As humans, we have a never-ending need for buying things. Our needs change along with the change in generations, so does the way we buy things. Shopping has always been a stress buster for many people irrespective of the things they purchase. It is not the same for many others. A few prefer online shopping over offline because of the comfort of having access to multiple options to buy at the ease of being at home. Even those who like to do offline shopping would be tempted to use an online shopping app because of the different choices, available brands, and the situation at present. Irrespective of buying things or not, most of them prefer to have online shopping apps on the phone and scroll through various products. Gone are the days of window shopping; people would prefer to look at different choices of products at the comfort of being at home. Sometimes people end up buying them as well. Online shopping apps are earning turnover in abundance. In 2019, online eCommerce sales reached $3 trillion globally and were expected to increase tremendously in the upcoming years.
With the sudden hit of the COVID-119 pandemic, offline shopping is not even on the list, and the online shopping apps and its sales have manifold. Offline shopping, which was a stressbuster at one point in time, has become stressful nowadays. People would prefer to buy goods and products safely at home. Let us take a look at how to create a successful online shopping app.
Market research on the target audience and their needs
Thorough research on the needs of the target audience is essential before developing an online shopping app. Instead of deciding on how one wants to sell beforehand, researching the audience’s demand and building an app based on the requirement is a go-to plan. The most bought online shopping products are fashion-related goods, gadgets, books, etc. Likewise, the trend has started to change ever since the pandemic hit. An analysis of the customer’s on-going demand and other apps that lack to deliver to their customers is smart to get the app business booming.
Working on the app’s design
The UI design of the app is the backbone behind getting a good reach among the audience. The app must be designed in a way that is user friendly and intuitive. It must also be crafted attractively according to the audience’s preferences. The name of the app should be short, crisp, and easy to remember. An eye-catchy logo has to be designed, and attractive colors need to be used. The products being sold must have pictures with a description and other details. The overall workflow of the app should be simple without glitches.
Features of the online shopping app
The features of the online shopping app is the key to the customer’s hearts. The more the assuring features, the more the reach among the customers. A few necessary features that should be included are
1) Login and checkout
The customer needs to login in easily using their verified mobile number or email ID by receiving an OTP. Same way, the customer needs to check out efficiently by providing their address or using GPS for detecting location. An online shopping app can not afford to have glitches in these two features. These two are the primary features but have the utmost importance for an online shopping app. Most customers get stuck and get carried away at the checkout because of the litigation that most of the app carries at the checkout. The login and checkout must be a smooth process for the customers.
2) Product search and reviews
The customer needs to have a wide variety of choices for each product in terms of brands, colors, and features. Authenticated pictures of the products at a different angle have to be posted. The customer should have the autonomy to take a full look at the products by zooming in. The customer must be provided the privilege of getting suggestions for the products similar to what they are looking for. The most important way to gain the customer’s trust in convincing them to buy the product is by having verified customer reviews for the products. Genuine comments of the products assure the customers more than half a time in acquiring the products. Having a review feature is a must for an online shopping app.
3) Payment and delivery
The utmost care and trust are needed at any place where the money is involved. Payment options such as credit/debit cards, net banking, and more should be integrated into the app. Due to social distancing, most payments are made pre-paid through bank transfer, and hence they should offer glitch-free functionality. GPS-system can be used to get access to user locations and deliver the products on time. Utmost care needs to be taken to deliver the products without any damage.
Marketing and promoting the app
The app needs to be marketed effectively using tools like Google Analytics, Firebase, etc. They need to be promoted diligently on social media apps as well. The better the marketing, the sooner the app gets a good reach among the audience. The sooner the reach, the faster the apps get recognized and successful.
Launching the app, analyzing the metrics and updating
Once the app is deployed, the metrics of the app have to be captured. The app should look out for the positive outcomes and work on sustaining it. The glitches and user interface difficulties need to be rectified, and the features have to be improved. Updating and improvising the online shopping app is a smart way of paving the way for sustaining it in the market.
Developing an online shopping app can open a full window of opportunities not only for the company but for many other manufacturers. Using Amazon clone app is the best way to develop an online shopping app in a cost-effective way and within an optimum time.
