Ever wondered why most successful retail stores in Australia and across the world all have mobile apps? There are a dozen reasons for that. But what drives the majority to want the best app for the business is the fact that mobile apps are changing the way customers shop and interact with businesses. They are also an answer to current retail trends. In case you are not sure if you should hire a mobile app developer in Sydney for the creation of your app, take a look at what you stand to gain.
Customers Prefer Apps
Almost every person has a smartphone. Statistics put the figure at 91% of the population. It is also pretty clear that many love mobile apps. The country is home to a mobile market that is currently one of the most robust in the world.
You would be hard-pressed to find a customer who prefers using websites over apps on their smartphone and here’s why:
Apps trump websites on almost every front that matters to your business. They perform better on smartphones, they rarely have connection issues and are optimised for any device you install them in.
Apps also have an element of fun to them. When you hire a mobile developer in Sydney that understands the craft, you will find that there is almost no limit when it comes to designing a fun app.
For example, you could integrate augmented reality technology into your app to enhance user experience. Customers could use the feature to try out outfits and makeup without having to visit your store.
Let’s also not forget that smartphone users spend a huge portion of their time glued to their screens. Would you like to guess what takes up most of their time?
Mobile apps!
A well-designed app for your retail store can therefore serve as an advertising opportunity.
Increase Engagement
Keep in mind that you are competing against ambitious retailers, some of whom will stop at nothing to win over all the customers. Customer engagement is one of the tricks many use to stay ahead. It is crucial to the success of any retail business.
You, therefore, need an ace up of your sleeve if you are to tip the scales. Customers nowadays do not trust faceless corporations; they expect more from a business if they are to remain loyal.
A mobile app will help you achieve a higher engagement rate for your retail store.
Push notifications, for example, have an open rate of more than 80% and increase app engagement by 88%. You can use this feature to notify your consumers about your products, offers or discounts. Push notifications are way more efficient than emails since smartphone users rarely ignore messages.
That aside, a well-designed app will improve your customer care tenfold. You could implement chatbot technology which is cheaper and more reliable than a call centre. You could also go a step further and add chat functionality to your app. This will allow app users to interact with your business directly.
Improve Your Services
Can you imagine the reaction you would get if you asked your customers to fill a form with information like where they live, what preferences they have and their age? You will probably go out of business within a few weeks.
But the fact remains that you need customer information and feedback if you are to refine your retail business to perfection. In case you might be asking yourself if there is an easier way to collect all the data you need, a mobile app is the answer.
You can use your mobile app to gather data that would help you anticipate what your customers expect from your business. You will learn a lot from tracking your user’s movements through your app. The products they pick, the locations they are shopping from and the kinds of push messages they open will help you make more informed decisions.
But bear in mind that collecting data is a double-edged sword. It could take your business to new heights or burn your brand to the ground. You need to be utterly transparent about the data you are collecting and how you intend to use it. Make sure you are on the right side of the law by only collecting data that is relevant to your business and never sell user data.
Boost Customer Loyalty
Attracting customers is only half of the battle. Getting them to stay loyal is what separates successful retail ventures from failed ones.
A well-designed app can be used to keep customers coming back. Through push messages, you can touch base with your customers and constantly engage them on what they stand to gain when they purchase from your brand.
You can also brainstorm with your team to come up with ways to drive sales through your app. For example, you could offer new app users 15% off for purchasing from your app. Such offers will help encourage users to stick around.
Another approach is to come up with a loyalty system that kicks in the moment a user makes their first purchase. The system should have different stages for different levels of users. Customers will keep on using your app to make purchases just so they can move further along in the loyalty funnel.
Put simply, you have more methods of ensuring customer loyalty using your mobile app than if you decided to use traditional methods.
By now, it should be clear to you that your retail business can not survive without a great mobile app in this age. This gives you a compelling reason to hire a mobile app developer who has experience working with retail businesses to create a stunning mobile app for you. Mad About Apps is one of the few you will never go wrong with. Visit their website to learn more about their mobile app development services.
