What Makes a User-Friendly Shopping App?

If you have found your way to this article you either already have a shopping app or you’re in the process of creating one now. Our detailed compilation of the best features will help you take clear steps toward having a user-friendly shopping app.

How Many People Really Shop Online? 

According to Statista, 2.05 billion people worldwide used online shopping apps in 2020 and this number is only expected to grow in the upcoming years. People of various ages from teens to retirees have taken a large portion of their shopping online. Just so you know, 30% of all online shopping happens on mobile phones which means you’re competing for a LOT of people. And here is what most of them are looking for:

1. quick access

2. easy and clear steps to follow

3. frictionless payment methods 

4. overall pleasant interface

The Looks Matter! Best Shopping Apps Are a Pretty Sight

If we think about the web pages we most frequently visit, we notice some kind of aesthetic beauty that appeals to us. It may be the colors the brand has chosen to display or the pictures they have used, but something very specific makes us gravitate toward those pages again and again. Let’s try to break this down together. Of course, to each their own, everyone has a different taste. But there is a color theory you may wish to consult in case you think your existing color scheme could use an improvement.

Fonts also matter greatly. Cursive serif fonts are beautiful, no doubt, but they are not quite as legible for many people as sans-serif fonts. We advise against too large and too bold typography since it can potentially confuse your customer and result in their leaving. Utilizing visual elements such as icons and images, especially your own original photographs or videos can be very effective. In contrast with images you download, your own work can be manipulated to fit the color scheme and overall feel of the brand. 

Make It Work

Your page already looks great!  Congratulations! But there’s still work to be done. From your own experience shopping online, you probably know how frustrating it can be to have to wait until the page loads properly or to click a product and not be able to view it from both sides. Even worse, you haven’t clicked anything yet but the page is asking you to register and give out your email. Such a turn-off!

Think of your favorite food delivery apps like DoorDash or GrubHub. It takes less than two seconds for each consecutive action to proceed. Take the necessary steps to ensure your page loads quickly enough and allows the customers to view products properly. (In case your business is within the food industry, read about what apps can help you in managing and organizing here.) A glitch-free app goes a long way!

Best Shopping App for iOS or Android?

Another thing that differentiates a great mobile app and a mediocre one is its adaptability to various devices. For instance, your page could look great on the phone but not adjust to a tablet or a laptop screen size. Perhaps you’ve created this app primarily for iOS devices. Here as well, you should consider everyone else who uses Android, Windows, BlackBerry, etc. For each group the user behavior is varied.

Sure, iOS and Android support similar actions like swiping, tapping, zooming, and pinching but simply swiping down from the top signifies two opposite actions for those specific operating systems. So think thoroughly about your page functionality and where you place your buttons for each type of system. In doing so you will definitely grow your customer base and make your brand more inclusive as well as accommodating. 

Top Shopping Apps Go the Extra Mile!

Looking for some other ways to level up your game? Here are several more tips to help you. 

Show your customers that you have an amazing customer support team. This is something that sets Amazon or Shopify aside as awesome brands because they have great 24-hour customer support. Don’t just make it available, make it super easy to locate on whatever step of the buyer’s journey your customer is. That way a confused customer can ask and receive help in case they need it. 

We also think it’s important to allow people to register using their existing accounts such as Google or Twitter. This means one less password to remember and your customers will actually appreciate it. 

For any business that hopes to grow and improve, it’s crucial to encourage feedback from consumers. Enable reviews and comments, and give people space to voice their appreciation, concerns, and perhaps even complaints. How else will you know if you’re actually reaching your goal of providing valuable services to your customers?

Summing Up

Now you’re equipped with some amazing tools that will help you build the ultimate shopping app and boost your sales. Let’s recap:

1. Create a visually pleasing color scheme and add quality visual content

2. Ensure a fast-loading, glitch-free system

3. Consider all operating systems and adapt your app accordingly

4. Showcase your excellent customer support

5. Encourage feedback

Our best tip, though, is to stay up-to-date. Knowing your audience and what they care about, and constantly improving upon feedback is all anyone can really do. We wish you good luck!