Consumer behavior is a never-ending cycle of change — especially when it comes to retail shopping. The e-commerce industry is creating new purchasing opportunities for consumers, whether they’re purchasing from their homes or using a brand’s mobile app in-store.
These new features give consumers the ability to take charge of their shopping experience — and developers are working to keep up with this popular trend. Understanding these key features can help bring your idea to market if you decide you’re ready to develop your mobile app.
Table of Contents
Increased Profitability
Mobile apps are a billion-dollar industry, so it’s no surprise retail companies are looking to become a part of the community. The popularity of mobile e-commerce offers significant profitability to the brands themselves since consumers consistently use their mobile devices for everyday activities. Retail brands are transitioning their business to mobile devices to not only increase convenience for the consumer — they’re also looking to skyrocket their profits and save location and labor costs.
Greater Convenience
Consumers are looking for retail apps to fulfill their shopping needs without visiting the physical store locations. They want to avoid large crowds, checkout lines, and poor weather conditions. The development of e-commerce offers consumers convenience that their physical store locations can’t offer.
When the holidays arrive, it’s not uncommon for consumers to dread visiting brick-and-mortar stores to complete their shopping. Instead, several e-commerce apps are offering services like curbside pickup or delivery — features that were previously unavailable.
Personalized Shopping Experience
Every shopper wants to feel like they’re the most important customer, and the uniqueness of retail mobile apps allows for those possibilities to become a reality. Companies often offer exclusive perks and discounts to mobile users, encouraging them to purchase through their device rather than in-store.
The sophistication of retail apps is designed to offer personalization that consumers can’t find anywhere else. Some brands have implemented virtual changing rooms or makeup applications, giving users a one-on-one shopping experience.
Exclusive Benefits
Consumers traditionally love to find sales and discounts on their favorite products, but stores generally refrain from sales unless a holiday is approaching. With the popularity of mobile apps, specifically in the retail sector, there is an increased opportunity to offer exclusive benefits to entice users to spend money.
Many retailers are tailoring their marketing approach and offering app-based promotions to their customers. This not only benefits their bottom line, but it provides a sense of importance and privilege to any user engaging with the app. When consumers feel like they’re getting a special deal, they’re more likely to commit to purchasing.
The development of mobile apps has undoubtedly changed industries globally, though the retail markets have seen an incredibly unique growth. As consumer behaviors vary with the times, retailers are beginning to understand the importance of changing alongside their customers. Whether it’s because of their convenience, exclusivity, or personalization, consumer-based mobile applications are an important part of a growing retail market.
