1. Select the best platform
I recommend that you learn the ins and outs of your company before deciding on a technology to use for eCommerce application development. Keep an eye on the development costs (this I will cover after the building ecommerce app steps) and inventory while choosing a CMS, database, and scalable framework.
With this information in hand, you have to launch an Android app and an iOS app. It goes without saying that you have to launch in the best launchers like Nova Launcher, Niagara Launcher, Smart Launcher 5, etc., and for iOS, you have to launch on the latest and best, which is iOS 14.
That would be the wisest and best decision.
2. Creating a Feature Set
After choosing the best platform for your business, the next step is to create a feature set. You now have a better understanding of what problems your product needs to solve and which features can satisfy end users.
You can use popular prioritization frameworks and strategies to help you decide which product features should be at the top of the list.
3. Designing the UX and UI
After creating a feature set, concentrate on the designing part. The experience in eCommerce apps must go beyond in-person shopping, and UX/UI design provides an opportunity to stand out. If you are targeting the customer, design will be your voice and your business’ identity.
Color schemes, appealing visuals, and smooth page transitions are what leave a lasting impression on your customers.
4. Create the MVP
After the designing part, the next thing is the minimum viable product. At the MVP stage, you should concentrate on the most important features of your eCommerce app (which are already listed above).
Instead of launching a full-fledged product right away, I recommend conducting continuous product evaluations to fuel future revisions.
MVP aims to learn what users think of a product, shorten development time, reduce risks, and more efficiently allocate resources.
After doing the MVP process, you have to build the Android app either from scratch (i.e., using the coding and all), or get the readymade clone to create your ecommerce app. For getting readymade clones, you can contact the best development companies.
In the last session of the paragraph, I covered how to choose the best development company for your needs. With the help of my suggestion, you can move forward with your decision.
5. Feedback collection
When the MVP is ready and the app is built, it’s time to start collecting customer feedback. It is the process of observing how users interact with your app, collecting feedback, and identifying potential improvements. Feedback is important in ecommerce app development because it allows you to determine what works and what doesn’t for your target audience.
6. Make your eCommerce app available for download
Making an app for the Google Play Store is much easier than making one for the Apple Store. But remember it’s compulsory that we have to publish the app in the Google play store and apple store.
7. Optimize SEO for your app
After finishing all the above steps, you must concentrate on the SEO part also. SEO is important because it increases the visibility of your website, which means more traffic and more opportunities to convert prospects into customers.
There are some SEO factors to consider, such as creating a blog, creating video content for an app, using social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, answering questions on Reddit and Quora, and making Slideshare presentations.
But SEO is a long term process. It takes some time to make your app in the first place. So to get immediate reach, you have to promote your app.
8. Promote your eCommerce app
The final step is promoting your ecommerce app in various places. Your eCommerce app must be adequately promoted to get faster reach and to gain exposure. Some promotion ideas are traditional advertising, public relations, search ads, Influencer/Celebrity endorsements, and also app store optimization (ASO).
Now we have viewed all the steps for building an e-commerce app. Follow all these steps in order to build an excellent ecommerce mobile app.
But now some will have a doubt about why it is necessary to develop an e-commerce app and what are the things to consider in developing an ecommerce mobile app. If so, follow the blog below.
Why should you develop an e-Commerce application?
Before moving to the question about creating an ecommerce app, you must know why it is necessary to build an ecommerce mobile app. For this, we can see some research about mobile ecommerce apps by famous companies.
- 90% of the mobile users spend their time in apps, while only 10% is spent online browsing. (According to Flurry research)
- 58% of smartphone owners in the United States use their devices for online shopping, with 66% doing so on a weekly basis. (From Google’s “How People Shop on Their Phones” report)
- A mobile app is preferred by 85% of smartphone users over a website. (According to Compuware research)
- In the United Kingdom, 40 of the 50 largest online retailers have mobile apps.
Is a mobile app required for the online store? Foreign partners’ experience shows that a mobile application is essential for E-Commerce projects. In the e-commerce segment, having such an app, in addition to a website, is a win-win business strategy.
Below are the two most important reasons why we are choosing mobile apps for ecommerce.
Mobile apps are more practical and faster than websites
The fast pace of life makes users very demanding of the speed with which sites and online stores load on gadget screens. Kissmetrics research shows that 46% of smartphone users close a page if it does not open within the first 10 seconds.
Aside from speed, apps outperform websites in the following areas:
- Access to the smartphone’s native functions (camera, GPS-navigator, voice recognition functions, Google Pay, and Apple Pay),
- Interactivity (integration with social networks) and content personalization
- Simplicity of use and best mobile device adaptation.
It is well known that users prefer what is faster and more convenient, which means that your customers will almost certainly prefer an Android or iOS application to a website.
Customer loyalty is increased by mobile apps
According to Criteo, the Customer Retention Rate (CRR) for apps is 50% higher than for websites. This means that the app, when compared to the online store’s browser version, doubles the likelihood of repeat purchases.
The high CRR apps are due to the fact that the phone is always nearby, and the utility icon, like a catchy banner, constantly reminds the user of the opportunity to make a network purchase.
Now we have seen the reasons why we have to build an ecommerce mobile app. But for creation purposes, there are some things or issues to consider.
Factors to Consider For Creating an eCommerce Mobile App
A new venture usually requires obtaining a 360-degree view of the environment into which you are venturing. As a result, in order to provide you with all aspects of eCommerce or shopping mobile app development, here are some of the things you should consider before proceeding to the development stage.
A reputable eCommerce app development company will provide you with all of these details, but I believe a heads up is always a good idea.
Consider your budget
When you first start this new business, the most important thing to consider is your budget. Because the type of your eCommerce mobile app will be determined by your budget.
Some of the factors that will stretch and shrink depending on your budget are your app’s business model, whether you should have your own infrastructure or work as a middleman between service providers and consumers, and many other factors that will affect the initial state of your app based on your budget.
Your budget, however, does not define the success of your eCommerce business, but it does define the initial style of your business approach.
Analysis of Competitors
The second one is about finding your competitors. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, as the saying goes. If you conduct a thorough analysis of your competitors, you will have a significant advantage. It will inform you about their market strategies and possibly the secrets to their success.
So, after conducting a thorough competitor analysis, you now know their secrets to success, and when you combine your strategies, who knows what you might get? I’m not saying this out of genuine optimism; my optimism is the result of careful consideration.
Infrastructure Required
Depending on the app model you select, you will need to research the infrastructure required for your online eCommerce business. There are numerous aspects of your eCommerce business that can contribute to long-term infrastructure.
It could be the team size, delivery partners, service providers, warehouses, staff members, and so on. As a result, it is critical to consider all aspects of online shopping app development.
The look and feel of your shopping app defines overall user engagement and is a major driving force behind the success of your business. The market is constantly changing, and competition is stronger than ever.
Till now we have seen about the things to consider while developing an ecommerce app. After that, it’s necessary to know about the features of an ecommerce app.
What are the features of an ecommerce app?
Almost all e-Commerce apps should have a certain set of functions for good app usability and administrative panel functions to ensure the app’s proper operation. Here is the list of features of an ecommerce app.
- Cart and wishlist
- Easy and fast checkout.
- Social integration
- Push notifications
- Synchronization
- Alternative payment options
- Ratings and reviews
- Search and filters
- Signup for a social login
Advanced features that will set your ecommerce mobile app best than others
It is always a good idea to include some advanced features in your eCommerce app in order to make it as exciting as possible. When it comes to creating new things, however, there is no limit.
- Chatbox for customer support
- Real-time analytics
- Role-based dashboard
- Efficient CRM systems
- Marketing tools
- Behavior tracking
- Product videos
- Loyalty programs
After learning about all the aspects of an e-commerce business and building an ecommerce mobile app. Some will now have doubts about what it will cost to make and maintain an ecommerce app. If yes, then read on to the next session below to know about it.
How much does it cost to make an app for e-commerce?
The Mobile App Development Cost and Ecommerce Mobile App Development Cost are largely determined by the app’s complexity. It is impossible to give an exact figure because it is determined by numerous and subjective factors.
A basic app that does not include a back-end database, API functionality, or social media integration can cost between 10-15K USD.
A moderately complex app will cost between $10 – 40K USD.
The most affordable app developers will also charge between 35K – 45K USD for a complex app.
How much does it cost to maintain the app ?
Almost 20% of the total cost will go toward improving existing features and refining the app. New updates are required to make your app frictionless as it is an ongoing process with every change in technology.
After viewing the cost of making and maintaining the app, you would have got a fair idea.
If you have some basic coding knowledge, you can develop an ecommerce app by yourself or get help from any of the development companies.
If you are confused about choosing the best mobile app development company after viewing the building steps, issues, things to consider while developing an ecommerce app, and other factors, then there is another way to get it done. You can seek help from a reputed app development company.
How do I choose a good mobile app development company?
There are a huge number of mobile app development companies in the world. It is difficult to select one good or best mobile app development company. The developer or development company you choose is determined by the tasks and solutions you require from the application.
A qualified team of developers and designers can solve a complex application with unique functionality that requires integration with the internal company system.
I recommend you choose the best mobile app development company according to your needs and criteria in order to build your own ecommerce app.
I hope I have covered all the important topics of building a commerce mobile app, like starting from what an ecommerce app is, its business models, mobile ecommerce growth, why should you develop an ecommerce application, issues to consider before developing an ecommerce application, features, advanced features to stand out, and the building an ecommerce app steps, cost of an ecommerce app, and finally choosing the best mobile app development company.
I believe that all the topics are clear.
If there is any doubt, you can comment below or contact us.
