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Although shopping from mobile devices is nothing new, the pandemic fast-tracked the development, use, and convenience of ecommerce apps — and there are now millions to choose from. In our 2022 Ecommerce App Engagement Benchmark Report, we note that ecommerce app revenue is nearly $4 trillion, with mobile ecommerce comprising around 50% of these sales annually.
Technological advances have made shopping faster, payments easier, and the entire experience highly personalized. But for your ecommerce app to succeed, it must do more than stand out in a crowded and competitive marketplace. It needs to drive users to make swift, no-hesitation purchases and keep them returning for more.
The following strategies will help you improve the average time between sign-up and sale to maximize every opportunity. We’re also sharing tips proven to make the checkout process smoother so you can exceed your revenue and retention goals.
While customer accounts make checking out more convenient for frequent shoppers, requiring customers to create an account before they purchase isn’t necessarily the best strategy. First-time customers need to build trust in your brand before giving you their personal information. By letting them check out as a guest, you retain their business, build trust, and enable them to shop more comfortably.
Of course, the downside to guest checkouts is you can’t use customer details for marketing purposes. This means no promotional emails, no shopping cart notifications, and no feedback requests. You can only use their contact information for shipping alerts.
Encouraging users to register an account creates an opportunity to foster relationships and build brand loyalty. You can personalize the shopping experience, streamline billing, and fast-track checkout. By getting them to register an account immediately after checkout, their information is already stored, and they don’t have to re-enter their data in the future. What’s more, this doesn’t disrupt the purchase process and makes signing up less of a hassle.
The average sign-up rate within the first week of downloading ecommerce apps is around 32%. This is 50% higher than the install-to-sign-up rate for fintech apps.
Lengthy sign-up processes will chase customers away. There are several effective ways to streamline account registration and encourage users to sign up sooner than later:
Ask the customer to share only the necessary information for the sign-up process. The more complicated and time-consuming it is to create an account, the more likely they are to abandon the process.
To avoid the hassle of setting up yet another account, social login lets users sign up on a third-party platform without creating a new account. The system uses their existing social media account credentials (with their permission), and they can sign in with their current password.
Offer your new app users an incentive for creating their account within a certain time frame. For instance, a discount on their first purchase can drive both registration and instant sales.
Keep the registration page or screen view as simple as possible with only one clear goal: to sign up. Populating the screen with other calls to action (CTAs) can lead the user away from the sign-up process. Only include additional options and actions once the registration is complete.
To assure users their data is in safe hands, link a detailed privacy policy to the sign-up form stating how you use their information. This also shows them you’re legally compliant with data laws.
The checkout process on ecommerce apps can make or break a sale. To improve overall conversions, optimize the speed at which things happen on your app. These factors can enhance the speed and user experience during the checkout phase:
Inconsistent branding on the checkout page will make your customer wonder whether they’re in the right place. This creates a psychological barrier. By keeping the checkout page colors and design consistent with the rest of the app, your customers develop a feel for how your app looks and works. Keep it easy for them to continue their journey without distractions.
While you don’t need to offer every payment method available, providing a variety of options will optimize conversions. Payment methods should be in line with your intended audience, target demographics, geographical area, and nature of the products.
Payment security is always a concern. Implement security best practices and display your security credentials with relevant badges at the checkout. Have an SSL certificate on your page and ensure you comply with PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) regulations.
Good user experience (UX) means the user is always clear on what just happened and what to do next. Use buttons to make every step crystal clear and ensure it’s not competing for attention with other CTAs.
With an extensive choice of ecommerce apps available to users, increasing app conversions is an ongoing challenge. But knowing which metrics directly affect engagement can help developers and marketers create effective strategies to boost conversions and retain users.
To see how your ecommerce app compares to industry standards, download our 2022 Ecommerce App Engagement Benchmark Report and discover how your metrics compare to the rest of the industry.
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