Identify your niche
This is where you will analyse your target audience or special areas where there is not much competition in the market. When considering the eCommerce industry, the market is huge, and multiple products and services are being offered through the eCommerce platforms.
Apart from the target audience, you need to analyze the location that you are going to cover through your eCommerce app. You need to identify the spending tendency of people in that area. Check for the viability of importing goods and mobile use statistics. Some of the popular eCommerce niches are listed below.
- Health & beauty care
- Pet products & services
- Clothing and apparels
- Organic products
- Online courses
- Digital products
- Fitness and Gym appliances
- Jewellery
- Home decors
Choose your business model
Before you think about how to develop an eCommerce app, you need to be clear with the business model with which you are going to work. Identifying the business model is very essential for both new and established businesses. It will be the main core for your company to operate profitably and offer great value for your customers.
Common business models in eCommerce
Business-to-Business (B2B) – This model refers to commerce between two businesses. Any wholesale transactions fall under this business model. App development that creates an eCommerce app for another business is a perfect example of this model.
Business-to-Customers (B2C) – This model refers to commerce between a company and its end-user. A company selling a shirt for an individual customer can be an example.
Customers-to-business (C2B) – This model will let customers sell their products or their services to companies. For eg. An electrician offering service to a company by giving electric connections can be an example.
Customers-to-Customers (C2C) – A customer will sell his product or service to another customer is called the C2C business model. OLX website is a perfect example of C2C where a customer will sell his used products and another customer will buy them at a cheaper price.
Plan essential features
This needs more attention as features determine your survival in the market. You can vary from your competitors by providing more unique features. When we think about building an eCommerce app, we need to be more specific with a mobile-first approach.
While framing the features for your eCommerce app, you need to first learn about your user group. For eg, any eCommerce app will have a seller, buyers, and admin (if the platform is a multi vendor eCommerce platform, then the admin and sellers will be different people if it is a single vendor then the admin and seller will be the same person) we need to have features that will satisfy all user groups.
Key features that are mandatory for an eCommerce app
- The simple registration process with authentication
- Advanced search and filtering options
- Add to cart and wishlist feature
- Multiple payment modes
- Easy checkout process
- Real-time order tracking
- Alerting push notification
- In-app chat facility
- Return and refund
- Reviews and rating option
Focus on UI and UX
User-aiding design and excellent user experience are the real pillars of any eCommerce application. The design should be attractive and eye-pleasing. It should attract the audience to your application and make them stay with your platform and finally should buy products.
This is all possible only through proper design and user interface. Every mobile app needs to have a simplified navigation process that will make users feel comfortable in handling the app and searching for products.
Key factors to be considered in UI/UX
- Prioritize UX while designing UI
- Follow the text hierarchy that will hold the audience to stay longer with your app
- Use the right icons for better communication
- Choose colours wisely
- Create data-gathering opportunities in your UI
- Don’t forget about the importance of sound in your UI/UX
Pick the right eCommerce platform
If you are not technologically savvy, building an eCommerce app by partnering with a reliable eCommerce app development company is good. Make sure that your project is in the hands of an experienced team. While choosing your eCommerce platform you need to consider a few important aspects that will support the smooth functioning of the app.
Device responsive – The platform should be device compatible and all themes and templates should be mobile-friendly. As we have planned to build an eCommerce app, device responsive design is mandatory.
Security – The platform you choose should support data backups, fraud prevention, and all other security measures that will protect users’ data that are entered into the platform. PCI compliance is mandatory if you are providing credit card payment options to your customers.
Moreover, install an SSL Certificate on the server to make payment process and sharing of information easy and secure on the site.
Scalability – Every business tends to grow in the future and the platform you choose should be a scalable one that allows you to expand your business and lets you store a huge amount of data. It should be able to handle any volume of traffic.
In-built automation tools – Business operations need many tools that will support the brand to have seamless functioning. The platform should contain automation tools that will effectively manage inventory systems, shipping issues, order management, and many more.
Intensive Testing
This is the most important part of building an eCommerce app. Without testing, you will not be able to find bugs. With bugs, you cannot run your eCommerce app effectively. Make sure your technical team carries the testing part at each stage of development.
Areas of focus on testing
- Check the entire workflow of the eCommerce app
- Check the payment gateway functionality and how well it is integrated with the platform
- Test the platform’s compatibility with multiple browsers
- Check for SEO and device responsiveness
- Test on social media integration
App launch and promotion
This is the final stage in building an eCommerce app. After completing the testing process, your application is ready to launch. Choose the best hosting service provider in the market and select the affordable plan that comes with great features. All maintenance and periodic backup need to be carried out by the hosting provider.
Once you have successfully launched your eCommerce app, the next work is to promote the app and reach your audience. Multiple marketing channels are available to promote your app. All these channels are less expensive but guarantee you to have higher traffic.
Multiple marketing channels
SEO – You can build an SEO-friendly app with all SEO tools that will help you to get top ranking on all search pages. This channel will get you organic traffic and will assure you to get better conversions.
Social media – Run social media campaigns at minimum cost and reach your target audience by focusing on their age and location.
Google Ads – You can invest in Google Ads and can make your eCommerce app be listed on the top of the search page and can get instant traffic to your platform.
Short video ads – Can make short video presentations about your eCommerce app and can post them on your social pages which will get better brand recognition.
How much will it cost to build an eCommerce app?
After studying how to develop an eCommerce app, the next question will be its cost. The answer varies as per the user’s requirements. All eCommerce apps do not carry the same features and functionalities. It differs from business to business and users’ requirements.
Factors that influence the cost of building an eCommerce app
- The app’s complexity may involve more advanced technologies to have a better business operation.
- The development team you may need may vary for each project and according to the skill set and their experience, the pricing varies.
- The targeted platform is another factor where you need to define which platform you may want to use. You can prefer native technology or hybrid and each has its cost.
- Advanced features like AR and VR may cost you more and we would not recommend startups to go for these features as it is quite expensive.
Before you request for cost, it is always recommended to have a clear plan on what you want from your eCommerce app and what features you expect from it. Then sit with your development team and get your costing.
Get ready to build an eCommerce app with Appkodes
Appkodes offers customized eCommerce script to businesses of all sizes. Our fervent eCommerce development team caters to the needs of users through their tailor-made mobile solutions. With 9+ years of industry experience and market knowledge, we can analyze your business goals and can build an eCommerce app that assures an incredible shopping experience for your users.
We offer cost-effective and on-time solutions without compromising quality. We employ all the latest technology stacks and combine them with our developers’ expertise in building an eCommerce app that will never fail to impress your users.
