The future of retail is here, and most of it will happen on mobile devices. According to a new report from eMarketer, m-commerce will account for 50% of e-commerce this year, totaling $845 billion. Capitalize on this trend by updating your strategy to capture and retain users on your shopping app.
The Rise of M-Commerce
With the proliferation of smartphones, many consumers do everything on these devices. As user experiences improved and convenience beckoned, people no longer need to use laptops, desktops, or even tablets to shop online.
So many brands are getting m-commerce right from beauty brand Sephora, clothing company Zara, and specialty retailers like Chewy. It’s not that their apps necessarily have unique interfaces or added features. Although, Sephora has been playing with AR (augmented reality) for a few years.
These retail apps are successful because they embraced the transformation to mobile. They pivoted their online shopping strategy to meet the demands of the consumer. Those customers want easy navigation, high-quality imagery, frictionless checkout, and fast rendering. Apps should deliver a simple buying journey along with some much-needed functionality.
So how will your app stand out to meet consumer requirements for the ultimate m-commerce experience?
Boosting Your M-Commerce App in 2022
You’ll need to do some fundamental things to ensure your m-commerce app can compete. Beyond functionality, you’ll also need to shift your UA (user acquisition) strategy.
Rethink the App Experience
First, you need to get the experience right. While nothing will be perfect, this is not something to ignore. You’ll need to evaluate the gaps, and you can start with data. Look at the data you have on your most valuable customers versus those that don’t convert. Where does the latter drop off and abandon the purchase?
You also have insights from the feedback your users give you via ratings. Mine this for functionality requests. When you see one requested many times, that’s a big clue as to what your customers want.
Analyze all this data and define your product roadmap. Consider what you can change now that will deliver the most value. For example, it could be as simple as reorganizing your checkout to be more straightforward.
Communicate your product roadmap, as well You can do so to users with in-app messaging and push notifications. Make it part of your app store profiles, too, so new users will know what’s coming.
Sell the Exclusivity of Your Shopping App
One of the biggest challenges brands face is transitioning mobile website users to their m-commerce app. As in most cases, consumers need to know what’s in it for them. Thus, offering an incentive could result in downloads.
A CPE (cost per engagement) campaign is ideal for this. It’s a CPE because you want the user to do more than install the app. If you can reward them for completing a post-install action, it could lay the foundation for shopping only in the app. Some examples include:
- Offering a first-time purchase discount for users that create an account or subscribe to text messages.
- No charge for shipping fees if a user saves a payment method.
- Delivery of a series of app-only benefits for users who sign up for a loyalty club.
If shoppers can expect something extra from the app, beyond a better user experience, you can hook them!
Keep Engagement Strong to Reduce Abandoned Carts
Abandoned shopping carts are problematic, as they represent lost revenue. Research suggests that the average online abandonment rate is 69.82%. The study also looked at why, with the top reasons being:
- Extra costs too high
- Account creation requirements
- Checkout is too long
Of those top three reasons, you have opportunities to mitigate them. Extra costs for shipping and handling can cause shoppers to exit. However, if you’ve rewarded them with free shipping via a CPE campaign, you solve this problem.
Account creation is beneficial to you as the retailer, but don’t make it mandatory. Reward users when they do it. Look for ways to simplify the checkout process, such as autofill on forms. The less typing shoppers have to do, the better.
Should an app user abandon a cart, you also have the opportunity to get them back. There are retargeting ads. For those users who opt-in for emails, you can send reminders. Don’t overlook simple in-app messaging or ads that make the offer more appealing.
Provide In-App Support
If you want your app to deliver the best customer service, in-app support is a must. In most cases, you’ll use a chatbot. Chatbots can be somewhat effective for common questions.
To improve upon this, consider using a conversational AI chatbot that can understand sentiment and intent. As a result, customers get better answers, leading to more purchases and positive experiences.
Highlight this level of support as only for m-commerce users. It’s one more feature that can get shoppers to commit to the app. Include it in your app store profile.
Capture M-Commerce Dollars by Working with AdAction
These shopping app tips and tricks can maximize your installs and purchases. Delivering great experiences, rewarding users, and creating specific campaigns for personalization can yield success.
Our retail app experts are here to support you. We work with high-profile brands on UA, retention, ranking, and more. Contact us today to get started.
