Top Features Every Successful Ecommerce Mobile App Must Have

By Author: Simublade
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During the past five years, there has been a 40% growth in online shoppers with over 27% of the world population, i.e., around 2.14 billion out of 7.9 billion being digital shoppers. Consequently, e-commerce purchases and digital shoppers have been rapidly increasing. This expeditious growth is causing a rapid fire in eCommerce mobile app development. There is plenty of competition amongst eCommerce mobile applications and therefore updating your applications with top-notch features that fit your criteria and requirements and are well-aligned with industry standards is no less than an obligation for a thriving eCommerce business.

By providing convenience, accessibility, and a coherent shopping experience, eCommerce mobile apps have revolutionized the way consumers shop. One of the top ways to do so is to incorporate the right features in your mobile application that can help in increasing sales, customer loyalty, and give you a competitive edge. It can be a daunting task to choose and implement the right features for your app, therefore top mobile app development companies ...
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List of Top Features Every Successful eCommerce Mobile Application must have:

Before getting your e-commerce app built from an iOS or Android mobile app development company in Houston or any part of the world, get a clear understanding of effective and convenient features. It will help you convey your requirements accurately to the developers’ team and speed up the development process. Read on to find out:

1. Simple registration process

The registration process of a mobile application is the first impression that is made to the potential customer. A complicated registration containing multiple steps can be frustrating and might cause the user to leave thus increasing the bounce rate. So, the onboarding process should be smooth for the customer.

To ensure easy access to your application, provide the option to register through external accounts such as Gmail and social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram along with phone number and OTP. This will simplify the registration process as the users would not need to fill in data one by one to start using the app. These are necessary since easy accessibility to a mobile application maintains the user’s interest to browse and continue with the shopping experience.

2. Advanced search engine and filters

A search engine is a necessity for any eCommerce application thus increasing its efficiency will improve customer experience such as navigation. While providing a range of products, you need to implement proper filtering options. Customers can navigate easily through the search engine and find what they are looking for. Without filtering a potential customer might be frustrated resulting in dissatisfaction and a failed sale.

3. Product information and description

It is a preconceived notion that good product images are enough to attract potential customers but customers finding a specific product, look for details to make sure what they are purchasing is the right choice. Detailed product descriptions reduce the risk of product returns, rash purchasing decisions, and client dissatisfaction.

4. Secure in-app payment options

The elevated growth of eCommerce makes it a prime target for cybercrime. Therefore, secure payment methods are another must-have feature for mobile application development. A business must adapt proper cybersecurity measures, you can do so by choosing a PSP that has built-in security like PSD2, 3D Secure checkouts, and strong customer authentication. Along with being a crucial method to secure customer data against theft, it also protects an online business from unauthorized access, data breaches, and fraud. By providing multiple secure payment methods like digital wallets, Gpay, PayPal, credit card, debit card, bank transfers and more, you can build trust and a good image of your business.

5. Shipping options

The availability of multiple shipping options can lead to a reduction in shopping cart abandonment, a rise in meeting customer expectations, and building customer loyalty. You can provide options starting from overnight shipping or same-day delivery. Although these methods increase the cost of delivery, shoppers are mostly ready to spend on it. This can be well executed by presenting clear information about price breakage like extra costs in an uncomplicated manner.

6. Reviews and feedback

In the e-commerce industry, reviews play an inevitable role in the decision-making process. Anyone purchasing a product or service typically checks reviews left by previous buyers and this heavily influences the purchase. Positive reviews build reliability and assurance for the potential buyer and boost sales. In case of any negative reviews, provide an instant solution through feedback to the customer. This will create a good image of your brand and leave an impression that the brand cares about their customers.

7.Voice search and recognition

Voice commerce has been rapidly growing throughout the past few years. In 2023, eCommerce transactions done by voice assistants were about $19.4 billion and in 2024, the use of voice assistants is expected to reach 8.4 billion globally. It is evident that voice assistants are becoming a crucial part and will be an advantageous feature to add to your eCommerce app. Not only does this feature make the searching process more convenient but also speeds up purchasing.

8. Personalized recommendations

An eCommerce mobile application stores the basic data of every customer,i.e., name, age, gender, location, etc. This information should be put into effective use to give personalized shopping experience in the form of notifications and alerts. Simply adding a user’s name to a notification can be effective for them to feel more connected. Besides this basic information, product recommendations can be presented by analyzing a user’s wishlist, shopping cart, and previously bought or browsed products.

9. Barcode scanning

Barcode scanning is a feature that allows customers to save a product and buy it later. Customers might find a product of their liking but due to their personal preferences, they might decide to buy it later. In this case, they can scan the barcode of the product and save it in the mobile application. They won't have to go out and about to find the product again and simply use the saved data which makes the purchasing process more convenient.

10. Easy accessibility to customer service

Providing efficient customer service is the utmost responsibility of a good business. Customers are likely to stay loyal if their queries are well addressed and their issues are fixed. Therefore, providing easy access to customer service is crucial. Customer support can be served in mobile apps through various ways including - live chat support, email support, chatbots, telephonic support, and FAQs.

11. AR (Augmented Reality) presentation

Augmented reality allows you to present your products to your customers through virtual reality. Just like filters on Snapchat and Instagram to background changers on Zoom meetings, AR enables eCommerce applications to give their customers a virtual experience of their products. IKEA uses AR to let their customers see how their furniture looks or fits in their rooms. Similarly, Sephora lets its customers try on makeup like through the help of AR.

12. Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)

A buy now pay later option is exceptionally convenient for customers since it provides a flexible payment option. This complies with the customer’s financial needs and increases their purchasing power. It has been observed that BNPL services have remarkably boosted conversion rates and AOV(Average Order Value) for eCommerce businesses. An estimated increase of $450 billion between 2021 and 2026 in BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) is calculated to occur. This feature allows customers to pay later in installments with or without interest. Apple is one example of a leading company that has already incorporated a BNPL feature called Apple Pay Later.

Cost of eCommerce Mobile App Development

The cost of developing an eCommerce mobile app is variable rather than constant. It depends on the software code complexity, features, and resources required to create the application. The range can be estimated from $10,000 to $500,000. It is recommended to reach out to a mobile app development company to get a comprehensive estimate. Nevertheless, here are seven factors you should know that determine the cost of mobile app development:

Feature Complexity: The basic features in eCommerce app development cost from $10,000 to $30,000, whereas advanced features like AI complex payment systems or advanced searching and sorting features cost around $30,000 to $100,000.

Platform Choice: Choosing between iOS, Android, and cross-platform development affects the cost of development. Single platforms like iOS or Android cost from $15,000 to $40,000 while cross-platform development costs $20,000 to $60,000.

Testing and Quality Assurance (QA): Software testing and QA are essential for the reliability, functionality, and security of your eCommerce mobile app. The elementary testing costs range between $2,000 to $5,000, while large-scale testing and Quality Assurance costs from $5,000 to $10,000 and Exact and Diligent Testing costs are $10,000 and above.

Customization and Design: Customization in the context of user interface or backend development highly affects the cost. Basic customization costs $10,000 to $30,000 and Extensive Customization costs $30,000 to $80,000 and above.

Integration with Third-Party Apps: Integrating third-party apps like payment gateways also increases the cost of mobile app development. Basic integrations cost starts from $1,000 to $5,000, Intermediate integrations cost $5,000 to $10,000 and Advanced integrations cost $10,000 and above.
Geographical Location: Regional location makes a significant difference in hourly rates, communication, and project management. Offshore development can cost from $15 to $80 per hour while onshore development costs $80 to $150 or more per hour.

Ongoing Maintenance: Regular updates and maintenance are vital components for a mobile application. Standard maintenance takes about 15-20% of the total development cost per year and enhanced support like regular updates and new features takes up to 20-25% of the development cost per year.

MVP: Cost-effective way to develop a Successful eCommerce Mobile App

The previously mentioned features are comprehensive and therefore it can be tough to execute them altogether. Thus, it is suggested to start your eCommerce app development with Minimum Viable Product (MVP) which contains only the core features of an application. It aims to provide the features necessary to make a working and testable eCommerce website in the shortest period.

By initially using MVP, you can figure out what features and development are required for your application by testing it on the market and gaining valuable feedback. Therefore, an adequate app development company can save you from making development mistakes by researching your market and developing an app which would be best for your business. Finally, partnering with a trusted mobile app development company can fulfill your mobile app development requirements and give you high-quality results.

Conclusion

The internet is a huge global marketplace where digital shoppers are no longer confined by geographical location or language as people have access to all kinds of digital businesses.

They are looking for value for money and convenience and in this competitive eCommerce industry, you need to stand out by providing your customers with excellent features that are convenient and promote your reliability. The features you provide to your customers are as crucial as the technology itself.

By offering exceptional features and shopping experience, mobile app development will aid in expanding and thriving your business. Connect with a leading mobile app development company to foster your online business success.