There was a time when store owners used to wonder whether they really need a website? Over the period of time, they realized that people are purchasing online and having a strong online presence became the necessity.

Then came a time when people started purchasing using their mobile devices while on the go. The online store owners then started opting for responsive website conversion so that it provides excellent UI across all devices and platforms.

As of August 2017, there are over 3.5 billion unique mobile internet users. (Statista). Thus, mobile users cannot be ignored if you really want your eCommerce store to achieve new heights.

Now, the question arises is – should we have a mobile website, or we need a mobile application for eCommerce store?

Many may argue that if we have a website which looks good on mobile devices, we don’t require a mobile app. At the same time, others say that a mobile app can provide an excellent user experience which a mobile site may fail to provide.

Here, we have listed some pros of mobile app and mobile website which may help you in deciding the solution which best suits your business requirements.

Mobile App Pros

A mobile app represents a brand identity. As per the data provided by Adobe, 67% of online shoppers who prefer to buy using mobile devices, prefer to buy from mobile apps of their favorite companies and brands. To further emphasize, let’s go through some of the advantages of getting a mobile app built for an online store –

Brand Loyalty

Through a mobile app, you can convert your customer to a loyal one. Once the customer downloads your eStore app, the possibility of their buying repeatedly from there becomes high. Moreover, if your eCommerce application offers excellent user experience, the shoppers are likely to consider using it often.

Personalized Experience

Every time, the shopper opens the app, they get a personalized experience as they can set up their preferences at the time they download the app. A mobile app allows you to provide a personalized experience to your customers based on their location, interests, usage behavior, etc.

Enhanced Features

There are some features like push notifications and tap to call/email which cannot be found on a mobile website. Even if your customer is not active on the mobile app, you can send them notifications about the special offers and grab their attention towards your store.

Also, your customers can get the facility of directly calling or emailing you from the mobile app. This enhances their experience and ultimately encourages sales.

Presence on Customers’ Device

Once you have encouraged your customer to download your eStore app, it remains on their device. The presence of your mobile app would remind them at regular intervals to go through whenever they require products you are offering. This boosts conversions which cannot be done through the mobile website.

Mobile Website Pros

A mobile website is a responsive design of a desktop website, which works for different platforms and devices. Here are some benefits of having a mobile website for your eCommerce store –

Less Expensive Option

Mobile web development services are much more cost-effective when you compare to mobile app development expenses. Moreover, you don’t have to depend on your audience to download the app in case of the mobile website.

Capable of Reaching Out to Maximum Audience

In case of mobile application, the people downloading your app would only be able to engage with your online business. But, a mobile website can be accessed by the audience no matter which platform or device they are using. They can just open your eCommerce website and start buying online using their mobile device without having to download the app.

SEO Friendly

Search engine algorithms now give preference to the websites which are mobile optimized. This results in high-ranking ultimately driving more visitors to your online store. More visitors means better sales and conversions resulting in high growth of your online business.

Mobile App or Mobile Website – Which Option to Choose?

The question still remains – mobile app or mobile website? How should you present your store to your buyers?

Now, the answer to this question totally depends on your business objectives. If you want to represent mobile-friendly content to the wider range of audience, the mobile website would be the right choice. Moreover, if you want your audience to have a super convenient way to shop products from your store, the mobile app should be chosen.

Many online businesses have chosen to have both – mobile application and mobile-friendly website so that they can engage the wide range of audience.