Retail Mobile App: Features and Development Cost

The retail sector, much like the rest of the world, has been immensely affected by the sharp shift in how we go about our day. The increasing reliance on the digital realm has had a pronounced effect on this sector. It is especially true for the role mobile phones and apps have come to play in this industry. You see, the market has enabled users to do pretty much everything with mobile apps, be it transferring money overseas, ordering food, or even house hunting. Thus, it is understandable that users now wish to see that convenience extended to their retail experiences as well. In short, that is why mobile apps are critical to any retail business's success — at least the ones who wish to continue being successful even in the face of the threat posed by e-commerce.

Now that we understand the vital importance of mobile apps in the context of retail, the next step is, of course, developing one for your business. However, it is not as simple as it may seem, i.e., one must carefully strategize the app development project. And one of the essential steps in this process is deciding what features to offer. While this is a subjective decision, we have put together a list of some must-have features of mobile apps for retail to make the decision a tad easier for you.

1. Contactless payments: Though contactless payments had already gained quite a bit of popularity, the coronavirus pandemic has ensured that it is now an absolute must. The inclusion of the provision of contactless payments via mobile apps is safe and convenient. It saves customers much time they may otherwise spend in long queues.
2. Filters: More often than not, customers know exactly what they are shopping for. Hence, it is crucial to offer high-quality filters and search capabilities in your retail mobile app. It will allow them to find what they are looking for instead of sifting through countless products to buy what they are looking for. This is also an excellent means to increase sales.
3. Barcode scanner: Modern customers are quite conscious about health, ingredients, etc. Hence, they always want to check the specifics of the product they are buying. With a barcode scanner, you can make it easier for them to find and read the requisite information about the product and ensure they make informed buying decisions.

Before we wrap this up, we must touch upon one final factor: the cost of retail mobile app development. Simply put, multiple factors play into the cost. This will include the app’s size and scale, number and kind of features you want, going development rates, QA, etc. To get an exact estimate, we recommend you get in touch with a trusted retail app development company who will be able to guide you about the cost of development in a much better manner.