Mobile phones have become an inseparable part of our daily lives with 70% of the total world population using smartphones. Thus if you too are planning to have an ecommerce app developed, then you are at the right place. Here we will assist you in having a complete knowledge of must-have features, the cost of developing an app, and more. 

Let’s have a look at the content of this post to give you a basic knowledge of creating an app for your Shopify store. 

Why To Have An App For Shopify Store?

App revenue CAGR

You might be wondering why you require an app when the all-important functions of your business are being fulfilled by the website. Well, what if we tell you that having an app for your store will provide you with more revenue? That’s true, here are some reasons why having an app will be profitable for you:

  • Boosts Brand Engagement

Customer engagement is one of the most important factors that determines the growth of your business. If you don’t engage with your customers often then they might forget about your brand and thus will increase your churn rate. 

Through an app, you can engage with your customers in the following ways:

    • Notifications: Through this feature of the app, you can remind customers about new products, reduce the abandoned cart rate, and more. 
    • Loyalty Program:  Through a loyalty program you can drive more sales by gifting your customers when they buy a certain value of products. For example, if a customer purchases 3 times a month from your store they will get a surprise product free of cost. This can be tracked through an app. 
  • Personalized Recommendations: Your customers will have a personalized profile on the app which allows you to know their preferences and then you can recommend new products to them based on it. You can perform upsell and cross-sell through this feature of the app. 

  • Improves Customer Experience

The ecommerce app will enhance the experience of your customers by providing them a smooth onboarding experience. Moreover, an app can also reduce search efforts as they can just enter product code/QR code, or keywords and they will have quicker product results. 

It even eases data collection which allows you to run promotional campaigns.

  • Facilitates Business Operations

You can perform various business operations and manage all of them under the same app. It can provide customers with tracking details, store data of their previous conversations, and more. 

This reduces third-party interactions in your store and provides a unified experience to your customers. 

Must-Have Features In An App Ecommerce App

Here are all the essential features that you must include in your Shopify store app:

Seamless Integration with Shopify Ecosystem

When developing an eCommerce app for a Shopify store, seamless integration with Shopify’s API is crucial. This allows for real-time data synchronization, ensuring that product information, inventory levels, and customer data are consistently updated. Your app should also support integrations with popular third-party tools such as Google Analytics, email marketing services, and payment gateways. This ensures that store owners can leverage existing tools to enhance their store’s functionality.

User-Friendly Interface for Store Management

An intuitive, user-friendly interface is a must for any eCommerce app. The dashboard should be clean and easy to navigate, allowing store owners to manage their operations effortlessly. Providing customization options is equally important, enabling users to tailor the app’s appearance and functionalities to align with their brand. This customization could extend to features like theme selection, color schemes, and layout adjustments.

Mobile Responsiveness

Given that a significant portion of online shopping is done on mobile devices, your app must be mobile-responsive. This means it should offer a seamless experience across all devices, ensuring that the store is accessible and fully functional on smartphones and tablets. A mobile-first approach will not only enhance user experience but also improve the store’s accessibility, potentially increasing sales.

Scalability to Support Business Growth

Your eCommerce app should be built with scalability in mind. As the Shopify store grows, the app should be capable of handling increased traffic, more transactions, and larger amounts of data. This scalability ensures that the app remains functional and efficient as the business expands, preventing any disruptions in service or performance.

Robust Security Features

Security is paramount in eCommerce. Your app should incorporate strong security features such as data encryption to protect sensitive information. Implementing robust user authentication mechanisms, including OAuth and two-factor authentication, will help safeguard user accounts and prevent unauthorized access. These security measures are essential for maintaining trust with store owners and their customers.

Comprehensive Analytics and Reporting

Providing detailed analytics and reporting features will empower store owners to make informed decisions. Your app should offer tools to track performance metrics such as sales, customer behavior, and app usage. Customizable reporting options allow users to generate reports that meet their specific needs, offering deeper insights into their business operations and helping them identify areas for improvement.

Enhanced Customer Support

Incorporating customer support features into your eCommerce app is essential for assisting store owners when they encounter issues. Live chat integration allows for real-time support, ensuring that help is readily available. Additionally, including a comprehensive FAQ section can address common queries, reducing the need for direct support and improving the overall user experience.

Efficient Product Management

Efficient product management is at the core of any successful eCommerce app. Your app should include features that allow store owners to manage products easily, such as bulk editing for product information, pricing adjustments, and inventory management. Providing tools for the easy import and export of products, such as through CSV files or direct integration, will streamline the process of managing large product catalogs.

Streamlined Order Management

Order management is a critical feature for any eCommerce app. Real-time order tracking allows both store owners and customers to monitor the status of their orders, enhancing transparency and customer satisfaction. Automated notifications can be set up to inform customers of order confirmations, shipping updates, and delivery statuses, further improving the shopping experience.

Multiple Payment Integration

Supporting multiple payment gateways is essential to cater to a diverse customer base. Your app should offer integration with various payment options, including international gateways, to accommodate different currencies and payment preferences. Implementing fraud detection tools will also help secure transactions, giving store owners and customers peace of mind.

Advanced Marketing Tools

Marketing tools are a vital part of growing an eCommerce business. Your app should offer features like discount management, enabling store owners to easily create and manage discount codes, promotions, and special offers. Built-in SEO optimization tools will help improve product page rankings on search engines, driving more organic traffic to the store.

Customer Management Capabilities

Managing customers effectively is key to building long-term relationships. Your app should include features for customer segmentation, allowing store owners to categorize customers based on behavior, location, and purchase history. Additionally, incorporating tools for creating and managing loyalty programs can incentivize repeat purchases and increase customer retention.

Efficient Shipping and Fulfillment

Shipping and fulfillment are integral to the success of an eCommerce app. Your app should include features for calculating shipping rates based on factors like location, weight, or shipping provider. Integration with shipping label services will simplify the fulfillment process, making it easier for store owners to manage and dispatch orders efficiently.

Multilingual Support for Global Reach

To cater to a global audience, your eCommerce app should offer multilingual support. This allows store owners to customize the app in different languages, ensuring that non-English speaking customers have a smooth shopping experience. Multilingual support can help store owners expand their reach and tap into international markets.

Custom Notifications for Enhanced Engagement

Custom notifications, such as push notifications and email alerts, can significantly enhance user engagement. Your app should allow store owners to send targeted notifications for promotions, abandoned carts, and other updates. These notifications help keep customers informed and encourage them to return to the store, boosting sales and customer loyalty.

Backup and Restore Options

Data loss can be catastrophic for an eCommerce business. Your app should include automatic data backup features to prevent the loss of critical information. Easy restore options will allow store owners to recover data in case of errors or failures, ensuring business continuity.

Performance Optimization

Finally, optimizing your app for performance is crucial. Implementing a caching mechanism can reduce load times and improve the overall speed of the app. Efficient resource management will prevent slowdowns during high-traffic periods, ensuring that the app remains responsive and delivers a smooth user experience even under heavy usage.

Advanced Ecommerce App Features

To make your store stand out from your competitors here are some add-on features that our developers will integrate into your app, this enhances sales, improves customer experience, and more. 

AI-Powered Personalization

Incorporating AI-driven personalization can significantly enhance the user experience on an eCommerce app. By analyzing customer behavior, purchase history, and preferences, the app can deliver tailored product recommendations, personalized content, and dynamic pricing strategies. This level of customization not only increases the likelihood of conversions but also fosters customer loyalty by creating a more engaging shopping experience.

Augmented Reality (AR) Integration

AR features can offer customers a more immersive shopping experience by allowing them to visualize products in their real-world environment before making a purchase. For example, in the fashion industry, customers can use AR to “try on” clothes or accessories virtually. Similarly, in home decor, they can see how furniture would look in their space. This interactive feature can reduce return rates and increase customer satisfaction.

Voice Search and Voice Commerce

With the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants, integrating voice search and voice commerce into your eCommerce app is becoming increasingly important. Voice search enables customers to find products quickly using spoken commands, while voice commerce allows them to make purchases directly through voice interactions. This feature can streamline the shopping process, making it more convenient for users.

Advanced Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

Deploying advanced chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI can enhance customer support and engagement. These bots can handle a wide range of tasks, from answering common queries and guiding customers through the shopping process to providing personalized product recommendations. By offering 24/7 support, chatbots can improve customer satisfaction and reduce the workload on human support teams.

Predictive Analytics for Inventory Management

Predictive analytics can be a game-changer for inventory management in eCommerce apps. By analyzing past sales data, market trends, and customer behavior, predictive models can forecast demand for specific products. This allows store owners to optimize stock levels, reduce overstocking or stockouts, and make data-driven decisions about inventory replenishment.

Subscription and Membership Management

If the eCommerce business offers subscription-based products or services, integrating subscription and membership management features into the app is essential. This includes tools for managing recurring payments, offering tiered membership levels with exclusive benefits, and tracking subscription renewals. These features help increase customer retention and provide a steady revenue stream.

Social Commerce Integration

Integrating social commerce features can leverage the power of social media to drive sales. This includes allowing customers to share products directly to their social media profiles, integrating social proof elements like user reviews and testimonials, and enabling purchases directly from social media platforms. Social commerce enhances brand visibility and can lead to higher conversion rates.

Multi-Currency and Multi-Store Support

For eCommerce businesses operating in multiple regions, multi-currency and multi-store support are advanced features that can streamline operations. Multi-currency support allows customers to view prices and make payments in their local currency, improving the shopping experience for international customers. Multi-store support enables store owners to manage different storefronts from a single app, each tailored to a specific region or market.

Advanced Analytics Dashboard

An advanced analytics dashboard provides in-depth insights into customer behavior, sales trends, and marketing performance. This feature allows store owners to track key performance indicators (KPIs), set up custom reports, and visualize data through interactive charts and graphs. With real-time analytics, store owners can make data-driven decisions that enhance their overall strategy.

Dynamic Pricing Engine

A dynamic pricing engine can automatically adjust product prices based on factors such as demand, competitor pricing, and customer behavior. This feature helps maximize profits by optimizing pricing in real-time, ensuring that products are competitively priced while still generating a healthy margin. Dynamic pricing can be particularly effective during sales events or peak shopping periods.

Omnichannel Experience

Providing an omnichannel experience ensures that customers have a seamless shopping journey across various touchpoints, including online stores, mobile apps, social media, and physical stores. Integrating features like unified customer profiles, synchronized shopping carts, and consistent messaging across channels can significantly enhance the customer experience and drive higher engagement.

Blockchain for Secure Transactions

Blockchain technology can be integrated into eCommerce apps to enhance security and transparency in transactions. By utilizing blockchain, the app can provide immutable records of transactions, secure payment processing, and even implement smart contracts for automated and secure dealings. This feature can increase customer trust and reduce fraud risk.

Custom App Extensions and Plugins

Allowing users to install custom extensions or plugins can make your eCommerce app highly versatile. This feature lets store owners add functionalities that are specific to their business needs, such as additional payment gateways, specialized shipping options, or unique marketing tools. A robust app ecosystem with third-party plugins can significantly expand the app’s capabilities.

Real-Time Customer Insights and Engagement

Real-time customer insights and engagement tools enable store owners to interact with customers based on their current behavior on the app. This could include sending personalized offers or assistance when a customer appears stuck or providing real-time recommendations based on what the customer is browsing. This proactive approach can enhance customer satisfaction and increase conversion rates.

Gamification Features

Incorporating gamification elements such as reward points, badges, and challenges can make shopping more engaging and fun. These features encourage repeat visits, increase user interaction, and can lead to higher conversion rates. By turning shopping into an enjoyable experience, you can build a more loyal customer base.

How Much Does It Cost To Create An App For Shopify Store? 

The cost of developing an app for the Shopify store depends on several factors such as the UI/UX of the app, the list of features, project scope, tech stack, and so on. Here is how the cost is affected:

App Complexity and Features

The complexity of the app and the features you want to include significantly impact the cost of development. Basic apps with standard features like product management, order tracking, and payment integration will cost less than advanced apps that include AI-driven personalization, AR integration, or multi-currency support. The more complex and feature-rich your app is, the higher the development cost.

Design and User Experience

A well-designed app with a focus on user experience can be more costly to develop. Custom UI/UX designs that align with your brand identity, animations, and interactive elements add to the development time and cost. Investing in a high-quality design can improve user engagement and satisfaction, but it will also increase the overall cost of development.

Platform and Device Compatibility

The platforms you choose to support (iOS, Android, or both) and the devices you want your app to be compatible with (smartphones, tablets, etc.) will affect the cost. Developing a cross-platform app is generally more expensive than building a native app for a single platform. However, cross-platform development can save costs in the long run by reaching a wider audience with a single codebase.

Integration with Shopify and Third-Party Services

Integrating your app with Shopify’s API and other third-party services like payment gateways, shipping providers, or marketing tools adds to the development cost. The complexity of these integrations, especially if they require custom solutions or extensive API work, can significantly increase the cost.

Backend Development and Hosting

The backend infrastructure required to support your app’s functionalities, such as databases, servers, and APIs, also contributes to the cost. Depending on the complexity of the backend, such as real-time data processing or heavy data storage needs, the cost can vary. Additionally, ongoing costs for hosting and maintaining the backend infrastructure should be considered.

Security Measures

Implementing robust security measures, such as data encryption, secure authentication, and compliance with industry standards (like GDPR), can increase the cost of development. Security is crucial for protecting customer data and maintaining trust, so investing in strong security features is essential, even though it adds to the cost.

Development Team and Location

The cost of development can vary depending on the experience and location of the development team. Hiring a highly skilled development team in a region with high labor costs (like North America or Western Europe) will be more expensive than hiring a team in regions with lower labor costs (like Eastern Europe or Asia). The team’s expertise, especially in Shopify app development, also influences the cost.

Testing and Quality Assurance

Thorough testing and quality assurance (QA) processes are necessary to ensure that your app is free from bugs and functions smoothly across different devices and platforms. This involves manual and automated testing, which can add to the cost. The more complex the app, the more extensive the testing required, which increases the overall development cost.

Customization and Personalization

If your app requires a high degree of customization and personalization, such as custom themes, user-specific content, or tailored user experiences, this can increase the development cost. Custom features often require additional design and development work, making the project more time-consuming and expensive.

Compliance and Legal Requirements

Meeting specific legal and compliance requirements, such as data protection regulations, can increase the development cost. Ensuring that your app complies with local and international laws, including GDPR, CCPA, or other eCommerce-specific regulations, may require additional legal consultation and technical implementation, contributing to higher costs.

However, at Appic Softwares we can develop your ecommerce app within the range of $15,000 to $80,000 depending on your requirements and the factors listed above. 

Conclusion

Now, in the end, we hope that through this post you were able to gain knowledge on the cost of creating an app for the Shopify store. Moreover, if you are looking for an ecommerce app development company that provides exceptional apps with advanced features then you must check out Appic Softwares. 

A leading app development company with expertise in ecommerce app development. We have assisted clients across the globe in digitalizing their business. 

So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today to digitalize your business.