Features of an Outstanding eCommerce Mobile App in 2021

Today, ecommerce businesses and online merchants prefer to invest in full-fledged custom ecommerce solutions rather than in simple mobile versions of their websites. An online store within an engaging mobile app provides the functionality that goes a lot more beyond what a mobile device browser can offer.

In this article, you will overview the trendy features and custom functionality to consider when going for custom application development of a mobile app for online sales.

Introduction: What is an eCommerce Mobile App?

The number of mobile app downloads worldwide has demonstrated a significant growth up from 140.7 billion app downloads in 2016 to 218 billion in 2020. Within the framework of this increase, we can see that customers are looking for quality products and services as well as for a convenient and engaging way to get it through a mobile device.

Ecommerce custom app development will surely be beneficial for online stores and delivery services, offline cafes, restaurants, beauty salons, etc. For retailers, ecommerce mobile apps have become a powerful sales-boosting tool. This type of customized software can easily access smartphone built-in features such as camera, Bluetooth, and location. Besides, they can come with online payments and personalized notifications.

The key reasons ecommerce entrepreneurs opt for a custom software solution and choose to integrate a mobile app into their ecommerce activities include:

• Monitoring of order implementation;
• Increase in the number of repeat sales;
• Customer base growth at no additional cost;
• Constant communication with the consumers;
• Availability of analytics and segmentation tools.

Ecommerce mobile apps have become an integral part of our lives. Many cannot imagine their daily routine without Uber to drive you to the destination, without Amazon or eBay to get the necessary goods delivered to the doorstep, without Trivago to plan holidays.

At NEKLO, analyzing the most successful solutions and apps is a common practice. This time, our research on the most marketable ecommerce mobile apps has served as a basis for the features that we overview below.

Stay tuned and learn how you can conquer the audiences and skyrocket sales.

9 Mobile Shopping App Features Maximizing User Engagement

Smartphones are getting “smarter” day by day and ecommerce is actively taking advantage of all the conveniences that this advancement offers. Moreover, in the majority of cases, consumers will prefer to navigate through a mobile application rather than a website, even if it can even be mobile-friendly.

Team NEKLO once prepared an overview of on-demand service apps and overviewed the reasons to start a business in mobile ecommerce. If you are only considering an activity to start in m-commerce, the article will be of help.

Below are 9 features that we’d call a must-have to consider for a competitive ecommerce mobile app.

1. Signup through social media to retain the user

Integration with social networks today is a must for mobile applications. By placing Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram social buttons on the log-in page, you let your online store visitors complete the purchase faster. Better usability = better sales.

Moreover, social media integration will allow app users to easily share products and helpful links in messengers. Brands in their turn will be allowed to transmit content from their social media pages on the online store pages.

2. Intuitive product-filtering for easy navigation

A wide variety of products is hard to navigate. Filters or other types of sorting functionality become the solution in this case. It helps to narrow in on specific items and search items based on features like size, color, etc.

Before you integrate filters for your mobile app, make sure to have:

• Selected a convenient location within the interface for it;
• Strategically chosen the way the filter looks like;
• Enabled multiple choice.

To simplify the navigation in the catalog, pay attention to provide detailed product descriptions. This will help to make decision-making easier.

3. Wishlist button for an organized shopping experience

The pressure to complete a purchase immediately is not what consumers appreciate. Instead, allow them to add an item to a wishlist and have time to think the purchase over. As a result, the chance of converting a wishlist item into a purchased item increases.

4. Voice and barcode search

Mobile apps today do not necessarily require the user to enter the product name manually. A great number of people are already used to the audio search function and use it regularly. With the increasing popularity of voice-based search, most users consider this feature a default one for a mobile application.

Also, by permitting your app to use the smartphone’s camera functionality, you enable an opportunity to scan product barcodes. This feature speeds up the search of a necessary item and helps to improve the overall user experience.

5. Push notifications to increase ecommerce sales

Push notifications are one of the most important features of an ecommerce mobile app. By intelligently configuring geolocation, you can start working with a targeted audience that is interested in your brand’s offer.

The stuff that can be easily promoted through push messages include:

• Information about special offers and discounts;
• New arrival notifications;
• User Guides for your products;
• Videos relevant to your products and services.

6. Multiple payment options for hassle-free checkout

People still use their credit cards to make a purchase. At the same time, many others have already switched to digital payments. Within a mobile app, the opportunity to select a favorable payment option is essential for customers. The feature has also proved to be successful in reducing cart abandonment.

The most widely used payment methods are:

• Credit and debit cards;
• E-wallets: Google Pay, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay;
• Payment gateways: PayPal, Stripe;
• Cash on delivery.

To fine-tune the app's user experience, provide multiple currency support. It will make the process of comparing prices easy and clear.

7. Order status and geo-tracking to keep the users informed

Keep the customers informed on the status and location of their orders by providing clear order statuses powered by geo-tracking features.

Common order statuses include:

Statuses before dispatch

• “Awaiting payment”: the order was placed, but not paid.
• “Created”: the status immediately after registration.
• “Accepted for work”: the order collected and packaged.

Statuses after sending

• “Submitted for delivery”: the order submitted to the delivery service.
• “At the courier”
• “Awaiting at the delivery point”: the order ready to be picked up.
• “Shelf life expires”: the storage period about to expire.
• “Delivered”: the courier has delivered the order.
• “Received”: the order received at a delivery point or post office.
• “Cancelled”: the order canceled or returned by a customer.

If the order is delivered by DHL or UPS services, then it's a good idea to allow the customers to track it by a special number displayed somewhere within the account.

8. Essential ecommerce analytics to measure performance

Analytical tools such as Google Analytics allow you to analyze stat data on customer behavior. Also, depending on your objectives, you can integrate other marketing, business planning, operations, and customer service tools. They are numerous available today.

By working with ecommerce analytics, you can:

• Identify market segments;
• Assess the demand for goods and services,
• Develop and implement a marketing strategy;
• Run marketing campaigns and commercial offers.

9. Feedback system to protect your ecommerce brand

Investments in customer experience pay off, as customers keep coming back for new purchases. However, how can you make sure the customer journey to purchase went well? How to learn about issues?

Ask your online store visitors and customers directly.

Now companies are increasingly adopting solutions for working with user feedback. Such systems allow for collecting and analyzing reviews, directly improving customer experience.

Conclusion: 2021 Must-Have eCommerce Mobile App Features

In 2021, two-thirds of ecommerce traffic comes directly from mobile apps. According to the all-rounder marketing newsletter Marketing Dive, about 85% of users enjoy using mobile apps when it comes to shopping online.

Mobile apps narrow the gap between businesses and customers. Mobile apps are considered more user-friendly than websites, which is one of the key reasons why apps provide increased sales rates to ecommerce businesses.

We’re convinced that an ecommerce mobile app able to stand out from the competitors should include the outlined above features. To be able to excel, team NEKLO suggests you consider the integration of these into any ecommerce-related mobile solution.

This page will guide you through our application development company service and help you realize if you are ready now to hire a software vendor to start progressing with a dynamic and advanced ecommerce mobile solution.

About the author

Nadya Bakhur

Nadya is a Content Writer and Marketing Researcher at NEKLO LLC, a custom software development and ecommerce solutions provider. Nadya conducts research and writes on the most urgent challenges of the ecommerce market. She explores the needs of ecommerce businesses, growth opportunities for entrepreneurs, and suggests how NEKLO, as a software engineering company, can better aid them in achieving results and maximizing the benefits.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neklo/