The concept of eCommerce originated from an English entrepreneur named Michael Aldrich about 40 years ago. This industry grew further with tech development and globalization for better experiences. Now, various types of apps and features are being launched for various consumers. If you want to explore how eCommerce app development happens, learn everything in this guide.
What is an eCommerce App?
According to Google Cloud, an eCommerce app refers to software programs that let users sell and purchase services and goods online. It is also known as electronic commerce, where transactions occur using the internet network. Following that, customers buy products and services online from a virtual storefront, sitting on their comfort couch.
Looking into statistics, it is anticipated that mobile e-commerce can earn \$710 billion in sales by 2025 when China seems to become the largest market. Typically, features of an eCommerce app involve shipment tracking, wishlist, payment processing, and browsing products.
eCommerce Apps Examples
In today’s interconnected world, many brick-and-mortar stores have transformed into online marketplaces that consider the preferences of buyers. Some reports claim that nearly 91% of Americans between the 18 and 49 age range are making online purchases through eCommerce apps for once. Thus, we have drawn a table below to show you some popular examples of eCommerce mobile app development.
| Main purpose | Active User Base | Cons | Specialty | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | General online marketplace | More than 310M users | High seller competition, platform fee | Vast products and fast shipping |
| eBay | Conduct auctions and fixed-price sales | Over 182M buyers | Complex fee structures | Diverse categories |
| AliExpress | International online reach platform | More than 150M users | Long shipping time and delivery delays | Low prices |
| Walmart | Online and physical retail | Have more than 200M monthly visitors | Limited product and selection options | Integration with physical stores |
| Etsy | Mostly offer vintage and handmade items | Over 97M buyers | Product listing fees | Unique products |
| Rakuten | Caters to general goods and services | Nearly 100M users | Less intuitive interface design | Cashback offers |
The Reasons to Develop an eCommerce App
Quoting another research claim, 51% of online sales are made through mobile phones, which reveals people want to buy things with convenience. Before obtaining any eCommerce app development services, learn the reasons for the growing trend in this sector. Upon reviewing them, you can align your goals better or expand your existing eCommerce business strategically.
1. User Convenience and Enhanced Experience
After the breakdown of COVID-19, the trend of online shopping increased, leading developers to build online eCommerce marketplaces. Many customers prefer mobile applications for searching and buying goods and services as they don’t have to go anywhere. Additionally, eCommerce eliminates buyers’ expense of traveling, spending hours on selecting products, and billing queues.
2. Better Marketing and Customer Retention
Apart from buyers’ ease and convenience, eCommerce app development is a dream of marketers as it allows customers to directly navigate to virtual stores. Moreover, the push notification features of applications, email communications, and social media campaigns attract the most customers. If your app offers the shortest loading time with the maximum content personalization options, your customer retention rates will increase.
3. Personalized Shopping Experiences for Customer Loyalty
Whether you are in the entertainment, work, or electronic goods niche, selling services online through apps creates a brand presence. When shopping online, 63% of customers want a personalized experience, and if your app offers it, you will get customer loyalty. Moreover, good after-sales services and customer support of apps drive 73% of consumers to shop longer and spend more money.
4. Revenue Growth and Increased Sales
Suppose an individual wishes to buy your product but can’t travel at the moment. If you don’t have an online presence, they might shift toward your competitor, giving you a solid reason to develop an app. Despite that, you can see a visible increase in conversion rates, orders, and sales after entering the eCommerce market.
eCommerce App Development Trends
With the advancements, traditional stores are converting into online marketplaces, and mobile applications support the process. Similarly, eCommerce mobile app development companies are developing innovative applications with cutting-edge features to modernize eCommerce more than ever. Let’s see the current trends in eCommerce applications, which are considered standard in app development.
- AI Chatbots: First, AI chatbots are an integral feature of an eCommerce app as they provide abundant information with one tap. They save significant costs of 24/7 customer support and guide users quickly through some basic and common queries.
- Social Media Commerce: Companies are integrating social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook with eCommerce applications. This way, potential buyers can navigate directly to their desired product while scrolling through social media advertisements.
- Mobile Payments: According to some research, over 50% of Americans prefer online payments rather than cash on delivery services while purchasing from eCommerce sites. As mobile payments offer convenience, eCommerce apps integrate mobile payment features such as Google Wallet and Apple Pay.
- AR/VR Experiences: 71% of buyers report that they like to see their chosen product in a virtual environment to make an informed decision. Therefore, eCommerce app developers integrate virtual try-ons, preview placements, and interactive user manuals, raising customer happiness.
Essential Features for eCommerce App Development
It’s a digital era, and everyone expects a seamless shopping experience while using an eCommerce application, which is key to the growth of online businesses. Hence, developers should know some of the must-know features of eCommerce mobile app development to enter the competitive market confidently. Considering this aspect, some essential features of eCommerce apps are listed below for your reference:
1. User-friendly Design
Imagine an app without exit and confusing navigation, wasting buyers’ time and causing irritation. To avoid such blunders, developers should design an intuitive and user-friendly app that anyone can operate. Additionally, an app must organize products into categories and subcategories with intuitive menus and search bars. It increases website or app traffic, boosts purchases, and raises customer retention.
2. Attractive Product Presentation
When you hear “Add a picture that speaks a thousand words,” it doesn’t mean add one picture of products. Instead, a good practice is to add multiple pictures of a product from different angles, showcasing your product from all aspects. Furthermore, design an app that supports informative video demonstration and lets users zoom in on details.
3. Order Tracking and Notifications
Buyers love to see the progress of their shipment as it adds excitement while letting them make the parcel receiving arrangements. Thus, an eCommerce app development company should provide estimated delivery dates and app progress update features. Plus, there must be a push notification feature that sends order confirmation, delivery notifications, and other shipping updates timely.
4. Cross-platform Compatibility and Security
Limiting an eCommerce app to a single operating system is a huge hurdle in generating revenue. Therefore, developers must develop the same platform for iOS and Android users to ensure the products reach everyone, anywhere. Apart from that, they must integrate a secure payment gateway and regular security updates to ensure a secure shopping experience.
5. Personalization and Shopping Carts
Scrolling for hours wastes time when one can search for the desired product type by applying filters. It is possible when the app facilitates filters, search features, and other personalized shopping options. Besides, there should be a shopping cart option to keep the chosen product aside for once. After adding all preferred things to the cart, there should be an option to eliminate products based on budget and needs.
How to Build an eCommerce App
Now that you know the features and reasons for eCommerce app development, let’s delve into the primary process. To learn the tactics and stepwise procedure, thoroughly read the guide below and streamline your app development journey.
Step 1: Research and Goal Alignment
Instead of directly jumping into the development process, it’s crucial to conduct market research to understand competitors’ and audience behavior patterns. This will help you define the feature set you must add to your app and choose the right platforms. Later, you must define the goals of developing the app, whether you will sell products or solve a problem through the app.
Step 2: Choose the Right Platform and Tech Stacks
While considering your development budget, select a scalable framework and a platform to launch the app, whether iOS, Android, or both. Then, choose a tech stack, such as a front end for the app interface and a back end for processing on the server. Additionally, you must consider easy-to-use programming languages, UI frameworks, and app development tools for eCommerce apps.
Step 3: Define Features Sets and Create UI/UX
Since you gather the industry trends and essential feature sets, figure out the features you want to add to your eCommerce app. In this context, you can add a wishlist, payment options, in-app chat, and other features based on your targeted audience. Later, design the UI/UX for your app and select vibrant colors, smooth transitions, and appealing visuals that leave a lasting impression.
Step 4: Build MVP or use APIs
Once you understand the features to include, focus on the MVP stage to cut development time, reduce risk, and allocate resources wisely. In that stage, you can use app builders, predesigned APIs, or SDKs to speed up the process. After conducting market research and analysis, it becomes evident that ZEGOCLOUD APIs & SDKs offer pre-built UIKits.
They can help developers launch an eCommerce app within 30 minutes after building an MVP and testing it with personalized functions. Through these easy-to-integrate APIs and SDKs, you can add a live-streaming feature in your eCommerce app for live-selling.
Furthermore, one can integrate in-app chat to interact with customers about a certain product and negotiate in certain cases. Another advantage of using such APIs is crafting personalized application features with just a few lines of code. It also facilitates a lag-free app-using experience that increases customer satisfaction.
Step 5: Market the App and Gather Feedback
After completing the design and development, the testing process begins before launching the product, during which developers must fix any errors found. At that stage, you can launch a beta version for testing, collect consumer feedback, and monitor analytics.
Afterward, advertise the product, create a website, plan revenue-generating ideas, and target the audience to build a brand image. Upon building the app, your work isn’t done, and you are bound to launch frequent updates and bug fixes for improvements and user retention.
How Much Does It Cost to Create an eCommerce App?
Creating an eCommerce app can vary significantly in cost depending on various factors. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the potential costs involved:
1. App Complexity
Basic App: $10,000 – $20,000
- Basic features like user registration, product listing, simple search, and payment integration.
Moderate Complexity App: $20,000 – $50,000
- Additional features like advanced search filters, user profiles, multiple payment gateways, and an admin panel.
High Complexity App: $50,000 – $150,000+
- Advanced features like personalized recommendations, real-time analytics, custom UI/UX design, and backend server integration.
2. Development Team
Freelancers: $15 – $80/hour
- Hiring individual freelancers for different parts of the project.
Development Agency: $50 – $250/hour
- A professional team with a structured development process.
3. Platform
Single Platform (iOS or Android): Lower development cost.
Cross-Platform: Higher initial cost but saves money in the long run by covering both platforms.
4. Design Costs
UI/UX Design: $5,000 – $15,000
- Custom design to enhance user experience.
5. Features and Integrations
Payment Gateway Integration: $1,000 – $5,000
Third-Party Integrations: $1,000 – $10,000+
- CRM, ERP, and other software integrations.
6. Backend Development
Server and Database: $10,000 – $30,000
- Essential for data storage and management.
7. Maintenance and Updates
Annual Maintenance: 15% – 20% of the initial development cost
- Regular updates, bug fixes, and new features.
8. Additional Costs
Marketing and Launch: $5,000 – $20,000
Legal and Compliance: $2,000 – $10,000
Transforming Ecommerce Apps with ZEGOCLOUD: Enhancing Real-Time Communication and User Engagement
In today’s competitive eCommerce landscape, providing seamless real-time communication and exceptional user engagement is essential for success. Integrating ZEGOCLOUD’s advanced communication solutions can significantly enhance the functionality and appeal of your eCommerce app.
Key features of ZEGOCLOUD SDK:
1. Real-Time Customer Support
Use Case: Implement live chat and video support features to assist customers in real time, resolving their queries and issues promptly.
Benefits:
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: Quick and effective support leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Reduced Cart Abandonment: Immediate assistance can address concerns that may prevent customers from completing their purchases.
2. Interactive Shopping Experiences
Use Case: Enable live product demonstrations and virtual shopping assistants using ZEGOCLOUD’s video communication capabilities.
Benefits:
- Enhanced User Engagement: Interactive sessions make shopping more engaging and personalized.
- Higher Conversion Rates: Customers are more likely to make a purchase when they can see products in action and get their questions answered instantly.
3. Seamless Order Tracking
Use Case: Provide real-time updates and notifications about order status and delivery through in-app messaging.
Benefits:
- Increased Transparency: Customers stay informed about their orders, enhancing trust in your service.
- Better User Experience: Timely updates reduce anxiety and improve overall satisfaction.
4. Virtual Try-Ons and Consultations
Use Case: Use ZEGOCLOUD’s AR and video features to offer virtual try-ons for products like clothing, accessories, and makeup, or consultations for items like furniture and home decor.
Benefits:
- Reduced Returns: Customers can make more informed decisions, leading to fewer returns.
- Personalized Shopping: Virtual consultations offer a personalized shopping experience, increasing customer loyalty.
5. Community Building
Use Case: Create community forums and live events where customers can interact with each other and with your brand through video and chat.
Benefits:
- Stronger Brand Loyalty: Engaging communities fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty to your brand.
- Increased Engagement: Live events and active forums keep customers engaged and coming back to your app.
Implementation Steps
- Integrate ZEGOCLOUD SDK: Use ZEGOCLOUD’s SDK to seamlessly integrate real-time communication features into your eCommerce app.
- Customize Features: Tailor the communication features to match your brand and user needs.
- Test Thoroughly: Conduct extensive testing to ensure smooth performance and user experience.
- Launch and Monitor: Launch the enhanced app and monitor user feedback to make continuous improvements.
By leveraging ZEGOCLOUD’s real-time communication solutions, you can transform your eCommerce app into a highly interactive and engaging platform. This not only enhances user satisfaction and loyalty but also drives higher conversion rates and business success.
Conclusion
In short, with the growing trend of online purchasing, the development of eCommerce applications has risen. Therefore, this guide has highlighted eCommerce app development services with industry trends, examples, costs, and must-have features. If we focus on the fastest and lowest-cost method of developing an app, ZEGOCLOUD APIs & SDKs will emerge as a prominent platform.
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FAQ
Q1: How long does it take to develop an eCommerce app?
The development time for an eCommerce app can vary depending on the complexity of the app and the development team’s expertise. On average, a basic eCommerce app can take 3-6 months to develop, while more complex apps with advanced features can take 6-12 months or longer.
Q2: What technologies are commonly used in eCommerce app development?
Common technologies used in eCommerce app development include programming languages like Java, Swift, and Kotlin for native app development; React Native and Flutter for cross-platform development; and backend technologies like Node.js, Ruby on Rails, and Django. Additionally, databases like MySQL, MongoDB, and cloud services like AWS and Firebase are often used.
Q3: How can I ensure the security of my eCommerce app?
To ensure the security of your eCommerce app, implement secure payment gateways, use encryption for data transmission, regularly update the app to fix vulnerabilities, conduct thorough testing, implement user authentication and authorization, and follow industry best practices for security. Additionally, consider obtaining security certifications and compliance with relevant standards like PCI DSS.
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