Online shopping has changed the market landscape, especially for those who want to sell their products online. Shopify is a world-class complete commerce platform that has everything you need to start, sell, market, and manage your business online. Shopify is the No.1 eCommerce Platform that provides an opportunity for new, creative entrepreneurs to enter the market. Converting your Shopify website into a mobile app could help your eCommerce business stand out from the competition.
According to eMarketer and Statista research, online retail sales will reach $6.51 trillion by 2023, with eCommerce websites accounting for 22.3% of total retail sales.
Statista
Turning the Shopify store into an app can help you transform your online store’s revenue, traffic, and engagement. The beauty of online shopping is that it allows consumers to order products at any time and from anywhere in the world.
This blog will help you understand the benefits of converting a Shopify store into an app and how it can work wonders for your eCommerce business and brand.
What are The Benefits of Having an App for Your Shopify Store?
The digital world has changed how we shop, and to be competitive, you need to be ready to change. With the latest technology, mobile apps are more beneficial than ever before as they provide more functionality in terms of ease of use than standalone website software. Below are a few advantages of mobile apps for eCommerce businesses:
- More than half of all consumers use their smartphones to shop online.
- Over 75% of smartphone users are more likely to purchase products from a mobile-friendly website.
- eCommerce apps convert 13% better than mobile websites due to their ease of use and convenience.
- Browsing on an app is safer than a website as it protects your personal and payment information behind the app’s firewall and allows you to check out quickly once the payment information has been stored for future purchases.
- Browsing on an app is faster than on a website as the app loads quickly, and you don’t have to wait for your page to load before you can start shopping.
- Digital products are now integrated into many eCommerce shopping experiences, including Instagram and Snapchat. They allow customers to virtually try and purchase items through these social channels, making them even easier to use than an app.
- Digital apps provide quicker, more personalized recommendations that build trust with customers, especially with millennials who like having the ability to personalize their online experience.
Stay Ahead Of Your Competitors by Turning the Shopify website into an app:
- More buyers view your website via their smartphones than computer screens.
- App conversion is two times better than website conversion among eCommerce businesses.
- According to the leading shopping search engines, 68% of shoppers say smartphone apps give them more relevant product and brand information.
- Smart Insights says 62% of consumers are likelier to purchase from an app than a website.
What Makes People Prefer Mobile Devices?
Mobile app usage is growing day by day. Smartphones have gained a lot of popularity and are increasingly used for buying goods and services online. As competition heats up, apps are gaining a competitive advantage over standalone websites. They have yet to be specifically designed to provide the same functionality as standalone websites, such as in-app search, bookmarking, social media sharing, online payments, and email notifications when new products are added.
M-commerce (mobile commerce) has become one of the primary sales channels for businesses. The convenience of buying products directly from an app, knowing that you can trust the seller (thanks to a good reputation), having personal information kept secure, and will receive notifications, when new product listings are added is extremely valuable to consumers.
Apps are also useful for businesses because they allow them to integrate social media channels, among others, into their eCommerce website. Social media has a lot of influence over your business’s sales, and it’s also an excellent way to generate traffic to your website.
Best Ways to Turn Your Shopify Store into an App
- Using 3rd-Party Shopify Premium Plugins:
A couple of Shopify plugins offer mobile-optimized and mobile-friendly apps. Apart from that you can also pay for third-party apps which take care of all the necessary development for your Shopify store, including commerce functionality and app integration, template design and development, website security features, and more.
Now, let’s check some of the most popular online plugins to turn the Shopify store into a mobile app.
1.1. Vajro – Mobile App Builder:
Vajro is a Shopify app that allows you to turn your online store into an app quickly. It does not require changing your existing store, only installing their extension and embedding Google Analytics.
1.2. MageNative – Mobile App Builder:
MageNative is another Shopify plugin that allows you to convert your store into a mobile app without programming skills. It offers an easy way to track marketing campaigns and manage content such as articles, images, etc.
Are Shopify Plugins the Best Way to Turn Shopify Store into App?
It depends on your app requirement. Shopify plugins are a good way of developing a basic app without coding skills, but if you want to go for advanced features such as in-app payments and in-app purchases, then plugins are not the best solution. - Using an App Builder (SaaS Platforms)
TapCart and Appypie offer an easy way to create your app. They help you design a native mobile app for your Shopify store quickly with no coding skills. They provide all the functionalities you need and let you integrate them into the existing online store.
2.1 Appypie:
Appy Pie is an application development platform that enables users to create mobile applications compatible with operating systems such as Android, iOS, and Windows Mobile without coding. Appy Pie’s application analytics feature enables managers to track application performance by measuring parameters.
2.2 Tapcart:
Tapcart allows you to easily sync the backend of your Shopify store and develop your mobile app with no coding necessary. When compared to mobile websites, mobile app conversion rates are higher. Furthermore, with a mobile app, you’ll have access to limitless, free push notifications, allowing your business direct messaging access to your audience without depending on high-bidding advertisements or algorithms to reengage existing customers.
Are SaaS Platforms the Best Way to Turn Shopify App into Mobile App?
Yes, if you want to create an app with advanced features such as in-app payments and in-app purchases, then you need a mobile app builder which integrates into the Shopify store. - Develop an App from Scratch:
Creating a standalone app allows you to design it as you wish. It also allows you to integrate in-app purchases, use push notifications, and add additional features to enhance your app’s UX. However, doing it from scratch is challenging and requires technical expertise and considerable time and money.
Suppose you need clarification about your app requirements and want a customized design. In that case, it’s better to hire professional developers who will design and develop a native mobile app for your Shopify store. Hiring specialists to build your app means that they can integrate the required functionalities into your app. They can help you build an app that offers unique features designed to make it easier for customers to shop online on smartphones.
Getting the most out of your Shopify store by converting it into a custom app
Unlike Shopify plugins, custom apps have all the features you need to integrate a selling and purchasing process. Here are some of the best benefits of custom app development:
High Scalability: Native apps provide a better user experience and help increase sales and reduce costs.
Customer Engagement: A custom app can help integrate features with your website via web service APIs, increasing customer engagement and simplifying the buying process. This ultimately improves the overall user experience and can lead to increased sales for your business. This can be done by integrating push notifications, in-app purchases, email marketing, etc.
Enhanced Security: Apps are more secure than standalone websites. This is because apps have an API that restricts unauthorized access and also increases data security by integrating encryption features.
Customization: Custom apps do not require any change in your existing website. They work seamlessly within your current store environment, so it requires no extra work to integrate the app into your online store. Furthermore, you can create a mobile website or plugin with your custom app so that it looks just like a native mobile app inside the Shopify app store and on google play and Apple app stores.
Is Custom App Development the Best Approach to Turn Shopify Store into Mobile App?
Suppose you want to develop a mobile app that offers advanced features such as in-app payments, enhanced security, customer engagement, flexibility, and reliability. In that case, it’s better to hire an app development company and develop a customized solution for your online store. A bespoke mobile app boosts your sales by providing customers with an easy and convenient way to shop from your e-commerce store.
As a mobile app development company, we can help you design and develop a professional app for your Shopify store. We can also help you create web services or plugins that integrate into your app on the Shopify platform to enhance engagement and improve the buying experience by enhancing the user interface. Contact us to get a custom quote for your mobile app development project.
Conclusion:
There are different approaches to turning your Shopify store into a mobile app. The best approach to convert your store into a mobile app depends on the type of app you want to develop.
If you want to create an app that looks like a native mobile app, hiring professional developers to create and design a customized solution for your online store is best. On the other hand, if you want a store that looks like a web app with a mobile app experience, then Shopify plugins can be the best option.
If you are still deciding which approach to take, simply schedule a meeting with our experts, who will guide you further according to your business requirements. As a renowned mobile app development company, we can develop a customized app from scratch for your online store and integrate in-app payments and also in-app purchases modules so that product buying becomes faster, easier, and more cost-effective.
Shopify Store Frequently Asked Questions
To align with the digital world, you need a mobile app for your Shopify store. The mobile app can increase your sales rapidly and help you grow your business. It will also allow you to collect more consumer data and convert them into customers.
The cost of converting your Shopify store to a mobile app depends on the type of app you want. The cost of converting your Shopify store to a mobile app can vary between $15k – $50k. To get an accurate estimate of the project’s cost and a solution that meets your budget and expectations, connect with our experts. We work based on your budget and requirements, so don’t worry if you need more money to hire a top-notch mobile app development company.
Ans: Yes, you need to develop an app that is completely custom-made for your business. It will give you the right features and functions that are unique to your app. Even if you use a plugin, it will not provide a mobile app experience as good as an in-house developed solution.
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