Does your business need mobile website or app

The increased number of mobile users has caused heated debates: what is more effective for business an app or mobile website?

Mobile channels should not be ignored for successful mobile strategy. Many businesses use both mobile apps and mobile websites.

If you do not have a large wallet and you can’t invest in both mobile website and app, the choice should be based on such factors as budget, target audience and required features.

In this article, Dinarys team wants to share the experience in choosing between mobile apps and mobile websites and tips for your online shop.

The right corner, mobile website

A mobile website is the same website but with responsive design that fits all screens. Visitors should use the most of the content you have on your online shop.

Business should not ignore m-commerce and have a mobile website. In comparison to a mobile app, a mobile website has its strengths and weaknesses.

Strong points

• Cheap and as a rule included in the website design price.
• Does not require a separate site for different platforms because it works on all devices.
• With easy setup, there is no necessary to submit it to app stores.

Weak points

• A website with poor responsive design may cause poor usability and performance issues
• Users can’t use it offline
• Absence of push notifications

However, there are many mobile websites with poor optimization. When deciding between mobile website and app, remind that ads, popup notifications and useless content are not the best way to provide your customers with the smooth journey. 

If you don’t want your mobile website to be over-optimized, try to avoid over-designed layout and choppy animations.

The the left corner, Mobile app

A mobile app has many features a website has not and an e-commerce business can benefit from it. If you want to define, whether you need a mobile app or a mobile website, below we share the list of mobile device features you can use for an application.

Strong points

• Geolocation connects customers with the nearest company office;
• Customers receive recent status changes of orders through push notifications;
• Device camera scans a barcode to receive information about the product;
• Augmented reality enhances human capabilities, like in Dinarys project VR tech, developed for business cards. You can download Android app under the link.
• Fingerprint authentication to avoid entering the password.

Weak points

• Additional costs for the team of developers
• Additional setups. Before your customers can use your app, you have to set the app and then submit to the app stores. 

Instead of mobile websites, mobile apps will help your customers to be engaged better and reach your content much faster. For an e-commerce business, push notification is a huge advantage. But consider that instead of a mobile website, a mobile app requires additional money and time.

Round 1: The goal

First of all, it is necessary to decide why a mobile app or a mobile website is for? It should be considered that instead of a mobile app, a web app is more effective for investments and will reach the wider audience. A mobile application is the best way to provide clients with native mobile device features.

Round 2: New clients or old users?

If your e-Commerce business is already preserved on the Internet, it is better to develop a mobile app because it engages more with your clients. According to comScore 2016 App Report, mobile users spend in 20 times more time on apps than mobile web visitors. That way mobile applications increase users’ loyalty, unlike websites with responsive design. 

According to comScore 2016 App Report, mobile users spend 20 times more time on apps than mobile web visitors.

However, clients should consider that responsive websites viewable on smartphones might help online retailers reaching in 3 times more monthly audience than mobile applications.

Responsive websites viewable on smartphones might help online retailers reaching in 3 times more monthly audience than mobile applications.

When choosing between an app and a mobile website, it is vital to understand both advantages and disadvantages of both solutions. If the client has unlimited budget and deadlines are not too strict, both app and mobile website should be implemented, however, with different purposes. But at the initial stage customers should choose between reaching more audience and providing customers with mobile device features.

Summary

Online retailers, who want to provide customers with leverage smartphones’ native features, should choose a mobile app. Still, if the business goal is to find new customers, mobile websites will be the better solution.

Dinarys team can provide both mobile apps and mobile websites development services for your eCommerce business. The best projects could be found in the portfolio under the link.