How to Design Business-boosting Retail Apps That Really Help Customers

3. Simplify the in-app purchase path

When a customer decides to buy something from you, they kick-start a chain of purchase processes. They add an item or items to the cart, then they have to type in their credit or debit card number, add their delivery information and so on. More often than not, customers prefer to use a laptop or desktop when they fill out their card details. There are various reasons for this – they might not have their card to hand while they’re on the move, they may be in a hurry, etc. In any case, the chance of a customer abandoning their shopping cart is high. It is, however, possible to simplify the mobile shopping framework. With your customers’ permission, you can save their payment details when they make their first purchase with you. You can also make use of payment systems like PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Wallet. The Groupon app, for example, enables purchases via Apple Pay, which makes it incredibly easy for its customers to grab a deal on the go. The best retail apps make use of all the tools at their disposal to strip the purchase path back to its most straightforward form.

4. Use push notifications wisely

A push notification is a powerful way to notify your customers to new offers, or to tell them about the arrival of new products. It builds rapport with consumers because they feel connected to a brand. However – as you’ll testify yourself – if your mobile device is constantly pinging to tell you about a 20% discount with X, Y or Z retailer, you’ll quickly develop fatigue.

Business of Apps cites that “one push notification per week can lead to 10% of users disabling notifications, and 6% disabling an app”. The article goes on to state that 31% of users don’t find push notifications helpful in any way, with only 18% viewing them as a useful form of brand communication.

Notifications should be more than a nudge to prompt your customers to shop. You could – and should – use them to keep your customers in the loop about industry or brand news. You could also direct consumers to a recent article or piece of content they might be interested in. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t promote your business or deals through your app, but you should try to avoid coming across as too salesy. What’s more, your customer’s smartphone should not be buzzing all day long or there’s a high likelihood your app will be deleted. So, choose the topic of your notifications wisely and plan how to deliver them carefully – taking into consideration that people are already overstimulated and busy. Luckily, retailers have a host of tactics at their disposal these days. According to Accengage’s stats, customer targeting and personalisation are the two biggest improvers of reaction rates, with targeting yielding three-times the reaction of non targeted messaging and personalisation up to four-times the engagement. Emojis have also been shown to boost reaction rates by up to 20%, while strategically tailoring your send times can increase reactions by a massive 40%, and rich formatting by 25%.

A word of warning, though. Over-personalisation can put customers off. 25% of people will use an app less if they feel it tracks their behaviour too closely, and a similar number are spooked by location tracking.

There’s a fine balance to be struck between adding value to consumers' lives by delivering timely, informative communications and annoying them with your persistent messaging or – worse still – leaving them with an uneasy sense that you know a little too much about them. Harness your data and run A/B testing to find the approach that works best for your customers.

Conclusion

The best retail apps aren’t the ones that use flashy gimmicks and constant promotional nudges. The best retail apps strip the user journey back to its simplest pathways. They enhance the in-store shopping experience and serve as an even better version of a brand’s website. Great mobile apps offer the most straightforward way to engage with a retailer and its products while creating brand advocates by keeping customers in the know about things that genuinely interest them – not just discounts and promotions. Get ahead of the competition. Find out more about how ELEKS can help you develop the best retail app for your business. Speak to an expert today.