5 Reasons Why Retail Needs Mobile Apps

Last year Ebay announced that over 45% of sales came from mobile devices. The number keeps growing, and over half of mobile purchases nowadays comes from apps.
Customers love mobile apps. Why? The apparent answer is, customers enjoy the convenience and benefits apps provide.
With no need to launch the browser and bother with store URLs, logins and passwords, customers are just one click away from purchasing your products. And with special promotions and discounts offered to app users, more and more people download store apps expecting benefits.
Customer benefits from mobile apps are obvious, but what’s the gain for business?
1. Increase in sales. A customer who has already installed the application is very likely to become a loyal customer and make another purchase. Your company’s logo on the user’s phone screen provides constant brand exposure, meaning the customer will be less likely to seek the same product from competitors. Have doubts? Stats tell us, repeat sales through mobile applications are double those of their mobile website versions, no matter how good those websites are.
2. Credible analytics. Conventional ways of collecting marketing data are notoriously time-consuming and expensive, while results are not always accurate and usable. How do you really get to understand your customers and what they want? The mobile application is a versatile and powerful analytics tool. Ideally, customers enter the app through their social network account, skipping registration formalities, while you get access to reliable demographics, request and purchase stats, and more importantly — gain in-depth insight into your target audience.
3. Effective marketing. With mobile apps, marketing campaigns become simpler and cheaper. Scheduled push notifications will keep your customers informed about special offers. Large-scale campaigns are a thing of the past: apps are a fast and direct way to reach your customer. However, don’t limit bonuses to the app download reward; instead, keep offering a range special deals for app users and watch user activity and repeat sales grow.
4. Feedback. 98% of buyers are willing to leave feedback; 64% expect the seller to ask for it. Feedback is a unique opportunity to communicate with customers directly and assess your business strategies. Many customers tend to trust reviews more than descriptions and store consultants, making feedback a key motivation for purchase. 55% of US buyers use the app while shopping in store and this number is constantly growing. For example, Sephora app lets customers check out reviews, read tips and get inspired, leading to the decision to buy the product right now.
5. Status. Mobile apps have long become an image-making tool. More than half of the respondents we interviewed admitted they are more likely to trust in a company if it offers a mobile app. A good app for mobile is seen as a sign of stability and client orientation.
The modern retailer must keep pace with trends and technologies. Alibaba group has announced that they make more money from mobile customers than from all other channels combined. If your business has over 5,000 customers and you plan to keep growing, it’s time to act now. Do not wait until your customers are linked by a mobile app with your competitors!
