eCommerce Customer Journey: A Complete Guide for Business Growth

eCommerce has completely transformed how people do online shopping. Moreover, it has hugely affected the shopping habits of customers. Now, customers love to purchase most things from the comfort of the couch.
It has become essential for a small to a large online retail store to adopt the latest eCommerce trends. “If not, they will not be in the race anymore.”
If you also want to grow in the eCommerce world, then implement the trending things per the audience’s needs.
“One of the primary trends is to have a mobile app for your Shopify store.”
If you still hesitate, we will discuss several reasons why you should turn your Shopify store into a mobile app.
In today’s modern technological world, having an eCommerce mobile app is not a luxury anymore. Instead, it has become a necessity. With the rising usage of smartphones, not having a mobile app results in losing plenty of potential customers.
As per Statista, retail mCommerce sales in the U.S. reached over $5641 billion in 2024. This figure is expected to nearly double by 2027, potentially surpassing $856 billion. As time progresses, e-commerce is set to represent an increasing share of total retail sales in the U.S.​
According to Pew Research Center, 91% of Americans are smartphone users. This means that these users exclusively access the internet using smartphones. These statistics tell us that the future of eCommerce is heavily dependent on the mobile-first or even mobile-only users.​
A Shopify mobile app leverages the platform’s core benefits, like seamless integrations and scalability, to boost revenue. Features such as easy checkouts and customized recommendations based on their search history or purchase history provide a personalized experience that will lure customers to your app, increasing the possibility of making a purchase.
The Shopify eCommerce mobile app will also help you increase your revenue. Features such as easy checkouts and customized recommendations based on their search history or purchase history provide a personalized experience that will lure customers to your app, increasing the possibility of making a purchase.
Are you still thinking about whether the mobile app would be beneficial or not? Don’t worry! Let us know your requirements to turn your store into an amazing mobile app. Our experts will guide you.
Get a Free ConsultationWith the increasing popularity of eCommerce, it is plausible that more and more enterprises start developing Shopify mobile apps. Let us discuss a few benefits of having a Shopify mobile app.
You are offering an app as a part of your sales process, which means that customers have an alternative way to purchase from you. This can increase your Shopify store sales. Additionally, customers are more likely to buy something if they are familiar with your brand.
There is no doubt that an eCommerce website developed from the Shopify platform performs exceptionally well. However, personalized Shopify eCommerce mobile apps are a lot faster and quicker than a website. Often, content in the mobile app is loaded faster than the website, creating an outstanding experience for customers.
Most of the Shopify mobile apps are highly scalable. This offers an opportunity to integrate more features into the eCommerce mobile app. These features range from improving the shopping experience to aiding backend support.
Having a Shopify mobile app enhances brand visibility and fosters a sense of convenience and accessibility.
This convenience factor can increase customer loyalty as users are more inclined to engage with a brand readily available at their fingertips.
Over time, the repeated interactions mobile app facilitates can build stronger brand-customer relationships, encouraging customers to return and remain loyal to the brand.
Integration opportunities for mobile apps are essential for creating a seamless and feature-rich user experience.
For example, by accessing the device’s camera for scanning barcodes, apps can enable users to easily compare prices, access product information, or even perform tasks like mobile banking with a quick scan.
Using GPS for location-based offers allows businesses to target users with relevant promotions or services based on their real-time location, enhancing personalization and engagement.
Moreover, integration with social media platforms enables users to effortlessly share products or experiences with their networks, amplifying brand exposure and fostering social engagement within the app’s ecosystem.
These integrations improve user convenience and open new avenues for businesses to connect with and cater to their audience.
Here we have explained different ways to turn your Shopify store into a mobile app and their benefits. Check them in detail and choose the best as per your needs.
To build an app from scratch, you must go with custom mobile app development. Here, the development team you hire understands your business and develops a mobile app that helps you achieve business goals.
Here are some benefits of converting your store into an app with custom app development.
You are the sole owner of your app: All the essential documents, images, videos, resources, etc., belong to you.
Unique Design: With custom development, you can design your app effectively and offer a top-notch experience to the users.
High Scalability: Apps built with a plugin or SaaS platform offer little scalability. On the other hand, you can efficiently scale an app developed using a custom development approach.
Enhanced Security: You can store all of your necessary data in a secure place.
100% Customizable: In custom development, you can update the app per your business requirements and needs. It helps you to analyze all the essential things about your app. You can keep things that users love and remove all that users don’t like. You can also add features based on your potential audience’s needs or trending features available in the market. It helps you to reach a wider audience and grow your business.
Easy to Maintain: In the case of a custom app development approach, you own the app and maintain it accordingly.
It is the best approach for converting your Shopify store into a mobile app. When choosing a custom app development approach, you can easily convert your store into a successful mobile app.
Also, you will not face any issues in scaling your mobile app. However, you can hire a Shopify development company that develops your Shopify store app from scratch. You need to invest more time and money than in a plugin or a SaaS platform.
Plugins available on the Shopify App Store are called Shopify Apps. Generally, these plugins are built by developers or a team. You can utilize them to convert your store into a mobile app.
Converting your Shopify store into a mobile app using plugins has many benefits. They are as follows:
Now, let’s check some of the most popular online plugins to turn the Shopify store into a mobile app.
1. Vajro – Mobile App Builder
Vajro is one of the most popular eCommerce plugins to convert your store into a mobile app. You don’t have to do any coding.
It allows you to use the drag-and-drop elements to customize and develop a best-in-class Android or iOS Shopify store app.
With the help of push notifications, the plugin allows you to reduce cart abandonment rates, release new products, etc.
Rating: 4.9/5
Price: Starts from $149 per to $999 per month.
2. MageNative Shopify Mobile App
MageNative is another plugin that helps you convert your Shopify store into a feature-reach Android or iOS app.
It ensures that your app synchronizes well with the categories, products, etc. Moreover, the mobile app is fully compatible with the Magento store. MageNative aims to help businesses increase engagement and conversion through the mobile app.
Rating: 4.7/5
Free Trial: 30 Days
Cost: Starts from $49
3. Shopney – Mobile App Builder
Shopney is another well-known Shopify plugin for converting your store into a mobile app. It is the best solution for businesses that want to design a personalized mobile store, increase sales and move their business forward.
It allows you to convert your store into an Android or iOS app within a day. It has many unique features to build a customized app efficiently.
Rating: 4.9/5
Cost: Start from $149 per month
It depends on what you need. In the case of plugins, you are not the sole owner of the app you build with a plugin. Your app belongs to the plugin owner.
If you have a limited budget, plugins are the best option. Here, you just rent or pay a monthly fee.
There is no technical support whenever required. Yes, some plugins offer good support. Generally, the support is available for a limited time, after which you must pay.
SaaS stands for Software as a Service. It is a cloud-based service where you can access the software without worrying about installation and maintenance. This service is mainly available through different subscriptions.
In this model, as most things are available as ready-made modules, they are called constructors. The provider looks after the entire application and its security, availability, and performance, while businesses focus on growth strategies like SaaS link building to improve online visibility and attract more users.
Affordable: You don’t have to pay for hardware or maintenance costs. Moreover, it works on the pay-as-you-go model.
No coding skills needed: You don’t require any technical skills. You can utilize various layouts and modules available in SaaS to initiate development. Moreover, these platforms allow you to integrate different features available in eCommerce stores.
24*7 Accessibility: You can access a SaaS platform from any internet browser on any device.
Scalability: It allows you to scale your app anytime per your need.
Analytics: With the help of analytics, you can access the various essential reports of your app.
Let us go through some popular app builders to turn the Shopify store into an app.
1. Appy Pie – No Code Development Builder
Appy Pie is the most popular no-code development tool in the market. It is one of the best options to turn your Shopify store into a mobile app. It is cloud-based, and you don’t need any installation.
The app builder offers four pricing plans. The basic plan is free and allows you to create only HTML5 based apps that run on a smartphone. To develop an Android or iOS app, you will need to go with a paid plan.
Price: Starts from $36 per month and goes up to $120 per month.
2. TapCart – Mobile App Builder
Tapcart is one of the most popular mobile app builders that allows you to transform your Shopify store into a mobile app within a few minutes. It is trusted by various small to big Shopify brands across the world.
The app builder offers some exciting features. It provides an intuitive design tool and a drag-and-drop builder to customize your mobile app without coding skills.
Price: Starts from $250/month and goes up to $1200 per month
Free-Trial: 7-Days
3. PhobalApps – Mobile App Builder
PhobalApps is another well-known app builder to convert your Shopify store into a mobile app. The builder not only focuses on building the app but also on driving installs, establishing push notifications, enhancing app performance, etc. Simply put, it helps you get the most out of the mobile app. It is trusted by leading brands worldwide.
Its drag-and-drop builder allows you to develop great mobile apps without any coding. It provides more than 100+ features to automate your mobile app, such as 1-page checkout and more.
Price: Starts from $99/month and goes up to $799 per month
Free-Trial: Depends on the plan you choose
In this case, you do not own the app you develop. When you choose to go with a SaaS solution, you are bound to it. It means you have less freedom to migrate your store.
To migrate to another software provider, you must build your app again. The SaaS platform you choose doesn’t provide you with complete customization.
To integrate new features, you must wait for the software provider to release trending features.
You get limited support for any queries. To get more help, you have to pay extra charges.
Share your business requirements with us and get an exact quote to turn your Shopify store into a mobile app.
Get a Free QuoteMere building a Shopify Store app does not guarantee you get rapid growth in your product sale. You will need to promote your Shopify store mobile app using multiple channels to attract customers to install your app.
But how do you promote your Shopify Store App?
One of the essential tips to promote your Shopify store app is creating a catchy CTA (Call-to-action) on your website for users to install your mobile app. Your Shopify store website is the best place to promote your mobile app. Another way to promote the Shopify store app can be by optimizing your App store listing and offering exclusive discounts only for app users.
We hope you have understood the different ways of converting your Shopify store into an app. All three methods of turning the Shopify store into a mobile app have benefits and drawbacks.
Firstly, use a SaaS solution or plugins if you have a limited budget and want an immediate solution. Secondly, if you don’t have plans to update most things in the app, then also choose the SaaS platform or plugins.
Suppose you want to give next-level experience to your users and grow your business exponentially in a few years. In that case, you should contact a custom mobile app development service provider like us. We have delivered some of the best mobile apps to clients worldwide. Hence, we can understand your business briefly and provide you with the best possible solution that helps your business grow.
Undoubtedly, developing a mobile app for your Shopify store would be wise. Utilizing mobile commerce will double your eCommerce revenue.
Shopify App Builders are good but offer limited features and customization opportunities. On another side, If you go with custom development, it provides you with many opportunities like; a front-to-back process involving custom coding to create a unique and tailor-made mobile app. Moreover, it provides scalability, uniqueness, flexibility, and unlimited customization according to your business needs.
It can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 to create a mobile app for your Shopify store, depending on the features and functionality you want to include and your choice of platform and development team.
Yes, you can customize the design and features of your Shopify mobile app. You can work with a developer or use a mobile app builder to customize the app’s appearance and functionality to match your brand and meet your specific needs.