7 things you need to include in your retail app

Developing a retail app can really help push your sales to the next level. Your customers will be able to browse and make a purchase wherever they are. It’s the ultimate way to make shopping with you as hassle free as possible.

If you’re in the process of developing a retail app, there are some features that you simply must include:

1. An easy, quick checkout process – It should go without saying that your checkout process is critical to the success of your retail app. A long-winded or complicated process will quickly lead to users giving up. You want your customers to be able to complete their purchase in as few as steps as possible, so consider asking if they would like to save their details when they first place an order for future purchases or even using the finger ID tech available on many smartphones.

2. Different payment options – It’s not just product choice customers want, it’s choice when it comes to paying too. Incorporating traditional payment methods, such as debit and credit cards, with PayPal, Apple Pay, and more gives your customers more freedom to shop when they want.

3. Security features – Consumers are more aware of security risks than ever before. As you’ll be taking payment details, it’s an important feature to focus on within a retail app. Demonstrate your commitment to protecting their personal details by adding security features and letting them know how they help.

4. Social media connections – You’ll be connecting with customers via their smartphones and tablets, where social media is typically a big part of daily activity. Become part of that by adding social media button, making it easier to connect, or a feed that updates customers on your activity when they load the app. Encouraging social media engagement is an excellent way to generate sales, boost brand loyalty, and start a conversation with your customer base.

5. Loyalty schemes – Keeping customers coming back to your app and seeing what’s new is challenging. Loyalty schemes and rewards for doing so are one way of making sure your app isn’t deleted or never opened again. You should give your customers an incentive for using your app over competitors.

6. Personalised experiences – With a retail app, you have the opportunity to really get to personalise the shopping experience for each individual customer. The data you collect means you can understand what they’re more likely to be interested in from your product range, such as highlighting specific fashion designers or game genre.

7. A customer support option – Apps should be intuitive and easy to use but that doesn’t mean you can neglect the customer service side. From encountering an error when they add a product to their shopping basket to a question regarding the delivery of a parcel, there are times customers will want to talk to your team. Providing a phone number and email should be considered the minimum you need to do but you can also try live chats and video calls within the app.