The challenge with mobile commerce apps is that they need to engage your customers positively while generating revenue for your company.
NB: This is an analysis by David Pope, marketing director for Jumio.
Just because an app is available, doesn’t mean it will be successful. Getting to a critical mass of customers discovering and downloading is no mean feat; breaking into the top 50 iPhone app league means 23,000 downloads a day.
The statistics show a shocking attrition rate in that 25% of downloaded apps are never opened and are discarded.
What can you do to make sure your app doesn’t get deleted?
1) Be aware which operating system or platform will deliver the best return for your app
Not all app users are created equal.
iOS users spend almost five times as much online as Android users
But Android dominates the smartphone market with 80% market share
The evidence suggests that iOS users are more transactional, but Android will give you greater reach.
It’s also worth taking some time to understand the relative value of devices, as well as the pros and cons of each platform. Thinking about this alignment can help measure success for your app.
2) Be sensitive to data privacy concerns that may inhibit app usage
- Don't ask for a location (if your app isn’t a map, or in some way helping the user find a specific place)
- Don't ask how old the user is
- Don't ask to access their contacts (unless your app is going to try to connect them with their friends)
3) Reduce payment frictionThe best payment experiences are the ones that users don’t even notice. With spontaneity playing a major role in smartphone shopping the closer we can get to one-click payments, the better.
Think about:
- Becoming a UX guru
- Not laying traps for your customer to fall into!
- Behaving like an autocue for your customers
- Showing your customer to see the light at the end of the tunnel
- Streamlining the form and process
Having said all that, it could all boil down to one question: Why ask customers to manually type in their details at all?
Computer vision technology could be the answer.
4) Balance functionality with speed and performance
Speed and performance matter, because they strongly affect ratings, rankings and discovery.
Based on known data points of load time intolerance, here’s how conversions will decrease for every additional second of load time.
The key to success is creating simplicity, easy functionality, and fast processes that keep customers on board and encourage ongoing adoption.
5) Build customer retention into your app
Research from Flurry suggests that the first few months of an app’s life on a smartphone are key, because the rate at which people delete apps from their phone levels off after about four months. Flurry’s figures suggest that half of apps lose half their peak users within three months, but holding on to users beyond this critical four-month mark can have a significant impact on average revenue per user.
- Integrate new features
- Send relevant reminders that you’re there
- Promote the benefits of your app
- Personalise your customer’s experience
ConclusionWhat keeps customers happy and coming back for more are apps that support the on-the-go lifestyle but are engaging enough to keep customers interested for the long term. With the right know-how, it is possible to build customer retention right into your app.
NB1 This is an analysis by David Pope, marketing director for Jumio. It appears here as part of Tnooz's sponsored content initiative.
NB2 This article contains edited highlights from Jumio's "Five tips to make sure that customers transact with your app" white paper. Click here for access to the full version.
NB3 Jumio hosted a webinar with Tnooz earlier this month called “Saying goodbye to travel check-in queues.” Click here to access a recording of the event.
NB4Image by Shutterstock