So you have a successful Magento eCommerce store, but it isn’t optimized towards mobile devices. While you’re still getting plenty of sales, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of the market.
You can partially solve this issue if you create a responsive website that works just as well on mobile devices as it does desktops. However, you also need to provide a mobile app solution to provide your customers with as much choice as possible.
That creates a few more roadblocks. Creating a mobile app out of your Magento store isn’t the easiest task in the world. You need to consider how people expect mobile apps to work, as well as what they expect from an online shopping experience.
That brings us to this guide. We’re going to look at some of the options you have available to you, as well as some more general tips that will ensure your Magento app offers a great user experience.
Choosing a Development Methodology
You generally have two choices when you decide to create a Magento mobile app.
The first is to bring in an experienced development team to create a bespoke mobile app based on your Magento website. This allows you to leverage the team’s knowledge of both Magento and mobile app development to your advantage. You can ensure your app has all of the features your customers need, and you’ll have full control over the app. However, this is a costlier option, and you will need to find a development team that specializes in Magento webstore conversion.
There are simpler options. Some companies have developed quick conversion programs that pull all of the data out of your Magento store and place it into a mobile app. Speed is key here, as you may be able to get your Magento app up and running in a matter of days. However, you will also have less control over the app, as it will be tied into the framework that the company uses. Any changes you want to make have to go through your framework’s developer, which limits your options if you want to add more functionality.
As a result, you need to think about what you want to offer through your webstore. Using an existing solution may suit your purposes if you want a simple store, but you get far more options if you go for bespoke development. Best of all, a bespoke developer will also be able to redevelop any of your Magento stores features if they don’t convert easily into a mobile app. This is something that most packaged solutions can’t offer.
So, you’ve got an eCommerce store and have a marketing plan in place.
Creating a User Interface
So now you’ve chosen a development model, you need to start thinking about the app’s design. Simply porting your website’s design over to the app won’t do. You’ll usually end up with a cluttered app that turns users off immediately.
Clutter is the exact opposite of what you’re trying to achieve with your Magento mobile app. Remember that app users have much smaller screens than desktop users. As such, you need to develop the app with content optimization in mind.
For example, the app’s homepage should be home to your latest offers. A box-style layout usually does the job of highlighting your most important products, but you also need to make it easy for your customers to find other products as well.
This is where your navigational system comes into play. Again, you have to understand the limitations of mobile apps here. Your Magento website may have a huge navigational system with lots of sub-categories, but you won’t be able to fit all of that onto a mobile app.
Instead, you should simplify the menu so that it only contains the most important categories. Give it a consistent position in the app, so that users can access it at any point. It’s also a good idea to use one-word category names, as these take up less space, and allow you to get straight to the point.
Simplify the Checkout Process
Do you see that long form on your Magento website that asks for all of your user’s details? You can’t use that in your Magento mobile app. App users want to be able to complete their purchases as quickly as possible.
If you use other mobile apps, you’ll find that they often encourage users to sign up using their social media accounts. This allows the app to pull the user’s data, without forcing them through a long sign-up process. Ideally, you should integrate similar functionality into your Magento mobile app, as this allows your customers to get to your products as quickly as possible.
When it comes to payment information, you should always offer the user the option to save his or her details to the app. This ensures they only have to input the information once, plus it allows you to offer one or two-click purchases.
Streamlining the process is key. App users are impatient, and will want to be able to complete purchases as quickly as possible.
So you have a successful Magento eCommerce store, but it isn’t optimized towards mobile devices.
Other Useful Tips
Let’s round out this guide with a few other tips that you need to keep in mind:
- Keep image use to a minimum, as every picture you use can slow your app down. Mobile users expect apps to work instantly. If yours has to pause to load images every few seconds, you can expect a lot of people to stop using the app.
- Between 70% and 95% of people are right-handed. Why does this matter? It all comes down to the thumb-friendly zone. You need to ensure that your users can access your store’s various features easily using their right thumbs.
- Security is key with a Magento mobile app. If your app has backdoors that hackers could exploit, you place your users’ data at risk. This is a major issue, especially if the app saves payment details for the user. Use encryption, update your app with the latest version of Magento, and ensure that any extensions you use come from verified and trusted sources.
The Final Word
Regardless of the development methodology that you choose, simplicity is key when it comes to Magento mobile apps. Focus on creating a streamlined user experience that allows for quick purchases. Beyond that, do not lose sight of the importance of security, as an exploitable app is one that customers will avoid.
Interactivated can help if you want to convert your Magento store into a mobile app. Get in touch today to find out how our talented app developers can help you.
