👀 See how easily you can turn your website into an app
As the popularity of mobile ecommerce continues to soar, an increasing number of individuals are utilizing their smartphones for shopping. Neglecting the mobile-first approach means disregarding a substantial portion of your customer base.
But don't worry! While creating a fully custom native app can be expensive, there is an alternative option available. By leveraging a Lightspeed mobile app builder, you can effortlessly develop a fully functional and top-quality mobile app for your Lightspeed store without breaking the bank.
Read on to discover the detailed process of converting your Lightspeed store into a mobile app.
The share of mobile in the overall ecommerce market surpassed 72% in 2022, experiencing a significant rise from slightly above 52% in the five years before.
This is on track with the uptick of mobile internet usage each year. Currently, mobile device usage holds a market share of over 50% in comparison to desktop and tablet devices.
In addition, 15% of Americans today rely solely on smartphones as their means of accessing the internet. This signifies the future of ecommerce, with customers who are not just mobile-first but exclusively mobile.
To optimize your site for mobile is a crucial step, but more is required to keep up with mobile's domination. Apps offer a superior user experience on mobile, leading to enhancements in various key metrics, including:
Additional data indicates that users of ecommerce mobile apps are twice as likely to revisit the store within 30 days compared to those using mobile browsers.
Apps also grant you full utilization of mobile push notifications, which boast an average open rate of 20% and a click-through rate of 28%.
Moreover, apps provide an excellent tool for nurturing loyal, repeat customers. Long story short: a Lightspeed mobile app can bring immense benefits to your business.
You cannot launch a mobile app directly from Lightspeed. It is specifically tailored for webstores. However, to build a mobile app using Lightspeed, you'll require additional solutions. Here are some possibilities:
With the help of the techniques outlined earlier, you can seamlessly convert your Lightspeed store into a mobile app.
On a different note, it is highly recommended that store owners opt out of the third option of hiring developers for native app creation. The main deterrent here is the significant cost associated with mobile app development. The expenses involved in building a native app can range from $30,000 to $150,000, and that's without considering the need to develop separate apps for Android and iOS, both of which are essential.
Creating an app is a demanding and expensive endeavor from the start. It becomes even more complex when your developers have to build an API and establish a connection between the back end of your apps and your Lightspeed store.
It's likely that your budget wouldn't accommodate such expenses, and we haven't even factored in the yearly costs of app maintenance.
A majority of people fail to consider the ongoing expenses associated with launching an app. The costs of maintenance and upkeep, including tasks like OS updates, Lightspeed updates, bug fixes, implementing new features, and making improvements, typically amount to 15-20% of the initial development cost per year.
In fact, these expenses can be even higher. David Cost, VP of Marketing at Rainbow Apparel, learned this during their app launch, discovering:
"If we had unlimited time and financial resources, we would likely opt for a custom native app. However, the maintenance alone would require an investment ranging from half a million to a million dollars per year."
Let's make a low-end estimate and assume that building apps for both mobile platforms costs $150,000. In that case, the estimated annual cost for updates and maintenance would amount to around $30,000.
For most store owners, this expense is simply too high. Moreover, managing multiple platforms going forward, in addition to your website, can be a significant headache. It triples the workload whenever you need to make changes to your site.
If you're looking for the optimal choice, consider converting your Lightspeed store into an app using a mobile app builder.
By utilizing a Lightspeed mobile app builder, you can convert your existing Lightspeed website into a mobile app that emulates the functionality of a native app. This app can be easily downloaded and installed on users' mobile devices.
The most effective mobile app builders offer a mobile app that gives you about 90-95% of the capabilities of a native app, but at a more affordable price and with less inconvenience. However, it's crucial to be aware that not all options in the market are suitable for building high-traffic, professional mobile apps that represent your brand well.
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If you're a well-known brand with ample resources available to you – think the Nikes and Amazons of the world – you may have the bandwidth to develop your shopping app from the ground up.
If you're not in that position, MobiLoud presents itself as the most exceptional method for app creation. It's easy, affordable, and efficient. Additionally, the ongoing maintenance of your apps becomes more cost-effective and manageable.
Here's the step-by-step process:
There are two options available to get started:
In either case, you will realize that the majority of the app creation work, approximately 90%, is already completed if your current website is optimized for mobile devices.
If you require assistance with optimizing your website, we can prioritize that as part of our process. This step is crucial to ensure a seamless experience moving forward.
When you're ready to kickstart the app building process, sign up to MobiLoud. Our plans guarantee a 60-day refund period, and there's no binding commitment necessary.
You'll collaborate closely with our team to configure and design your app. Remember, most of the groundwork has already been done, so there's no need to start from scratch. Just a few tweaks are necessary to achieve a native app appearance and feel.
Once you're satisfied, we'll take on the task of building your mobile app. Our team handles all the technical aspects, so you don't need to worry about all the complexities that come with coding.
If you prefer a hands-off approach, our full-service package is available. It encompasses everything necessary to configure, design, and publish your app, providing you with a simple and user-friendly process.
Once your app is developed, you'll be prepared to launch it to the public. Having a strategic plan in place is essential to drive app downloads.
We provide assets to support your app's launch, including materials for app store descriptions, launch announcements for your website and email subscribers, press releases, and more. Furthermore, you can enable additional features at no additional charge, such as smart app banners and app-exclusive discounts, to incentivize your current customers to shop using the app.
Ultimately, we'll take care of launching your apps on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
The submission process for these app stores can be confusing, particularly for newbies. But we've got your back! We have extensive experience in this area and are well-versed in the process.
Our team handles the entire app submission process with Apple and Google for you. We offer a 100% guarantee of app approval and are equipped to handle multiple submissions if necessary. We also provide recommendations and implement any required changes. You can relax and let us handle everything while you await the results.
Once your app listings are live, you can officially begin attracting downloads and reap the benefits of having your own Lightspeed mobile app!
The mobile revolution is only advancing. The majority of your current revenue is likely coming from mobile devices, and if it isn't, it will be soon.
Your Lightspeed store needs more than just a mobile-optimized website. To maximize your revenue from mobile users, you must offer your own branded app.
Today, transforming your Lightspeed store into a mobile app is easier than ever with MobiLoud on your side. Instead of spending a substantial amount of money on mobile developers, MobiLoud offers an incredibly accessible and straightforward solution.
Here are some of the key benefits to remember when it comes to MobiLoud's Lightspeed app builder:
This user-friendly app builder requires no coding and empowers you to launch your own shopping apps, positioning your brand alongside the biggest names in the app stores.
Reach out to us now to learn more about how we can help you launch an app for your Lightspeed store. Book a free, personalized demo, and one of our app experts will guide you through the entire process.
