The eCommerce industry is flourishing after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic as many retailers are embracing online purchases to avoid physical visits and give their customers flexibility. Also, many eCommerce start-ups arose in 2021 to replace traditional methods.
So when you’re diving into the eCommerce sector, there are two excellent options available, i.e., developing an eCommerce Website and an eCommerce Mobile Application.
Principal Understanding Of Ecommerce Website And Mobile Application
An E-commerce website comprises a domain name that can be retrieved by anyone having an internet connection. But the user needs to download your application to go through your products and make a purchase. At the same time, the mobile application runs on mobile devices across the two most popular operating systems – Android & iOS.
The usage of mobile phones is increasing, and according to research, 73% of people are using mobile devices for online purchases.
So the question pops out: Which is a better solution for your eCommerce store? Mobile app or Website?
Unfortunately, there is no one-line solution for this; it depends on various parameters, like your business objectives, budget, target audience, and nature & scope of the business.
Most famous eCommerce giants, including Amazon, eBay, and Flipkart, focus on the mobile app and website strategies. But this is impossible for every business as they are restricted by limited cost, timeline, and human resources, forcing them to settle for a middle-ground solution.
With that said, we’ll analyze both options in the following parameters and declare each winner.
- Cost & Timeline
Usually cost, and timeline of inventing an eCommerce mobile application adaptable to both iOS and Android devices is remarkably higher than designing an eCommerce website.
This is true to a great extent because multiple CMS options provide ready-made eCommerce themes & plugins, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Magento. They can provide cost-effective solutions and create your Website within a week or even less.
Winner – eCommerce Website
- Personalized User Experience
The user experience may seem insignificant, but it plays a vital role in customer retention. Failing to provide the right call to action and unidentified bugs will negatively impact many transactions in the eCommerce process, which may eventually lead to critical problems.
Users may tolerate it for the first time, but poor UX will eventually result in users neglecting your Website or uninstalling your eCommerce app. And I’m sure no one wants to let go of their hard-earned loyal buyers.
Now let’s cut to the chase, eCommerce websites can offer a decent user experience, but when tailoring things, there is no much better option than having an application because that’s where you can get engaged with your buyers 24×7.
Exclusive ads, notifications, coupons or scratch cards, prompt order tracking, improved security, and much more are at their fingertips at lightning speed, unlike the websites where users have to open the browser, type the URL, and Sign in.
Winner – eCommerce Mobile Application
- Search Engine Optimization
Who doesn’t love organic traffic for free? This is the area in which eCommerce mobile application misses out altogether.
Optimizing your eCommerce websites for Google and other search engines will drive astounding traffic, and various content marketing approaches will increase your reach and brand awareness.
Nowadays, companies boost their application description and its name to get decent rankings in app store search results, also known as application SEO or ASO (App store optimization). But still, it doesn’t even come close to how you do it with your Website – optimizing each page’s content, Title, Header Tags, etc.,
Hence, hiring an expert SEO team will produce a lucrative ROI for your eCommerce business.
Winner – eCommerce Website
- Offline Usability
Have you ever thought about your users when they aren’t connected to the internet?
Websites may not help here, but Mobile applications can store data on a user’s device, which can be accessed anytime.
Although all the data is not stored, it may consist of important information about recent products browsed, order IDs, and invoices which can often be very helpful.
Winner – eCommerce Mobile Application
- Advertisement and Marketing
To increase your sales, it’s essential to keep this factor in mind. However, you can do marketing of your products and services on many social media platforms and other digital channels that will redirect the user to your eCommerce website and mobile app.
But it would be best to remember that people avoid installing random mobile applications unless and until something is fascinating.
On the other hand, in the case of a Website, they can purchase within a few clicks rather than waiting for the app to be downloaded.
Winner – eCommerce Website
- Maintenance
From regular security checks to staying updated with the latest technology trends and content refinement processes, much more maintenance work is involved in keeping your eCommerce website or Mobile app up-to-date.
You can appoint an expert web developer or freelancer to maintain your eCommerce website from A to Z. Still, for Mobile applications, you need to hire two different native developers – Android and iOS.
And latest cross-platform technologies like Flutter and React Native may allow you to shoot two birds with one stone, thereby saving much cost.
Result – Draw
Conclusion
eCommerce website is essential for having an online presence, while mobile application offers unique personalized user experience at blazing speed. We recommend having both, so you don’t miss out on any crucial parameters.
But if you have a limited budget and are looking for an apt solution, you must consider many vast factors and data-driven statistics.
So if you’re still confused, you can reach us and book a free consultation. We’ll provide tailored eCommerce solutions after understanding the needs and requirements of your business.
