The mobile segment of the market is actively developing, and the appearance and development of platforms such as iOS and Android, change the rules of the game and make a new view of the business from the perspective of entire industries. Our generation now finds it convenient not only to use mobile devices for surfing the Internet but also to pay for them through purchases, services, and many other daily tasks.

If you check shopify reports, so you understand, that there is no point in ignoring the potential of the mobile audience. This is fraught with a loss of market share and a decline in sales in the long run. At the same time, we should take into account the fact that adaptive design is not the only way to solve the problem. Another option is to create a mobile application for the online store's website.

Websites that are designed using adaptive layout have a clear advantage in terms of development costs, audience reach and the ability to view on all mobile platforms and devices. Applications, in turn, are installed directly on the user's smartphone or tablet, which potentially provides interactivity and a higher level of customer engagement.

Like the adaptive design, mobile apps have a number of advantages and disadvantages, and it is a good idea to understand the issue better before you rush into the whirlpool. And we'll help you do that.

Advantages and disadvantages of a mobile application for the site

While the adaptive design is a necessity in today's reality, it's not so clear in the case of native applications. On the one hand, they have a number of advantages:

A constant point of contact. Smartphone and tablet owners install native apps on devices that are always close to them and probably used dozens of times a day.

The potential for repeat sales. The seller is able to ensure a constant and visible presence on the device. If in the future the user needs a product that offers this online store, there is a high probability that he will make a repeat order in it.

The appeal in one click. All you need to do on the user's part to go to the catalog of goods when the application is installed is to click on the icon to launch it.

Simplification of payments. Mobile applications make payments easier, faster and safer than websites. The program can remember, for example, the payment options used, which improves user experience and simplifies the purchase process.

Interactivity. Unlike websites, applications are integrated with the platform on which the device is running, so they can use its functions to interact with potential customers. For example, to distribute information about new promotions through push notifications or remind about abandoned baskets. This is a key advantage.

Minuses, of course, are also included. The main disadvantages of such a solution can be attributed:

Cost of development. The high price threshold of entering the market of mobile commerce with the help of an application is one of the most obvious disadvantages. The average cost of development is $ 3000-5000 and higher. And in the process of its creation, it is necessary to involve experts of a different profile that as a result demands the budget in some thousand dollars.

Binding to the platform. The application created for iOS will work only on the iPhone, but not on smartphones running Android. And vice versa. As a result, the cost of development can be easily multiplied in half, if not more. At the same time, the adaptive version of the site is a cross-platform solution.

Regular spending on a reworking. If you need to release an update, fix a bug or make any other changes, you will need to attract a good level of specialist. Accordingly, it is necessary to regularly spend funds to maintain the relevance of the program.

Barriers of availability. Buyers, as you know, are impatient. And if they can go to a regular site immediately after entering a request in the search box, then to access the content of the application you must first download it from the marketplace.

The need for promotion. The App Store and Google Play have hundreds of thousands of apps, and new ones appear every day. Organic traffic to the application for the site is almost impossible to obtain, which greatly limits the potential of the installations. And, unlike SEO and other Internet marketing tools, the cost of promotion can be unfeasible for small businesses.

Mobile applications are the tool for online stores, which allows you to provide potential customers with a unique experience, to simplify the interaction with the site and make a purchase. At the same time, their use as one of the ways to attract customers will be a rather costly investment, with the need to regularly allocate additional funds for updating or making any other changes.