Nowadays, people make almost all their purchases on their smartphones. This is because phones are always at hand, and you can order the things you need while sitting in a café, on your way home, or on the go. That is where e-commerce app development steps in.
The advantage of e-commerce apps lies in their convenience. You don’t need to open a browser and search for an online store by name or in your bookmarks. Just tap the app icon, and the virtual store is fully accessible to you. In addition, they load faster and run smoother than mobile sites.
Now, about conversion. Conversion in mobile apps is two to three times higher than on websites (up to 3.5%). Users also view 4.2 times more products in apps.
Moreover, apps allow integration with GPS, camera, push notifications, loyalty programs, and personalized recommendations. This is the entire set of basic features that every online shopper expects to see today. So the conclusions here are more than obvious – apps have more advantages over traditional websites for progressive shoppers.
What advantages do e-commerce apps offer in terms of user experience?
Here are the most essential ones:
- Optimized interface and navigation. Like large buttons, clear fonts, and simple navigation. Everything that contributes to quick product search and reduced cognitive load.
- High speed and performance. Data is stored locally, which speeds up loading by 1.5–10 times compared to e-commerce websites.
- Simple and fast checkout. Includes one-page or one-tap checkout, autofill, data saving, and push notifications for abandoned carts.
- Personalization and recommendations. Apps analyze user behavior and offer relevant products, promotions, and reminders.
- Push notifications and offline features. They lead to 90% of opens, and caching allows you to browse the catalog even without the internet.
- Access to device features. Integration with camera, QR/NFC, GPS, and touch features.
How do push notifications & personalization drive mobile shopping engagement?
Push notifications and personalization are key factors for online retail. Notifications have really high open rates – up to 90%. This significantly exceeds the effectiveness of, for example, email newsletters. They keep users’ attention and encourage repeat visits thanks to instant delivery and real-time interaction.
Personalized messages using names, behavioral data, or geolocation increase engagement significantly as well. You will get up to 59% more interactions and thus more clicks. Automatic push notifications (like reminders about abandoned shopping carts) account for only 3% of all messages, but generate over 20% of orders.
In addition, personalization lets you send relevant recommendations, which creates a sense of individual approach to each user. It creates a feeling like “the brand thinks about me and my preferences.” All this significantly affects the increase in conversion, sales growth, and strengthening brand loyalty.
Are there limitations to mobile apps that websites still solve better?
There are more technical things, but they also should be mentioned.
Websites are easy to find through search engines and can be shared on social media, whereas apps lack these capabilities. The content updates on websites happen instantly, unlike apps, and don’t require user interaction. Apps often require downloading new versions and undergoing moderation in the App Store or Google Play.
Websites are also better suited for launching ad campaigns and reaching a wider audience. Apps, on the other hand, are better for building deeper, more personalized relationships with already engaged users.
What role does mobile-first design play in the future of online retail?
Mobile-first approach means creating a design for mobile devices first, and then implementing it for wider screen sizes – laptops and tablets. What does it mean for online retail development?
First, the dominance of mobile traffic is global in scale. In 2025, the share of mobile online sales will reach 59% (over $2.5 trillion). In the US, up to 46–50% of online commerce is expected to come from mobile devices.
Next, the advantages of UX and response time. Mobile-oriented sites are easy to use and load quickly. In addition to this, they have optimized interfaces that include only the essentials and are easy to use from both a website and a smartphone.
Along with this, mobile optimization is a key factor in Google’s ranking (mobile-first indexing).
Then, cost-effectiveness and development efficiency. A single responsive website for all devices is easier to maintain and update than several native apps.
And the final point. Future technology trends such as progressive web apps (PWA), AR product reviews, voice search, AI personalization, and hyper-local offers will work best in a mobile-first environment.
Will apps dominate all sectors of e-commerce or only specific ones?
Here are some of the sectors with the biggest mobile commerce growth:
- auto parts (+30%),
- food products (+21%),
- clothing and accessories (+15%),
- make-up products (+15%).
In these segments, conversions in apps are significantly higher than on mobile sites: up to 3.5% and even 6 times higher in Asia.
The retail sector as a whole is the largest user of mobile commerce. Its share exceeds 70% of all transactions via mobile devices. Also in tourism, travel, and booking (≈44% of sales on mobile). Banks and financial services, telecom, and IT are actively implementing mobile platforms for payments, content, bookings, etc.
On the other hand, professional and service industries (SaaS, B2B services) are lagging behind. Only about 50–70% of user requests go through mobile applications, and a significant portion still comes through desktop and web.
How do consumer habits influence the shift from web to mobile platforms?
Changing consumer habits are a key factor in the transition from the web to mobile platforms. Today, more than 4.8 billion people worldwide use smartphones. That’s a lot! And about a third of them actively make purchases via mobile devices.
Buyers are increasingly choosing mobile apps over browsers because they offer faster speeds, convenience, and personalization. Studies show that conversion rates in apps are 157% higher, and the average check is 15% larger.
At the same time, social networks have become a powerful channel of influence on consumer decisions. Over 50% of mobile purchases occur after viewing a product in a feed or receiving a recommendation from an influencer.
Thus, user habits (like quick, convenient scrolling rather than searching) have become the driving force behind mobile transformation in online commerce.
Can traditional online stores adapt, or will they become obsolete?
Traditional online stores will certainly not become obsolete. However, they still need to evolve to stay competitive amid the rapid rise of mobile commerce.
Modern consumers expect a convenient, fast, and personalized experience. Knowing this, it’s highly important for businesses to combine different channels. As mobile applications, responsive websites, social networks, marketplaces, and offline stores. In other words, there should be a unified omnichannel system.
Websites continue to play a key role in SEO, initial brand awareness, and providing complete product information. Today, they are still the first touchpoint with the brand for people. Mobile apps, in turn, are used for quick purchases and for retaining loyal customers.
Conclusions
Both mobile apps and e-commerce websites have their audience and advantages for retail businesses. In most cases, people use mobile apps in terms of convenience and to use them on the go.
Evaluate your target audience and business needs to understand which option will work best for you. A reliable e-commerce app development company will do all the work for you to bring your clients an enjoyable experience. And also, business benefits for you.