How would you differentiate your brand from others if you are in a retail business? If you think that the products and their price is the answer, then you are wrong. The customer experience has become the number one reason for helping buyers choose a brand for their shopping.
But with so many websites in the market for retail purposes, how can brands ensure they provide personalized experiences? Retail businesses can quickly boost their business growth through an engaging and user-friendly mobile app, especially in terms of providing an excellent customer experience.
With the advancement in technology, mobile apps have been able to provide the latest features like personalized recommendations to their users. Other features like voice search and in-app messaging have made these apps even more popular and addictive.
This blog will discuss in detail how mobile apps have reshaped customer journeys in the retail industry.
Why do customers prefer retail apps over websites?
There are several popular retail websites like Amazon, eBay, and Flipkart. But still, why do more than 51% of customers prefer to use a mobile app when shopping? The reason is simple—convenience. Other reasons include:
- Offline access: Now, this is another popular reason for the usage of mobile apps. Unlike websites, some mobile apps are accessible even with the internet off. Hence, shoppers can browse products, create a wish list, and even add products to their cart to shop later.
- Personalization and loyalty programs: Mobile apps let businesses gather relevant data to understand their customers better. Once they have these insights, they can send personalized messages and gifts and run loyalty programs. Further, it helps build a strong relationship between the two parties and gives users a reason to return to the app.
- Speed and performance: Usually, mobile apps are faster and more responsive than websites. Reports have said that about 70% of customers agree that page speed impacts purchasing decisions. Hence, with the faster performance of the apps, users are more likely to shop through them.
- Better user experience: Mobile apps are designed primarily to provide a good user experience. Features like GPS, camera, and push notifications to enhance the experience to another level. Further, as the screens are small, touch interaction gets easy and quick. Apps provide a more intuitive and streamlined interface, letting users navigate through products, features, and categories hassle-free.
- Convenience: As discussed above, convenience is one of the primary reasons why users prefer mobile apps over the website. Apps are easily accessible and require just a few taps for the customers to buy their favorite product. Moreover, personal recommendations, rewards, and loyalty programs add to the reasons.
7 Ways Mobile Apps Have Reshaped Customer Journey In Retail Shopping
We have discussed why people prefer mobile apps when they want to shop. This section will discuss in detail the reasons why mobile apps are transforming the customer journey. With the tech advancement, users can now experience better results for each inquiry. Factors that are transforming the customer experience in retail apps:
Voice Commerce
Users are no more required to type, and rather they can speak and search for whatever they want. Advancements in voice commerce like Alexa and Google Assistant have reshaped the retail industry. With such technology, people can easily search for products and make the purchase.
80% of consumers who purchased with voice assistants are satisfied with their experience. Customers now have a new and effective way to buy, especially when traditional touch-based interactions may be difficult or complicated, thanks to the seamless integration of speech capabilities into retail apps.
Augmented Reality
Who would have thought it possible to try a product on them while shopping through the app? But with AR technology, users can actually try on products like shoes, jewelry, and makeup. It helps people see how the product looks on them, and they can make the purchase if satisfied with it.
Also, product demos and information viewing a demo and getting further recommendations have made these retail apps even more engaging. Customers can also get help with the complex process of the products. For instance, they can scan the QR code and know step-by-step how to install the product and its parts.
Location-Based Services
With mobile phones, brands can quickly get information about the customers’ location. Location-based services significantly improve retail apps by giving consumers individualized and contextually relevant experiences. Retail apps can locate a user using their phone’s GPS capabilities and provide features like customized suggestions based on nearby stores or specials, real-time inventory availability at nearby retailers, and targeted offers for particular regions.
By integrating location data, merchants can provide consumers with highly relevant, timely, targeted information, improving their purchasing experience, boosting foot traffic in physical locations, and fostering customer engagement and loyalty.
Order Tracking and Convenience
By delivering convenient real-time order tracking, retail apps improve the consumer experience. Customers may monitor the status and location of their orders in real time by having the option to track them. This function increases transparency, lowers stress, and fosters confidence in the retailer.
Additionally, apps offer convenience by enabling users to manage deliveries, check shipment updates, and access purchase details in one location. It eliminates the need to contact customer service and offers a simple and straightforward buying experience.
Personalization
In terms of shopping, users are demanding more personalization. 60% of users say they will become repeat customers after a personalized shopping experience. People look for personalization from product discovery to post-purchase services. They also do not mind sharing their personal information in order to receive these recommendations. It is because personalization helps them find the product quickly and makes their shopping experience better.
Now personalization is easily possible with mobile apps, as messages can be sent through push notifications even when users are not using the app. With engaging messaging, brands can ensure users click on the message and shop.
Seamless Shopping Experience
Compared to websites, retail apps offer a smoother shopping experience because of their streamlined designs and functionality, especially for mobile devices. Users can benefit from a simplified layout made for smaller screens, touch interactions, and simple navigation with a specialized app. Customers can easily browse products, view high-quality photos, and access extensive information with ease thanks to the app’s mobile-friendly layout, menus, and buttons.
Further, applications frequently provide functions like saved payment information, customized recommendations, and one-click purchasing, reducing friction and simplifying the checkout process. Retail apps also use features on the device, such as push notifications, GPS, and camera capabilities.
Social Commerce
Integration of social commerce significantly enhances consumer experience in retail apps. Retail apps with social commerce capabilities allow users to find things through their social networks, get product suggestions from friends or influencers, and participate in social interactions about their shopping adventures. The more dynamic, interesting, and personalized purchasing experience made possible by this connection improves the customer experience.
As per the reports, 76% of customers purchase products that they see on social media posts. Social commerce users can access user-generated content, such as reviews, ratings, and testimonials, which aid in their decision-making. Sharing goods, wish lists, or purchases with followers and friends encourages a sense of belonging and social validation.
Top 3 Future Trends In The Retail Apps
The advancements in the retail app will continue to grow in order to provide an even better user experience. Some of the future trends that we might see in retail apps are:
Omnichannel Integration
Future retail app trends will emphasize omnichannel integration, which aims to create a unified and smooth buying experience across several platforms. Through the use of numerous touchpoints, such as the retail app, this strategy seeks to close the gap between physical stores and the digital world.
Customers can benefit from features like in-app browsing, real-time inventory updates, tailored promotions, and simplified checkout options thanks to omnichannel integration, all while having access to the same information and a consistent experience across all channels.
Sustainability and Ethical Shopping
Due to rising customer knowledge and demand for environmentally and socially responsible items, sustainability and ethical shopping are emerging as key future trends in retail apps. Retail apps include functions that emphasize ethical and sustainable solutions and teach users about the provenance of products, brand certifications, and ethical standards.
By empowering users to make decisions that are in line with their values, these applications provide people with the power to support ethical and sustainable companies.
More AI for Personalization
Future trends in retail apps will use Artificial Intelligence for personalization to offer highly customized and unique shopping experiences. AI algorithms can generate personalized product recommendations, tailored offers, and customized interfaces within retail apps by evaluating user data such as purchase history, browsing behavior, and preferences.
These sophisticated algorithms can dynamically adjust to each person’s distinct preferences and offer prompt recommendations relevant to their choices. By providing pertinent and targeted ideas, AI-powered personalization improves the customer experience while boosting conversion rates, customer satisfaction, and engagement.
Build Your Retail App and Boost Business Growth
In today’s time, ensuring that your buyers are always satisfied with your services is the top work for each brand. Relying just on the eCommerce website is not sufficient to gain a competitive edge.
Building a delivery app for your retail business should be your priority in order to enhance sales and brand growth. With advanced delivery app development services, you can get your hands on the best apps that include all the necessary features and provide a seamless user experience.
