It’s an indisputable fact that since the Coivid-19 pandemic plagued the world, e-commerce has received an enormous boost, and it’s not stopping anytime soon. The shift into digital shopping received a massive boost as engaged shoppers now have their favorite online vendors where they make orders delivered to their doorsteps in minutes. However, even before the pandemic, people were moving into digital shopping due to its ease and convenience compared to the physical store experience. 

One thing that has encouraged this shift into digital shopping is mobile apps, which make the process as seamless as possible. The use of mobile apps, spending, and downloads was at an all-time high last year. 

A study conducted by Liftoff, an app marketing optimization platform based on performance, in cooperation with global data and analytics company App Annie and native mobile app platform Poq, revealed a 30.1% increase in purchase rates between January 2021 and May 2021 (an increase of 15.3% 19.9%). Similarly, basket sizes increased, with baskets reaching a high of $88 in June 2021, up 15.8% from January. 

With the above statistics, it is no denying that we are in a world where people are quick to adopt new technologies, and retail apps have been benefiting from this adoption in the last five years. However, having a mobile app does not mean your customers will use it. It’s one thing to have a mobile app, but it’s another thing to have a usable mobile app. Hence, we arranged these seven tips to help you optimize your retail mobile app for a better customer experience. 

Personalization matters
Nowadays, app users expect a form of personalization when they open their mobile business app to access your offerings. There is no one-time fix for this; you’ll have to do a lot of experiments and A/B testing to develop and understand which personalization features suit well with your customers. On a general note, adding some personalization makes your customers feel like they own a part of your business; that sense of belonging and recognition can significantly influence their buying decision and boost your sales. 

Attract them with rewards
Customers love incentives, rewards, discounts, and special offers, and those who participate in loyalty programs are the most loyal customers. Knowing this, you should give your customers a reason to engage with your app. Set up a loyalty program with rewards to entice and keep them engaged. 

Use Location
9 out of 10 digital marketers always reiterate that location-based advertising and marketing increased sales, followed by an 86% increase in their customer base. What does this mean for your retail business? Utilizing location features can be a game changer for you. Sending your customer’s personalized offers, news, tips, and messages based on location. On the other hand, you can set up a trigger that sends offers and information as push notifications to customers in the exact location of your physical store. Furthermore, integrating location into your mobile app enhances your “buy an online pick in store” experience for your customers. With ETA and push notifications, your customers and in-store staff can also get the correct information for an efficient business transaction. 

Flexible payment methods
This is a no-brainer. Everyone likes having more options at their disposal, including your customers. Flexible payment options improve customer experience and drive conversion to your app. There are many payment options for mobile payment; google pay and apps like PayPal can come in handy. You can also integrate social media payment options like facebook pay. Choose any option that works perfectly for your business; ensure you are not left behind,, as many payment options will keep rising. 

Make your app Social.
Social media is the game changer when ot comes to e-commerce and the retail industry in general. Just a viral tweet from a satisfied customer can cause an upward movement in sales and double your ROI on a mobile app. Integrate social media platforms into your mobile apps so satisfied customers can share their experiences with friends and spread the word about your business. Social media is an excellent tool for creating user-generated content essential for your business growth. 

Always make it better
Research shows that e-commerce apps are the fourth most downloaded apps and the fourth most often deleted apps. One definite reason the shopping apps get deleted is the lack of upgrades and implementation of customer =feedback. Every action your customer takes on your mobile app emits data you can harness to upgrade and update your app to meet customer preferences. Always keep your app current with trending features that keep your customers coming back to your app at the slightest chance. 

How can we help
At TheAppBooth, we have created several mobile apps with integrated geo-location features. We can do the same for your business to help you avail the benefit of this functionality for you and your customers.If you require a mobile app for your business, contact admin@mydigitalbooth.com, 01908788980,www.mydigitalbooth.com..