The whole world is buying items online; it’s a trend that’s taken over all around the globe and it’s pretty easy to see why. When it comes to selling online, pretty much anybody can get started with selling almost anything in an e-commerce store. It’s easy enough to get started, with several platforms offering users the option to create a website without the need for any previous coding or design experience. But when it comes to making your e-commerce website stand out from the crowd, a mobile app is a wise idea. But not all apps are created equally – you’ll need to make sure that your app provides your customers with the seamless user experience and level of customer engagement that they expect. Here are some top tips to keep in mind when designing your e-commerce app.
1. Prioritize the User Experience
If you’re wondering why your e-commerce business needs a mobile app, then it’s all about the user experience. But you need to ensure that your app provides a great UI, too. When a user opens an e-commerce app, the first thing that they notice aside from the range of products and the branding behind the app is the user interface. This is the design behind the app that allows users to move into and around it, make searches, and look into the different categories. The ease with which users can do this makes a massive difference to how the user experiences the app and rates it. When designing the UI, it’s crucial to keep a focus on how smartphone and tablet devices are used. This is especially true for smartphones where there is often little screen space available, and everything has to be displayed neatly in it. Each menu, button, and every other type of content needs to be displayed in such a way that it looks organized and uncluttered.
2. Easy Navigation
Navigating your app needs to be another main priority when it comes to the user experience. The ease of navigation on your app will have a huge bearing on the overall customer experience, satisfaction, and engagement levels. Not only will this ensure that your customers can find what they need easily, but it also encourages repeat purchases from your app due to the convenience. A good way to ensure that all your products are visible to users is to include your menu in every part of your app, making sure that your menu includes the most important sections, categories, and sub-categories. Make the menu easy to navigate by naming each category with a single word.
Download Branding Resources Guide
Building a brand starts by having the right tools and advice. Download our top 10 essential tools and resources to kick-start your branding.
3. Simplify the Checkout Process
One thing that users really want when shopping online using a mobile app is a simple and easy checkout process. The last thing that you want when you are shopping on the go is to go through a lengthy checkout process where they need to enter all their details and go through several steps. The best way to get around this is to allow users to create a personal account, which they will then be able to log into and access any saved personal and financial details. Once they have entered their details the first time around, being able to quickly checkout with everything that they need securely saved in their account will encourage repeat purchases. In addition, you should also make the in-app checkout process as convenient as possible for users by offering a range of payment options such as credit or debit card, PayPal, and Apple, and Google Pay.
4. Include Clear Calls to Action
Calls to action are important for selling online, whether on your website or your mobile app. One of the easiest but most effective ways to include a call to action on your mobile app is to position the cart in a prominent place. After all, it is what each and every customer will use when purchasing from your store and ‘add to cart’ buttons should show up clearly on each product page, along with a cart button visible everywhere in the app. When adding items to the cart, this should happen seamlessly without being taken to the cart page each time, so that users can continue shopping without interruption.
5. Prioritize App Speed
Finally, you probably already know that loading speed is crucial when it comes to selling online. If your website isn’t fully loaded and ready to go within seconds of opening, customers are going to look elsewhere. The same is true when it comes to your app. If your app is taking a long time to load and is slow to use, you’ll find that users simply won’t make use of it – they’ll use your website instead or worse, explore your competitors. To stay current in the world of e-commerce, your app needs to load as quickly as possible – typically 4-5 seconds at the most.
If you’re building an app for an e-commerce store, the user experience should be your main focus. Providing an app that’s modern, fast, and easy to navigate will help your brand stand out.
