App-Based Mobile Commerce Explained: Why Retailers Should Embrace No-code

3 Benefits of App-Based mobile commerce and why coding shouldn’t keep you from considering it…

E-commerce is evolving. Shoppers #1 medium for product discovery and acquisition is their phone, and basic responsive mobile websites provided by platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, etc often feel dated and are sluggish on Google Chrome and Safari browsers. App-based mobile commerce allows businesses to create specialized customer-winning experiences that combine a frictionless journey to checkout with unique workflows that add value to consumers on the go.

As app-based mobile commerce has become more accessible and affordable due to no-code platforms like Sandbox Commerce. No-code platforms will transfer the power dynamic away from traditional software development shops to platforms that allow marketing directors, sales managers, and non-technical personnel to simply drag and drop their way to growth and efficiency for their organizations without writing a line of code.

How do you determine if launching an iPhone and Android app for your brand makes sense? and what can you expect to gain if you decide to add an app to your omni-channel strategy in the new year?

This guide will cover 3 rules to help you find success using an app-based mobile commerce strategy.

But first: What is no-code?

More and more software applications like Airtable, Trello and Salesforce have built software platforms based on no-code principles. Each of these businesses focus on solving traditional problems businesses encounter like project planning, data manipulation, and business development. In each of these use cases, no-code platforms usually excel in the following areas:

1. Allow drag-and-drop “blocks” of functionality that can be visually customized to build apps or create complex workflows.
2. Visual query datasources that allow blocks to display dynamic information instantly.
3. Utilize APIs to integrate data from existing enterprise applications or web services.
4. Broaden appeal to less technical users instead of leaving the creation of complex solutions up to traditional developers.
5. Expedite go-to-market of complex applications, usually at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional software deployments.

What are the advantages of a mobile app?

Better engagement: According to Comscore, mobile websites see more visitors than mobile apps, but visitors spend 27 percent more time in apps. The data is clear. Retailers who provide shoppers with a native mobile user experience benefit from an increase in engagement over responsive websites.

Reduced cart abandonment: 70 percent of shoppers who add items to their cart within responsive websites leave without purchasing anything. In comparison, native mobile shopping carts that leverage Apple Pay and Google Pay at checkout and allow 1-click purchasing. reduce cart abandonment by 25 percent.

Increased discovery with push notifications: Unique to native mobile apps are push notifications. According to Localytics, 52 percent of smartphone users have enabled these notifications on their smartphones. Marketers use push notifications to catch users’ attention by promoting products and reminding shoppers about their abandoned carts. Using data collected within their mobile app, retailers segment users to provide personalized recommendations that are both relevant and valuable to shoppers on the go.

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot of buzz around no-code and mobile apps for retailers in e-commerce. By staying informed, you can determine if a mobile app will add value to your brand and proceed accordingly.

Want to learn more about the intersection between no-code and app-based mobile commerce? Follow me on Twitter or subscribe to Sandbox Commerce’s blog for more around these growing trends.