Mobile App Impact on Retail Industry: A Deep Dive | Rapidops

Smartphones are considered more than a fashion accessory nowadays. It has become a technological tool that helps its users stay updated with the latest trends in the market and to keep their knowledge flourished regarding the latest “in-thing.” The same way users today utilize the various features of their smartphones to fulfill their shopping needs, thanks to the mobile apps launched by retailers. You must understand that the competition in the market has forced the retail industry to reconsider the importance of having their retail app that can take them closer to the user base and make them more visible. Retail apps are part of the retailers strategy that is helping them fulfill the need of their customers.

A Seamless and Thrilling Shopping Experience

Customers don’t just want an app purchase; they want an intuitive user interface that adds up to their shopping experience. Retailers can use the mobile app to provide that experience to their customers. Letting the customers view the products and services on their device, allowing customers to write a review of the products increases the chances of receiving loyalty from the customers. Retailers are using the mobile apps for providing offers and loyalty points to their existing customers.

Strategized Marketing

For the “on-the-go” generation of users, getting quick updates regarding their favorite product and services is the most important criteria. They like to be in the know-how of the latest happenings. With the help of retail mobile apps, this can be done without much pain. This way retailers can reach out to their user base and their target audience rather quickly. Integrating the user's favorite retail outlet, brand or product with the trending social media platform makes a flexible marketing tool.

Becoming Unique and Building Brand Name

• Engaging your customers in your key offerings means building loyalty towards your brand.
• Feedback and complaints logged on mobile apps can be sorted quickly, and retailers can provide apt solutions to build their brand name.
• A mobile app that interacts with the customers uniquely helps in brand awareness.

Top 5 Trends to watch out for in 2018

Let’s discuss the mobile app development trends that will prevail in 2018.

AI and Machine Learning

If the predictions of Gartner taken into consideration, then by the year 2020 chatbots will be assisting 85% of the interaction with the customer service department. The basic concept behind chatbots and machine learning is that they can cut down an organization’s operational costs and boost the productivity of their customer assistance teams.

Cloud-Based Mobile Apps

Smartphone users always convey their inconvenience of not having enough storage space in their mobile device as the reason behind the inability of installing various applications. And as a user, we all know how much phone storage those favorite apps take. With cloud technology coming to the smartphone arena the scenario is changing, allowing users to keep their most important data in the dedicated cloud server. More than this, the availability of the same data on multiple devices provides the users with unlimited accessibility.

Mobile Wallets

This concept is already in craze because of the initiative of Walmart, Amazon and many other superstores. The latest push given to Apple pay for using messages as a peer-to-peer payment method is evident enough to hint that companies will be looking forward to developing mobile wallets that are fast, secure and will save plenty of time.

AR vs VR

The difference between Augmented reality and Virtual reality will always stay where it is but one cannot deny the various application they have in today’s world where businesses are expanding their roots everywhere. On one hand, if AR development is cheaper than VR and on the other hand VR has literally many other qualities that outdo AR and both help businesses grow awareness for their products and services. Let’s take an example of Snapchat and Instagram, they both are heavily playing around with the AR technology and the rate of user engagement was evident enough to make other apps like Musically follow suit.

Why Retailers Need a Mobile App?

The constant digitalization of the market has made shopping convenient for the customers and their demand for a scalable app which can provide seamless shopping experience is pushing the concept of “retail app” ahead. We have discussed a few points above that chalk out the reasons for the retailers to have their own mobile app and we hope that you understand that it is the trend that every industry is adopting as they have realized that the “mobile first” strategy is needed to stay ahead of the competition.

Why Rapidops?

We work closely with our client’s idea for  developing their mobile app and make sure that we give every available input to make the best, intuitive and most user-friendly app. We have worked with various US retailers for developing their Retail Mobile App. You can expect nothing but dedicated, impeccable and swift app delivery from us. To get your free quote get in touch with us. Recommended Reading: Mobile Devices Are Transforming Into Purchasing Aid