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Why Your eCommerce Business Should Have a Mobile App

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Why Your eCommerce Business Should Have a Mobile App | Website Closers

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to buy an eCommerce site, you have a lot of great options when it comes to industry, sales platforms and choice of products. One fast-growing industry worth considering is App developers.

With more people than ever shopping online, eCommerce sales across all industries worldwide are soaring, and online businesses can reach a wider audience and find new customers anytime, anywhere, from any device.

At the same time, the field has gotten considerably more competitive, which is why each online company is eagerly looking for ways to gain an advantage. The type of devices they target customers on is having a major impact on their success. That puts a higher emphasis on the increasingly important role that apps play in eCommerce sales.

Studies indicate that 96% of adults in the United States own a mobile phone, 81% own a smartphone, and more people are using their devices to do shopping, whether it’s searching for products, researching information about them, or making a purchase. The smartest eCommerce stores are recognizing that in order to reach their full potential, they need more than a website. Everything today, shopping trends included, is heading in a mobile direction.

That’s driving up sky-high demand for eCommerce mobile apps today. Acquiring a business that develops apps for eCommerce sites is a smart investment, since this industry is really prospering. But first, let’s take a closer look at why eCommerce sites need a mobile app version of their website today.

Why eCommerce Companies Need a Mobile App to Drive Sales

It’s 100% certain today that eCommerce companies need a mobile app. If you want to scale and grow the operation, this is no longer a debate.

Mobile apps are necessary today because Mobile Commerce is trending up – way up, and sales from mobile devices are rapidly taking over the industry. In 2021, the share of mobile eCommerce sales within the total eCommerce world increased by 39.1% to 72.9%.

Shopping from a mobile device offers customers the convenience they’re looking for, particularly since most of us have our smartphones with us every waking minute of the day. People can shop while riding a bus or taking an Uber, during their lunch break or while walking to work.

That’s why eCommerce sites are missing out on mobile sales if they haven’t invested in app development. Shopping apps are growing faster than every other type of app on the market. These trends are only likely to accelerate moving forward.

Surveys clearly show that consumers prefer mobile applications, and they have increasingly high standards. Studies show that 85% of people want a website to look as good or better than the desktop version, and 88% are unlikely to make a second visit after they have a bad experience on a mobile site.

The most important number, though, is 78% – the percentage of consumers who say they’d rather use an app to buy from an eCommerce shop than a mobile website.

Mobile apps give buyers certain advantages over their laptops, with convenience and speed being the top two. As people have gotten more comfortable using a mobile app, they find it gives them a better shopping experience. According to Forbes, 85% of online shoppers prefer eCommerce apps over eCommerce websites.

That’s why eCommerce sites definitely need a mobile app or risk neglecting key aspects of their existing customer base. That’s why app builders are in increasingly high demand: they can elevate an online store to the next level.

How Can a Mobile App give eCommerce Shops a Competitive Advantage?

A strong argument can be made that eCommerce sites are at a disadvantage without a mobile app, considering the clear preference many shoppers show toward making purchases on apps. It could be only a matter of time before consumers stop buying from eCommerce stores that don’t have one.

Consider that:

  • ▶ 48% of small businesses currently have mobile apps to connect with customers
  • ▶ That’s a 16% jump from 2021
  • ▶ 27% of respondents that didn’t have a mobile app said they plan to invest in one soon
  • ▶ In 2022, just 13% of small businesses don’t plan to get a mobile app, compared to 26% in 2021
  • ▶ 37% of small businesses have apps for both iOS and Android devices
  • ▶ Small businesses say mobile payment is the most valuable feature on their apps
  • ▶ 55% of small businesses owned by millennials have a mobile app compared to 13% owned by baby boomers.

A growing percentage of small business owners are recognizing the fact that mobile apps give them the opportunity to interact with clients and to increase user accessibility.

It’s also important for companies not to assume that if their main competitors don’t have a mobile app, they don’t need to bother with one, either. Competitors can easily get one and gain an advantage over you – or you can get one first and get the advantage moving forward.

Eventually, everyone will have a mobile commerce app, so it’s in your best interest to get a head start on current competitors and the ones that come online in the future. Why settle for a wasted opportunity?

What Can Mobile Apps Do for eCommerce Today?

A well-designed eCommerce app can definitely help online stores boost their sales. Mobile commerce apps allow your company to better engage with their customers in a dedicated space. So, what are the features of an eCommerce app?

All mobile commerce apps have features in common, divided between ones that are essential, and ones that add some bonuses to your app. The essential ones include:

  • ▶ Search and browse functions
  • ▶ A shopping cart where customers can easily add items or change quantities
  • ▶ Customer support and help navigating the online store
  • ▶ Return or exchange options through customer service

There are also optional features that include:

  • ▶ Push notifications to notify customers about new or restocked items, etc.
  • ▶ Multiple payment options such as paying with a credit card or a service like PayPal

There are also different types of eCommerce mobile apps, B2C and C2C.

B2C mobile apps are the most common, connecting businesses selling goods and services to individual customers, such as the Amazon app.

eBay is a good example of a C2C app, where two or more consumers exchange goods or services.

App developers are getting more and more business and will continue to do so as the number of eCommerce sites continues to multiply. eCommerce apps have become an easy sell to these entrepreneurs since they are often speedier and more user-friendly than their mobile web counterparts. It’s well known that faster load times create higher conversion rates and lower bounce rates in most instances.

In addition, having your mobile app on a customer’s smartphone means they will most often turn to you when they want or need a product you offer. Mobile apps are also great for push notifications that encourage consumers to keep visiting your app thanks to special deals or exclusive discounts. The rewards of developing a mobile app just keep multiplying.

The Bottom Line: Mobile Apps Truly are the Future

If you are looking to purchase an eCommerce business in 2023, a smart move would be to acquire a mobile app developer’s site. These apps make it painless for customers to shop from your brand, and they increase an eCommerce site’s visibility. With more than 12 million eCommerce sites in the world and 576,000+ new websites being created daily, app developers will have plenty of customers in the future.

If 2023 is the year when you buy the eCommerce business of your dreams, start your search by connecting with an experienced brokerage to help guide you along the way. Website Closers can help you determine what your priorities are when it comes to choosing an industry, revenue range, age of business and business model.

With a multitude of businesses selling sites today, tap into the knowledge that our experienced brokers have in this industry, and find out how they can help you get started.

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