The global market value of fashion retailers has reached $759.5 billion in 2021, making it the number one e-commerce sector in the world. For online retailers Covid19 pandemic has driven 5 years of growth into 1, statistics show. Having this said, the broad opportunities the last few years presented for online fashion retailers also significantly increased the competition between them.
Web vs App
With the opportunity to build a website in a day without much know-how and a significant budget through platforms like WooCommerce there is hardly any business that does not have one these days. However, statistics show that currently most of an e-commerce business’s online traffic comes from mobile phones, so it is natural for business owners to bet on mobile-first development and try to address their customer’s needs. To be able to stand out as a brand, you should consider taking the next step and investing in the development of a mobile app to level up the functionality of your fashion brand’s website. Read more on the Top eCommerce Web Development Trends.
Mobile apps help in building a loyal customer base
One of the main advantages of Mobile apps is the opportunity to increase loyalty in customers. This is possible because once a user downloads your app, he would be just 1 click away from your online store. The presence of the app on the home screen is a daily reminder of your brand for the user which increases brand awareness. Through mobile apps, you could most effectively offer a loyalty reward program to your customers. H&M, for example, launched a virtual card you are able to access through their mobile app which is scanned on the cash desk and you collect points with every purchase which you could later spend. Also, every week they offer different vouchers on the app that you could use in-store and online. This boosts the ROI but also the retention of your customers. Mobile apps open a new channel for communication with the customer which we will touch on more in the next paragraph.
Push notifications- the direct connection to your customers
Nowadays, users are bombarded with ads and marketing campaigns. This overflow of information can really make the customer closed off to all kinds of marketing material. E-mail notifications are now smartly filtered to a spam folder, and social media ads have the opportunity to be muted, in order to get any information from your website to the user you need him to consciously choose to visit it. This is where having your own mobile app as a fashion retailer gives you the shortest way to your customer’s attention – push notifications.
Push notifications are banner messages that appear on someone’s lock screen or in their notification center. They are a direct way for companies to communicate with their target audience, whether it’s a flash sale, store opening news, or giveaways. Our devices light up with push notifications 24/7.
Direct marketing channel and Personalization
Given fashion’s focus on self-expression, it makes sense that modern fashion consumers actively seek personalized experiences. We see the biggest fashion retailers like Zara, Amazon, Shein.com sending personalized push notifications to their customers through which they utilize the already collected data of customer preferences and customize marketing strategies for specific target groups. Examples of app personalization are presenting them to content curated for them based on their previous activity or offering them location-specific products (e.g. fashion for festivals, and local holidays).
Offering a satisfying user experience
Mobile apps give you the opportunity to offer a better customer experience by developing a simple and efficient interface with faster loading times than a regular website. We are living in a super fast-paced world where we are constantly multitasking, doing even our shopping on the go for example browsing fashion shops while commuting to and from work. While websites could have a mobile version, navigating through an app is quite easier and more straightforward when you use your mobile phone. Get more tips on how to provide an excellent UX.
Increase ROI with a no-code Mobile app builder!
The return on investment is a factor that every business owner considers. So what is the ROI of a mobile app and is it comparable to the one of an optimized website? With technology developing every minute of every day we could say that today you could build a website relatively cheaply. However, a website also needs optimization, support, and security features which in most cases cost extra. Budgets for fashion eCommerce app development have been quite high themselves but today there is a subscription as a service offering that could build you a mobile app through your WooCommerce store and support it for a super fair monthly fee.
BeyondCart is a no-code Mobile app builder which is here to connect your online store with an app and give you the chance to cover both your desktop and mobile user’s needs.
Conclusion
While having an optimized website is the foundation of your online presence, developing your own Mobile app is what could make you a competitive fashion retailer. Keeping up with the latest trends and customers’ needs is essential to succeed in the number one eCommerce sector. This is why modern solutions like BeyondCart are door openers for taking your brand a step forward. Read a case study about how it thrusted Kensol’s sales in just 3 months here.
