How to Convert Your Demandware Site Into A Mobile App

In 2023, turning a Demandware store into a mobile app is no longer an option – it’s a necessity.

The growth of mobile ecommerce and the success of those who have already transitioned to mobile has made it absolutely clear that having an app is the most effective way to reach and work with customers. Developing a custom native app can be a costly exercise, but modern mobile app builders make it simpler and more affordable than ever before.

Whether you’re new to the world of apps or a seasoned entrepreneur looking for ways to harness the power of mobile ecommerce, this post will show you how to leverage the power of a Demandware mobile app for your business.

Keep reading to learn more.

Why You Need a Mobile App

Mobile dominates more than 72% of the ecommerce market share, a significant increase from slightly above 52% within the span of five years.

This aligns with the ongoing trend of mobile internet usage, which progressively favors mobile devices each year. Currently, mobile holds over 60% market share compared to desktop and tablet.

Furthermore, 15% of Americans exclusively rely on smartphones for internet access. This signifies the future of ecommerce, where customers are not just primarily mobile users but solely reliant on mobile devices.

While optimizing your website for mobile is a good starting point, it is not sufficient. Mobile apps deliver a superior user experience, leading to improvements in various essential metrics, including:

• Enhanced conversion rates
• Increased average order value
• Greater number of products viewed per session

Additional data demonstrates that users of ecommerce mobile apps are twice as likely to revisit the store within 30 days compared to those utilizing mobile browsers.

Mobile apps also provide the valuable feature of push notifications, which exhibited an average of 20% open rates and 28% click-through rates in 2021.

Plus, apps offer an effective means to nurture and engage loyal, repeat customers.

Do you necessarily need to transform your Demandware store into a mobile app? Maybe not. However, a Demandware mobile app can yield significant advantages for your business.

Can You Create Mobile Apps for Demandware?

You can’t generate a mobile app directly from Demandware. Demandware is solely for setting up webstores. To develop a mobile app using Demandware, you’ll need something else to make the connection, such as:

1. A third-party Demandware mobile app maker.
2. A technical service to convert your Demandware store into a mobile app.
3. A group of developers to produce apps for Android and iOS and link them to your Demandware store.

Can I Turn My Demandware Store into an App?

You can transform a Demandware store into a mobile application using any of the strategies outlined previously.

However, the majority of store owners might want to avoid the third option of hiring a group of developers. The primary reason for this is that mobile apps are costly. It requires anywhere from $30,000 to $150,000 to build a native app. Moreover, you’ll have to multiply that cost by two in order to launch apps for both Android and iOS (which you should).

Creating an app can be a challenging and costly process, especially when developers are required to build an API and establish a connection between the back end of your apps and your Demandware store.

It’s likely you don’t have the budget for this - and that’s before we calculate how much it costs each year to keep your app operational.

The Recurring Cost of Having an App

Most business owners don't think about the money they need to put towards keeping an app running - things like bug fixes, OS updates, Magento updates, new features and more will cost you at least 15-20% of the original cost each year. David Cost from Rainbow Apparel performed research on this and estimated that it could be as high as a million annually.

“If we had the resources, we would go for a custom native app, but that would cost half a million to a million every year to stay current.”

David Cost, VP of Marketing, Rainbow Apparel

Let's assume the cost of developing an app for both major platforms is $150,000 and that $30,000 should be allocated for maintenance yearly. That's often too much for the average store owner to invest, in addition to the extra effort required to manage multiple platforms compared to a website. Keeping track of changes across multiple platforms can be a real challenge and make your workflow unnecessarily complicated.

The Best Way to Turn Your Demandware Store into an App

The best choice is to convert your Demandware store into an app using a mobile app builder.

A mobile app builder will change your existing Demandware website to a close-to-native mobile app, which users can download and install on their mobile devices.

A top mobile app builder gives you a mobile app that supplies 90-95% of what you get with a native app, but cheaper and with less work. But, you should be aware that not all options on the market are appropriate for building high-traffic, professional mobile apps that represent your brand well.

How to Convert Demandware to App

If you’re a big brand like Nike, Target, or Zara, you likely have the resources to create native apps from the ground up. If not, MobiLoud is the way to go. It's straightforward, cost-effective, and quick. Plus, managing it is much more affordable and simpler on an ongoing basis.

Let's break it down step-by-step.

Step One: Preview Your App or Get a Free Consultation

You can begin the process in either of two ways.

1. You can jump in yourself to generate a free example of what your website will look like as an app, in the MobiLoud builder.
2. Alternatively, you can take part in a free consultation call with one of our app experts to discuss your project and get an overview of how the process will unfold.

In either case, you’ll find that 90% of the work to create your app is already done, as long as your website is already optimized for mobile.

If you need support optimizing your site, let us know and we'll be happy to help! This is a key step to make the rest of the process as effortless as possible.

Step Two: Work With Our Team to Build Your App

When you’re ready to begin building, sign up to MobiLoud. All our plans come with a 60-day money-back assurance, and no long-term commitment is necessary.

You’ll collaborate with our team to configure and design your app. Keep in mind that most of the labor has been done already. You don’t have to build a new UI from the ground up, just a few changes to make it look and act like a native app.

When you’re pleased, we’ll get to work and manufacture your mobile app. We manage every technical detail - you don’t have to write code or know anything about coding.

If you would like our team to handle the entire process, from beginning to finish, we can do that as well. Our full-service package includes all that is required to configure, design and publish your app, allowing you to be totally hands-off.

Step Three: Prepare for Launch

Once your app is finished, you'll be ready to launch it to the public. It's crucial to have a well-executed launch strategy to attract app downloads.

We offer resources to support your app's release, including assets for app store descriptions, launch announcements for your website and email subscribers, press releases, and more. Additionally, you can activate extra features at no additional cost, such as intelligent app banners and app-exclusive discounts, to encourage your existing customers to use the app for their shopping needs.

Step Four: Launch and Submit Your Apps to the App Stores

Ultimately, we'll launch your apps to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The submission process for these app stores is notoriously difficult, particularly for first-time app owners and developers. Nevertheless, we’ve gone through the procedure numerous times, and are familiar with it inside out.

Our team takes care of the app submission process with Apple and Google. We have a 100% app authorization guarantee and will handle multiple submissions if required. We also suggest and execute any necessary alterations. You don’t need to do anything.

Once your listings are active, you can officially start getting downloads and experiencing all the advantages of having your own Demandware mobile app!

Wrapping Up – Why You Should Use MobiLoud to Convert Your Demandware Store into a Mobile App

We are in the midst of a mobile revolution. Chances are, a significant portion of your revenue currently comes from mobile platforms. And if it doesn't, it will soon.

Your Demandware store requires more than just a website optimized for mobile devices. To maximize your earnings from mobile users, it is essential to provide your own branded app.

Today, transforming a Demandware store into a mobile app has become incredibly convenient if you approach it correctly. Instead of investing tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in mobile developers, MobiLoud offers an accessible and straightforward solution.

Let's summarize the key advantages of utilizing MobiLoud's Demandware app builder:

• It is significantly more affordable compared to custom app development.
• You can launch professional, top-quality apps in less than a month.
• Your apps will keep all the outstanding features of your website, including product collections, payment gateways, plugins, tools, themes, and more.
• Everything remains synchronized across the web, Android, and iOS platforms. Any modifications you make on your site will be immediately reflected in your apps.
• You can eliminate concerns about submitting your apps to the app stores because we guarantee approval.
• Our team will guide you through every step of the process, taking care of all the challenging tasks on your behalf.

With our user-friendly and code-free app builder, you can successfully launch your own shopping apps and join the ranks of the world's leading brands.

Feel free to reach out to us now to learn more about how we can assist you in launching an app for your Demandware store. Book a free, personalized demo, and one of our app professionals will walk you through the entire process.