsung, Lenovo, Sony, LG, Philips, Asus, Huawei… The price range for these smartphones is wide, from the cheapest ones to the most expensive models.
• It can not be said that Android is a budget device. But at the same time, if you need to reach an audience with medium and low incomes, then Android should be on your list necessarily.
• The main difficulty of shopping app development for Android is its advantage, namely – a wide range of mobile devices. This means that you need more time to test the application and modify it.

If you want to create a shopping app for people of average income who are less prone to fashion trends, the Android platform is what you are looking for.Together, iOS and Android cover about 90% of mobile device users. And this implies that the best option is to make a shopping app for both platforms.If your goal is also to attract fans of Windows Phone (the former Nokia), then in addition to the two popular platforms, order the online shopping app development for Windows.

Shopping app development and testing

Of course, this is the key point of the whole process. And now you definitely can not do without the help of professional experts.

Suppose you decided to build a shopping app for all platforms… what should you do next?

It all depends on your budget. Shopping app development can be carried out in parallel or in two or three stages, that is, for each platform separately. Choose the audience that is the most loyal and profitable for you, and start with a platform that is close to these people (for example, Android). Then, when time and money allow, create a shopping app for iOS.

This option stretches the overall online shopping app development time, but it brings closer the release date of the first application version.

And, of course, you should not forget about testing your mobile service. Some people who are willing to make a shopping app want to save at this stage, which is certainly a mistake. Such an approach can lead to the fact that your application will fail, and instead of the QA engineer, the user will find a malfunction… And this will have a bad effect on the user experience.

Launching the app and publishing on the App Store and Google Play

This is the final stage of the shopping app development process, but it is also very important. First, the application must fully meet all the requirements of AppStore and Google Play. Secondly, you need to make sure that your service somehow stands out among its like. An attractive logo and skillful description of the benefits of your mobile store will help achieve your goal.