5 Mistakes Retailers Make While Building An App

Running a retail business is a tricky affair. You need to understand the changing customer habits and preferences and adapt to them. With the current digital boom and pandemic outbreak, a huge chunk of customers has permanently moved online. And in order to connect with these online customers, it has become vital to maintain a strong digital presence. So how do you achieve that?

The answer is fairly simple and straightforward – You should develop a mobile app. Although some might argue that a website gives you the same results, a mobile app has the ability to propel your business to the next level. And in this highly competitive eCommerce industry, a mobile app delivers a competitive advantage that sets you apart.

But developing an app is not easy. Yes, thanks to low-code/no-code platforms like Vajro, it has become a child’s play today to develop an app. But things can still go wrong if the app is not designed well, resulting in unhappy customers, low traction, and poor ratings. In this post, we will discuss some of the common mistakes that retailers make while building an app.

1. Incorporating All The Functions Initially

We get it; a mobile app for your business is like a dream come true. You might have a long and expansive wish list of features that you want to incorporate in your app. But due to this overzealousness, you might get carried away and overdo it. This affects your app's performance, thereby creating a negative impact among your users.

Remember, mobile apps evolve gradually. It is a slow process that involves numerous iterations. A mobile app is built with a core utility, and it must meet that utility right from the beginning. It will help you build a strong foundation amongst your users. Think of Facebook or Instagram, for example. With each update, they added improvements and new features without drifting away from their core utility.

2. Lack Of Emphasis On The Products`

The goal of an eCommerce app is to sell the products. But quite often, many retailers deviate from it and start prioritizing the design elements of their website. Yes, design elements are important, but what is more important is the products that you are trying to sell. The product pages of your app must be relevant and comprehensive.

While your design will help the user identify descriptions and other key data, it is the product information that will drive success and growth. Therefore, always make sure that you are giving ample attention to product placement in your mobile app as you do for your physical store.

3. Lack Of Payment Options

The payment feature is one of the most crucial elements of your mobile app. For sellers, this is the final stage of conversion, and the customer is about to buy your product. But, if your mobile app doesn’t have the customers’ preferred mode of payment, it will leave you with an incomplete purchase and an unsatisfied customer who might migrate to your competitor.

Always ensure that you are providing multiple payment solutions to your customers so that they can complete the order conveniently. You can opt for a payment service that lets the customer pay with all the major credit cards with electronic checks so that your customer will feel safe to make a transaction. Also, incorporate a PayPal checkout option for providing flexibility to your customers. By adding different payment options, you are improving the customer experience at the crucial final stage of conversion.

4. Poor Shopping Cart Design

Like payment features, shopping cart design can also make or break a mobile app. Every customer likes flexibility when it comes to the shopping cart. And, if you are unable to deliver on that front, it results in a negative user experience. Therefore, make sure your shopping cart comes with some basic functionalities like – allowing users to add multiple products, revise the quantity, etc.

It is also important that your cart lets the users add an item and return to the last page they were on. You can also allow users to add items to the cart without ever leaving the page using a mini cart. You can incorporate the mini cart as a dropdown or sidebar option in alignment with other design elements. It will make the user experience seamless, and the customer can continue with their shopping conveniently.

5. Lack Of Personalization

It is the age of personalization, and modern-day customers are extremely critical of it. They like to interact with the brands that provide maximum security, safety, and, more importantly, a personalized user experience. So, if your mobile app is static, that is a big turnoff for contemporary customers.

You must ensure that your app design involves personalized elements that cater to each users’ preferences. It is vital to customize eCommerce apps with clear and distinct interactions that draw attention. Remember, you have a very short span of time to entice the customers, and offering a personalized experience is a shortcut to it. Make sure that you are delivering this customized experience consistently in each phase of the user journey, like onboarding, product recommendations, shopping carts, purchase process, and finalizing payment.

Summary

Mobile apps are powerful tools that allow you to connect with customers. Developing an app takes focus and flexibility as there are many factors that you need to pay attention to as well as disregard. While you might get excited with specific features of your app, if it doesn’t appeal to your customers, it will not be worth your efforts. These common mistakes that we have mentioned above are not to dissuade you from going fully digital. Instead, we want you to be prepared for the potential bumps on the road and learn from these mistakes.

After reading this post, are you feeling overwhelmed about the whole mobile app development process? Worry not; Vajro has got you covered. We are an instant mobile factory that can completely reduce the complexities surrounding a typical mobile app development process. We have helped brands across the globe drastically expand their customer base and skyrocket sales. Get in touch with us if you’d like to explore building a mobile app for your online store.