Ecommerce Mobile App Trends to Watch Out in 2017

With smartphones taking care of everything we do these days, mobile shopping experience became vital to the overall business strategy of brands. As per the claim made by Internet Retailer the volume of online shopping is expected to cross $400 billion per annum by 2018. All these statistics invariably says that mobile ecommerce will be at the center stage of business. Naturally, as a mobile app development company, we are tempted to have a look at the key ecommerce mobile app trends that are going to rule 2017 and beyond.

1. Shopping experience with VR and AR

Until now virtual and augmented reality implementation has been common in mobile games. Partially they have been implemented in a few retail space as well, but VR and AR are far from becoming mainstream among the ecommerce apps. But with the potential they offer to supplement the retail shopping experience, VR and AR soon can take lead in many ecommerce apps and there is profound indication that they will lead the online shopping scene in the time to come. Picking up goods from a virtual store while still sitting at home in your night suit is a reality that is going to be common in the time to come. Faster access to products, better marketability, extensive reach and quicker checkout process are some of the biggest draws of VR and AR based shopping experience. It is to watch how iPhone and Android app development services utilise VR and AR for the ecommerce apps.

2. More payment options

Offering a variety of payment options to your customers you can make the sales process easier and convenient. Well, with online shopping you are likely to target bigger and wider audience across the globe and naturally you need to make payment easier from a variety of locations and situations.  While debit and credit cards and internet banking are already the most accepted and widely recognized payment options across the globe, you still need to accommodate people who feel insecure while paying with cards. For some countries and regions, you can facilitate Cash on Delivery and allow alternative payment options like PayPal, Google Wallet, Apple Pay, V.me from Visa, MasterPass from MasterCard, Bitcoin payment option, Paytm, etc.

3. Chat help while shopping

We all get confused with too many choices while shopping. That is when some store people come to aid by explaining various aspects of each choice and soon side-passing confusion we start thinking logically on every choice on offer. To avoid such confusion in online shopping discussing with friends and dear ones through a chat function can be immensely helpful. Chat function is expected to be a common thing in the majority of ecommerce apps in the time to come. The majority of Android and iPhone app development services are you expected to introduce chat function in the ecommerce apps.

4. Contextual shopping

While browsing products looking for the things that we need or prefer we often get disappointed with all the options that we need to bypass only to get to the things we need. What happens if the ecommerce app just delivers us the choices we need or allow us to pay faster by making available the payment option that we generally choose. Yes, that is what we call as contextual shopping. While creating more personalized experience is crucial to business conversion, contextual shopping will continue to grow in popularity.

5. Extensive voice search

2017 will be the year when all ecommerce apps will target one thing and it is nothing but customer convenience.  Voice search is the kind of feature that makes shopping more convenient than any other ways. Voice search allows people shop while driving, walking, or engaging in any actions. It is always easier and quicker to talk than type and this why voice search will be the main feature of ecommerce apps on 2017 and beyond.

As the role of smartphones is going to be stronger in delivering a standout shopping experience, it is the innovative approach that will make some apps win over the rest. Immersive shopping experience with faster checkout process will hold key to the success of mobile commerce.