How to Improve Your eCommerce Business With a No-Code Mobile App

This strategy is not ideal for every business.

Not for those who don’t want to stay in trend with the future of eCommerce or don’t acknowledge that mobile apps are getting higher ground over websites when it comes to selling products.

This strategy is designed for those who own a Shopify store, and want to invest in a mobile app but don’t have the resources to hire developers. But more than that, it is for those for whom retaining customers is top priority and are willing to do something about it.

This article will show exactly how to improve your eCommerce business by turning your Shopify store into a no-code mobile app without even hiring a developer.

The result?

You get to power up your eCommerce business, increase the conversion rate, keep your customers engaged, enhance their experience, and the icing on the cake: boost your numbers.

All of this with the help of an app that does not require you to hire a developer, offers a great user experience and gets your products straight into your customers’ mobile basket.‌

💡 Want to build a mobile app for your Shopify store without coding? Book a free demo today.

Why eCommerce businesses need a mobile app

Mobile apps are reshaping the eCommerce industry. And they can be just the right solution to grow your business and add some mobilization to it.

eCommerce mobile apps provide smart features to sell your products directly, enable you to use personalized marketing techniques, and include a set of features to personalize your customer’s experience.

The best part?

With a mobile app in your pocket, you have the right tools to create an online store and sell your product to a larger audience. Your customers can simply select what they need, click add to cart and make the purchase in just a few taps on their smartphone screen.

It’s a win-win: your customers get their product faster; you get the needed boost to your eCommerce business sales.

The numbers show it too: mobile eCommerce popularity is increasing at a skyrocketing speed. With more than 67 percent of the global population owning a phone and 89 percent of users preferring to use a retail mobile application rather than going to mobile websites — building a mobile app to improve your eCommerce business is the go-to strategy.

Take for example what the British supermarket chain Asda experienced after building a grocery shopping mobile app for their store. They were able to increase their mobile shopping to 18 percent of all grocery home shopping. More than 90 percent of those purchases were generated by the mobile app.

What happened at the end of the day?

Their online shopping frequency increased 1.8 times. This proves once again—adopting an eCommerce mobile app is the answer. And we are going to tell you exactly how to do this in the three-step strategy that will follow.

Three steps to take your eCommerce business to the next level with a no-code mobile app

There are three steps to execute this strategy successfully.

• Step one: Expand in the mCommerce space with a no code mobile app
• Step two: Create a Personalized Shopping Experience for Your Customers
• Step three: Develop a Marketing Strategy to Show Off Your Brand-New No Code Mobile App

Below is the breakdown of how every part of the strategy works. But first, let us tell you how a mobile app benefits you in addition to being a very profitable revenue channel.‌
‌A mobile app:

• Makes you way more visible to your customers than just an eCommerce website. An average American spends at least 2 hours a day on their mobile phone: scrolling, checking some of their apps, or simply looking at their screen. Just by briefly coming across your app logo, their brain will scan and memorize it on an unconscious level. So when the right time comes, they’ll think of you.‌
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• Acts as an excellent marketing channel. You can actually allow your users to create accounts, search for product info and features, access exclusive sales and promotions, and even provide value with the help of content marketing.‌
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• Facilitates user engagement. A mobile application is the closest channel you can get in terms of interacting directly with your customers. It enables you to send real-time push notifications and exchange messages with your customers. For example, you can inform your users about product restocking or just tell them a particular size is back in stock. More so, you can integrate messaging so that your users can contact you whenever they need assistance.‌
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• Offers tons of features and plugins. Cool features and plugins represent the cream of the crop when it comes to online shopping and creating an optimized eCommerce ecosystem. These simply enhance the user experience from meh to awesome.‌
  ‌Let’s face it! Having the option to save products for later, make payments with two taps of the screen, or eyeballing the tracking number day and night until the purchase is right in our grasp is simply put—the best feeling in the world.

Let’s dive into the strategy, shall we?‌

Step one: Expand your shopify store in the mcommerce space with a mobile app

mCommerce involves people shopping through their smartphones and is estimated to reach $3.56 trillion by the end of 2021. Truth be told, it has been on a massive rise in recent years, and it’s still moving on an upward trajectory as more and more users realize the beauty of mobile shopping.

What does this mean for you as a business with a Shopify Store?

Well, the mCommerce space is the pool you should be swimming in right now; or at least, it should be on your number one priority list.

Let’s put it straight! The eCommerce industry is buzzing with competition, and staying connected to your customers is paramount. In fact, it’s your duty to be as loud as you can in order to be seen and heard.

Concerned that a mobile app will cost you too much in terms of time and money?  We have some great news for you! There is a way to build an app in a matter of days at an affordable price. So let’s get to work!

Consider a no-code app builder

A no code app builder is an actual platform that provides powerful plugins and features to help you build a mobile application by yourself. All you need to do is use the drag and drop elements and organize them as you see fit.

Simply put, a mobile builder enables you to turn your Shopify store into a mobile app without the help of a developer. And most importantly, you can bring your mobile shop to life in a matter of days without even one line of code.

So, how do you pick the right platform to transform your online business?

Choose your mobile app builder wisely

In short, you need to look at some important aspects, weigh your options and then decide who’s a better fit for you. You need someone reliable.

So, when choosing your platform builder, you should:

• Look for a mobile app builder who has plenty of reviews‌
  ‌It’s easier to tell if someone provides great service when you know they helped 2000 businesses or more to succeed in their quest. Therefore, when you’re choosing the platform you’re going to use to build your mobile store, check what other users say about them.‌
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• Make sure they provide customer support whenever you need it‌
  ‌You’re almost guaranteed to get stuck when building your first ever no-code app. So make sure you choose a mobile app builder that offers 24/7 support and accessible documentation to help you unstuck and continue building your online mobile store.‌
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• Check if they are compatible with both iOS and Android‌
  ‌Most users own smartphones that operate on iOS or Android. A good mobile app builder doesn’t force you to choose between one or the other. They support you in building a mobile shop for both. And if they provide native support, it’s even better.‌
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• Pay attention to the features and plugins they provide‌
  ‌It depends on what your goal is. If you want more engagement or optimized user experience, then you should look for features like push notifications, live video sales, image search, etc.‌
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• Ensure they provide a way to track customer behavior and engagement‌
  ‌There is no better way to find out if your mobile store is a success than checking your analytics. So make sure they have the tools to help you dig deeper into your audience behavior and engagement. Why are analytics important? They show you where you excel and where you need to improve.‌

💡 Bonus Material: Want to learn more? Dig deeper into how to pick your mobile app builder for your Shopify store here.

Start building your mobile app

Now that you’ve decided on your mobile app builder, it’s time to bring your mobile store to life. This is how you start:

• Establish some goals. This means asking yourself what do you want to achieve with this app. Whether you want to boost user engagement, attract new customers, increase sales and conversion rate — write those down. Having something tangible reminds you why you’re doing this.‌
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• Install your chosen mobile app builder. Now that you’ve found the one who can deliver on your requirements, make sure to have it installed and ready to bring your mobile app to life.‌
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• Think of how your mobile app will look. This refers to the layout of your app. Make sure the app reflects the heart of your brand. Use your logo, your brand colors, banners, and other widgets that will reinforce who you are.‌
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• Decide on the features. Choose the features and plugins that will optimize user experience, enhance customer engagement, and maximize your online store potential!‌

💡 Bonus Material: Still feeling unsure? Check our detailed guide on how to Build an eCommerce App With No Coding. Read More.

Step two: Create a personalized shopping experience for your customers

Live sales, chatbots, buy now pay later options, filter search, back to stock alerts…these all are essential for a great mobile shopping experience. They help your customers to better navigate your mobile shop and benefit from a more personalized shopping experience.

So how do you know what exactly your buyers need? To simplify this step, we divided it into two major actions.

Create customer satisfaction surveys to better understand your buyers’ needs

Find out what your customers want from a shopping mobile app through satisfaction surveys. Not only do these represent a great opportunity to gather insight, but they are also one of the major levers a business can pull to stand out from the crowd and jump ahead of the competition.

How do these surveys help you take your business and mobile app to the next level?

• Well, it’s like a domino effect. Surveys gather insight into your customer’s needs. Knowing what they need, helps you decide on the features you will integrate into your mobile app. An optimized app enables you to provide the best services. In turn, this leads to higher customer satisfaction, more loyalty, and increased customer retention.

Now that customers keep coming back, you benefit from more sales. Increased sales mean more profit, and so on.

One of the best and most popular platforms for surveys is Survey Monkey.

To make the most out of your surveys — ask smart questions. Based on that feedback, create the best mobile app and improve it with the right features.

Make use of the features your mobile builder provides to deliver on those needs‌‌

Provide a great user experience and attract even more buyers to your mobile shop with the following actions and features:

Boost buyer confidence with size charts and calculators

Many buyers hesitate when it comes to purchasing clothes because they are afraid of getting the wrong size. And this is where size charts and calculators play their role. They help your customers calculate their best fit, giving them the confidence to purchase your product and reducing the return rates. Here are some of the best customizable size chart plugins that we recommend adding to your mobile app: Variant Size Charts, Kiwi Sizing, or Avada Size Chart.

• Provide Buy Now Pay Later options

By providing flexibility when it comes to payments, you win more buyers. The Buy now pay later option works as a small credit. Basically, you allow your customers to buy the products they desire and pay for them in four interest-free payments, over the course of six weeks. Here’s a detailed guide on how to implement the Buy Now Pay Later feature.

• Personalize user experience with push notifications and  back to stock alerts

These alerts help you notify your customers when certain items are back to stock, or announce the arrival of new products. This feature boosts customer engagement and is especially useful to communicate directly with your buyers.

• Engage with the help of live chats

Integrating Facebook Messenger, Zendesk, WhatsApp Chat, or Tidio into your mobile app helps you stay more connected to your customers. By responding instantly to their queries, you show that you care. This results in brand loyalty and maximizing conversion rates; which ultimately contributes to propelling your eCommerce sales.

• Personalize merchandizing with filter search

By integrating filters in your mobile app store, you help shoppers find exactly what they want while also recommending other products based on search analytics. This not only provides a better shopping experience but also drives more sales.

• Speak their mother tongue

This implies integrating a translation plugin into your mobile store. What does it mean in terms of improving your business? You can rank for a wider set of keywords and reach a wider audience because your app gets automatically indexed in other languages by search engines. This implicitly drives more sales. You basically win by numbers.

Mobile app user surveys show that 80 percent of app users will only attempt to use a poor-performing app three times, and 36 percent of them will dislike the company if the app is troublesome. So make sure your mobile app is performing well, reflects your brand, and meets your customers’ needs.

Step three: Develop a marketing strategy to show off your brand-new no-code mobile app

At this point, your mobile app has taken a clear shape. You started building the app; figured out what your customers need, and acted on those requests. Now is the right time to show the world how great your online store app is.

How to create the best marketing strategy to show off your brand new mobile app?

There are three ways to promote your brand-new app that will facilitate downloads, in-app payments, and orders.

1. Your eCommerce Website
2. Social Media
3. App Store Optimization‌
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Your eCommerce website

The first thing to do when you’re about to launch a new mobile app for your online store is to make an official announcement through your website. That will help you with the first mobile app downloads. How to do that?

Your website is your stage. As such:

• Add a pop-up or a banner that highlights the coolest features of your mobile app. You got live tracking of purchases or returns, some new filter that only your app has, live messaging? That's great! Now show off those features to convince people to download your new mobile app.‌
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• Announce the launch of your new mobile app via your email blasts. Having a website means you’ve got subscribers; thus an email list. Reach out to your email database and encourage them to download the app. But first, make your subscribers feel special, and give them a promo or discount code they can use when first logging in to your newly launched mobile shop.
• Forward the news with a blog post. Blog posts are great to tell your audience you’ve got a new mobile app that will optimize their shopping experience. But more than that, you can add a hidden promotion code in there, that will boost the customer’s desire to download the app in order to get it. Also, at the end of the blog post, just add a button that links to the app store, so the download will be easy-peasy.‌

‌Social media

Social media marketing is not only amazing when it comes to promoting your eCommerce website; it’s also ideal to facilitate downloads and attract more users to your mobile app. More specifically:

• Create ad campaigns to direct people to your mobile shop by listing your products and creating a powerful CTA. Ad campaigns are most successful when you know your buyer persona. More specifically, who they are, their age, demographics, interests, pain points, etc. Use this information to your advantage to increase the chances of your ad being seen by the right folks and to drive more downloads.
• Run promo code campaigns. This means welcoming your new users with a gift, discount code, bonus points if they refer your mobile shop to their friends and family; discounts or loyalty points for using your app repeatedly, and further rewards. These promo code campaigns can generate new customer acquisition.
• Use app links to deep-link to content in your mobile app and make it possible for the user to jump back into your app from a piece of content that is shared on, i.e. Facebook.
• Consider live sales on social networks. Live sales make it possible for your customers to buy the products they want right from Facebook, without switching tabs. These are high-quality videos that allow your customers to see your products more realistically.‌

App store optimization

App store optimization is all about improving the visibility of your mobile shop inside an app store search engine, like Google Play or Apple App Store.

Optimizing the way your mobile shop looks in the app store helps you:

• Increase traffic on your app
• Drive more downloads
• Rank better in the app store
• Increase brand awareness
• Enhance user engagement
• Attract more reviews

Increased traffic, more downloads, brand awareness…all these mean more buyers and implicitly more sales.

Here are some simple ways to optimize your mobile shop in the app store:

• Use relevant keywords
• Optimize the title and subtitle of your app
• Craft a nice app description
• Include memorable icons
• Add videos to showcase the products you sell
• Encourage your existing users to review your app‌

💡 A final note to improve your eCommerce business with a no code app:
Go deeper than informing your buyers of new items by transforming your mobile shop into a channel that collects customer data. By doing this, you’ll increase your chances of launching even more successful and targeted marketing campaigns that increase your revenue.

Improving your eCommerce business with a mobile app in action

So, are you ready to take your eCommerce business to the next level with a mobile app?

In short, here’s what you need to do:

First, expand in the mCommerce space. This means building a mobile app for your eCommerce business.

The fastest and most effective way to do this is to invest in a no code app mobile builder that will enable you to bring your mobile shop to life in a matter of days.

And this is where we play our part.

Vajro can help you build your mobile app in 60 minutes.

The only thing you need to do is:

Install Vajro from your Shopify App Store

Second, you need to know how to create a personalized shopping experience for your buyers.

If you already have a clear image of what they need, take the features and plugins that Vajro provides, and integrate them into your own mobile shop to meet their needs.

Third,  make sure to market your newly built no code mobile app on social media, your own website, and the app store through relevant keywords, banners, promo campaigns, and so on.

Start building your mobile app now. With Vajro you get a 60-days free trial. No risk and no credit card required.