The sky’s the limit for eCommerce businesses. People are shopping online, today, more than ever before. This statement holds true across all industries worldwide. The power of the Internet has made it possible for you to reach consumers anytime, anywhere, from any device. But the type of devices you’re targeting them on will have a major impact on your success.
It’s no secret that mobile consumption has taken over our lives. According to a recent study, 96% of adults in the United States own a mobile phone. 81% of the population owns a smartphone. Look around. Everyone has these devices glued to their hands nearly 24/7.
As a business owner, you need to recognize this and adapt. How can you take this information and leverage it to increase eCommerce sales? The answer is simple—your eCommerce shop needs a mobile app.
Your eCommerce store will never reach its full potential with a website alone. If you review the most recent eCommerce trends, you’ll quickly realize that everything is heading in a mobile direction.
But do you really need a mobile app? 100% YES!
All too often I consult with business owners who are content with the growth, sales, and revenue of their eCommerce site. So they don’t see a reason why a mobile app is necessary.
Consumers Prefer Mobile Apps
Are you currently generating eCommerce sales from mobile devices without a mobile app? I’m going to assume the answer is yes.
Some of you may look at that data and be satisfied knowing that you’re reaching a smartphone and tablet users with your mobile site. But you’re just barely scratching the surface.
Don’t get me wrong. Whether you have an app or not, a mobile-friendly website is absolutely necessary. In fact, 85% of people say that a website should look as good or look even better than its desktop version.
Furthermore, 88% of consumers are less likely to return to a mobile site after a bad experience. 47% of people expect a mobile site to load in 2 seconds or less.
So having a mobile-friendly site is definitely the first step toward generating eCommerce sales from mobile users. But at the end of the day, the following statistic is what matters most:
78% of consumers would rather use an app to buy from an eCommerce shop than a mobile website. That’s right—78%.
Let that sink in. This means that if you’re currently getting 100 mobile transactions per week, roughly 80 of those people would rather buy from your mobile app. And those are your existing customers. Imagine how many people you’re neglecting because you don’t have an app.
