A major trend over the last few years is brands developing their own mobile apps. This might initially seem unnecessary since most modern ecommerce websites are already optimized for mobile devices, but there are powerful strategic reasons to make the leap.
By turning your online shop into a mobile app, you can completely control the user experience, capture valuable first party user data, deploy highly tailored push notifications, and insulate your business from the volatile algorithm updates of Google and Meta.
If you do not know where to start, this article provides a comprehensive introduction. We will cover every step in the process, from evaluating feasibility and wireframing to executing a soft launch and processing orders.
Why Turn Your Shopify or Woocommerce Store Into A Mobile App?
Let’s discuss the top 7 reasons why converting your online store to a mobile app makes financial sense, despite the upfront investment.
Better Mobile Shopping Experience
Experience is everything, yet many brands willingly surrender control of their store to the user’s mobile web browser. Responsive web design can occasionally fail; elements can be hidden incorrectly, layouts can shift unexpectedly, and script conflicts can easily break core features.
Caring about the end-to-end user experience requires investing time to ensure pages display consistently across every browser and screen size. A dedicated mobile app gives you absolute control over exactly what the user sees.
Also, because you do not have to design around search engine indexing limitations, you are entirely free to build a shopping journey tailored exclusively to consumer expectations rather than Google or Bing guidelines.
Increased Loyalty and Retention
Apple’s iOS privacy frameworks and evolving privacy regulations in Europe have dramatically restricted traditional user tracking. It is now harder than ever to accurately track attribution data from Meta, analyze exact email open rates, or map out digital touchpoints. Your own app allows you to reclaim ownership of this data.
The more first party data you can collect, the better equipped you are to monitor actual usage patterns, analyze spending habits, and curate a bespoke ecosystem for the shopper.
Access Better 1st Party Data
Apple’s iOS 14 and later GDPR in Europe heighten the rules around user privacy. It’s now harder than ever to track data from Meta, email open rates and clicks, and more. Your app can allow you to reclaim access to some of this data.
The more data you can collect from your users (1st party data) the better as you can monitor how they use your app, their spending habits, and personalize the experience to the user.
Owned Sales Channel
Relying entirely on Google, Meta, or third party marketplaces to drive the bulk of your revenue is a dangerous operational risk. These platforms use complex, volatile algorithms to determine which businesses get visibility. Google rolls out multiple major core algorithm updates each year alongside minor daily tweaks. Your search traffic could literally vanish overnight if an algorithm changes its criteria.
Marketplaces like Amazon or Walmart carry even greater risk, as they can suspend seller accounts or freeze operational funds with minimal explanation. By building a mobile app, you connect directly with your audience without worrying about external platforms pulling the rug out from under your business.
App Store Presence
Launching your own app creates a distinct premium perception that differentiates your brand from standard competitors. Additionally, you can utilize App Store Optimization (ASO) techniques to rank for high-intent search terms, opening up an entirely new organic acquisition channel to reach new audiences.
Easy Mobile Payments
A massive source of friction in any checkout funnel is the manual entry of payment details. While third party processors help, many shoppers prefer not to navigate away from the page. Mobile apps allow for the seamless integration of native biometric checkout options like Apple Pay and Google Pay, allowing users to complete a purchase securely in a single click.
Seamless Customer Care
Having to send an email from your inbox to support is more steps than the average user feels is necessary. By having customer support built into your app is another way to improve the customer experience.
For example, integrating the Gorgias help desk into your app allows you to seamlessly deal with customer support across all your marketing and sales channels.
What To Consider Before Converting Webstore Into A Mobile App
Selecting Features
You likely have a specific development budget in mind, which means you must ruthlessly prioritize building essential core features first rather than an endless wish list. That is perfectly fine. Launching a streamlined version gives your business the space to iterate based on real usage data.
If your initial budget only allows for a minimal viable product with standard product pages, category grids, basic search, and a simplified checkout, use it as a low-risk test to validate demand before investing in premium custom features.
Cohesive User Experience
You’ll want to ensure the user experience is intuitive, even with a simple app. If the foundational UX is clunky, adding more features or scaling your user base later will cause the system to fracture. Your abandon cart rate will skyrocket and so will your support inbox.
Android vs iOS
In an ideal scenario, you would develop and launch your app simultaneously across both the Android and iOS ecosystems. However, if a limited budget forces you to choose one platform to start, audit your current website analytics to see which operating system the vast majority of your current customers use, and align your launch strategy accordingly.
Roadmap for Continual Improvement
If you get the basics right, adding new features or building out existing ones is fairly simple. Maintain a clear product roadmap prioritized by projected return on investment. Be prepared to adapt this roadmap dynamically based on direct user feedback and shifts in your market.
As with your business, your app shouldn’t stand still and should keep evolving.
“The power of mobile apps lies in features that offer a real advantage over websites, especially for increasing retention. One of the most important features are push notifications. They inform customers about ongoing sales, new arrivals, or abandoned carts, directly influencing sales figures”, says OmniShop’s founder, Dušan Popović.
Options for Converting your Shopify or Woocommerce Store
There are 3 ways to convert your online shop into an app. You might be able to use a plug-in, buy an off-the-shelf solution, or develop your app from scratch.
Plug-in Converter
The easiest option is to use a third-party plug-in that automatically converts your store into a mobile app. You could use Twinr’s Mobile App Builder to create an app for your Shopify or Woocommerce store. It’s easy to use, affordable and looks fantastic for the cost.
SaaS App Builder
You could work with a company like Tapcart (for Shopify) or OmniShop (for Woocommerce). Both can help you build a semi-customised app based on your store. They use templates to speed up the process and ensure best practices are followed.
Compared to a plug-in, using a company that can build you a mobile app using their templated system will cost more, but the outcome will be better.
Mobile App Development From Scratch
The final option is to find a developer who can build you a mobile app from the ground up while ensuring it syncs with your online store. The result is a highly custom piece of software that works exactly as you want it to. However, this is the most expensive way to convert your ecommerce store into a mobile app.
What Do You Need To Get Started?
Current Online Store
Before you can engage with an app developer or use a plugin converter, you need an online store. It’s best to resolve any underlying operational issues, layout bugs, or checkout friction on your core website first, as a clean backend makes the app conversion process significantly smoother.
Valid Google PlayStore (Android) and Apple AppStore (iOS) Accounts
You’ll all need valid accounts on the Google PlayStore and Apple AppStore. Neither is difficult to set up, but you’ll need to comply with their respective corporate policies, verification steps, and security guidelines to ensure your app gets approved.
Converting An Ecommerce Store To An App Checklist
Step 1: Prepare Features List
Resist the urge to build everything at once. Create a master list of your dream features to serve as your long-term product roadmap, but focus your immediate launch entirely on the features required to safely process a clean transaction.
Step 2: Create Intuitive UI/UX
Map out exactly how a consumer will navigate your mobile store. Focus heavily on minimizing the number of taps required to get from the homepage to a completed purchase. Keep the visual interface clean, modern, and uncluttered.
Step 3: Start Developing App
Buy a conversion plugin or hire an app developer to start converting your store into a mobile app. If you are working with an external developer, ensure you have a legally binding agreement detailing the explicit budget, delivery milestones, and final feature specifications..
Step 4: Test Your Mobile App
Now for the fun part. Once the initial build is delivered, thoroughly test every function of your mobile app. Place multiple dummy orders, test various payment methods, trigger test push notifications, and deliberately try to break the app to identify any hidden software bugs before real customers see it.
Step 5: Soft launch your app
Don’t just launch your app! Instead, quietly roll it out to a small, curated group of your most loyal customers. Ask them for honest feedback regarding the speed and usability of the app. You can incentivize their participation by offering them exclusive product access, early drops, or a limited-time discount as a thank you.
Step 6: Launch Your Mobile App!
After resolving any minor bugs flagged during the soft launch, open your app to the entire market. Promote the download across all marketing channels: blast your email newsletter list, run targeted paid social campaigns, and include a physical flyer with a custom QR code inside every single outbound shipping parcel to drive immediate adoption.
Ready to move beyond the cycle of tactical experimentation and adopt a more strategic approach to growth?
