How to Convert Your Zoho Commerce Site Into A Mobile App

It’s a fact: mobile ecommerce is on the rise. More and more people are using their phones to shop, and if your ecommerce store isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of potential revenue.

One effective way to tap into this mobile market is by turning your Zoho Commerce store into a mobile app. It might sound intimidating, but it’s easier than you might think. In fact, by 2023, having a mobile app might be critical for success.

By creating a mobile app, you open the door to a wider audience and more conversions. As we all know, easier access is key when it comes to shopping online, and a mobile app can give your customers exactly that. Plus, with a mobile app, you can offer personalized deals and promotions, making your customers feel more appreciated and likely to come back for more.

But how do you get started? The good news is, creating a mobile app for your Zoho Commerce store doesn’t have to be a huge investment. In fact, we have some tips and tricks to help you create a high-quality app for minimal cost.

Are you ready to grow your ecommerce business and tap into the mobile market? Keep reading to learn more.

Why You Need a Mobile App

Zoho Commerce makes up more than 72% of the total ecommerce market share, rising from just over 52% in the space of five years.

This follows the overall trend of mobile internet usage, which tips heavier each year in favor of mobile. Mobile now has around 60% of total internet traffic market share, and what's more, 15% of Americans today are smartphone-only, meaning they only access the internet via their mobile devices. This is the future of ecommerce – customers who aren’t just mobile-first, but mobile-only.

Optimizing your site for mobile is a start, but it’s not enough. Apps provide a superior user experience on mobile, which leads to increases in a number of key metrics, such as:

• Conversion rates are increased
• The average order value is higher
• More products are viewed per session

Additional data shows that ecommerce mobile app users are twice as likely to return to the store within 30 days, compared to those on mobile browsers.

Apps also offer the usage of mobile push notifications to their full extent, which have, on average, 20% open rates and 28% click-through rates.

Apps are also an excellent tool for nurturing loyal, repeat customers.

Do you “need” to turn your Zoho Commerce store into a mobile app? Perhaps not. But a Zoho Commerce mobile app can have massive benefits for your business."

Can You Create Mobile Apps for Zoho Commerce?

Directly publishing a mobile app from Zoho Commerce is not possible as it is designed for creating webstores. However, there are ways to build a mobile app using Zoho Commerce such as:

1. Using a third-party Zoho Commerce mobile app builder.
2. Using a tech-enabled service to convert your Zoho Commerce store into a mobile app.
3. Hiring a team of developers to create apps for Android and iOS and link them with your Zoho Commerce store.

Can I Turn My Zoho Commerce Store into an App?

There are methods to turn a Zoho Commerce store into an app, which we mentioned earlier.

However, we recommend that most store owners avoid the third option (hiring developers to build native apps). The primary reason for this is that mobile apps are costly. It can take anywhere between $20,000 to $150,000 to create a native app for just one operating system. Plus, you'll need to multiply this cost by two to launch apps for both Android and iOS (which you should).

Developing an app is time-consuming, complicated, and costly initially. It becomes even more challenging when your developers need to construct an API and connect the back end of your apps to your Zoho Commerce store.

You most likely don't have the budget for this, and that's not even considering how much it costs each year to maintain your app.

The Recurring Cost of Having an App

Did you know that when you launch an app, you'll need to keep shelling out cash year after year just to maintain it? Yup, you'll need to cover costs like OS updates, bug fixes, and new features. And it's not cheap either - these yearly expenses can add up to 15-20% of the initial app build cost. But wait, it gets worse. Depending on the app, these costs could spiral up to a million dollars per year - yikes!

According to David Cost, VP of Marketing at Rainbow Apparel, custom native apps can cost up to a million dollars per year to maintain.

Let's say you only spend a conservative $100,000 to build apps for both mobile platforms. Even then, you'd still need to budget $15,000 per year for updates and maintenance. That's a lot of dough, especially for small business owners.

Managing multiple platforms is a headache too. It triples the amount of work you need to do every time you want to make changes to your site. Instead of just focusing on your website, you'll need to juggle multiple platforms. This adds an unnecessary layer of complexity to your workflow.

Converting your store to a hybrid app with MobiLoud is the best solution to avoid this unnecessary expense and headache.

The Best Way to Turn Your Zoho Commerce Store into an App

The best option is to convert your Zoho Commerce store into an app using a Zoho Commerce mobile app builder.

A Zoho Commerce mobile app builder will transform your current Zoho Commerce website into a like-native mobile app, which customers can easily download and install on their mobile devices.

The top mobile app builders offer a mobile app that provides 90-95% of the features you get with a native app, but at a lower cost and with less hassle. However, it's important to note that not all options available are suitable for developing high-traffic, professional mobile apps that represent your brand well.

How to Convert Zoho Commerce to App

Are you a major player like Nike, Target, or Zara? Then, you might have the budget to hire someone to create your shopping app from scratch. But, if you're not one of those big brands, don't worry! MobiLoud is an excellent option for building your app. It's easy, cost-effective, and speedy. And, unlike other options, it won't break the bank to keep up with maintenance in the long run.

Wondering how the process works? Here's the breakdown, step-by-step.

Step One: Preview Your App or Get a Free Consultation

You have two options to get started.

1. Generate a free preview of your website as an app using the MobiLoud builder.
2. Alternatively, schedule a free consultation call with one of our app experts to discuss your project and get an overview of the process.

Regardless of which option you choose, 90% of the work to create your app is already complete if your site is optimized for mobile.

If you need help optimizing your site, please let us know. This step is crucial to ensure a seamless rest of the process.

Step Two: Work With Our Team to Build Your App

If you're ready to get started, create an account with MobiLoud. Our plans offer a 60-day refund guarantee, and we don't require any long-term commitments.

Our team will collaborate with you to customize and design your app. Keep in mind that most of the work has already been done. You don't need to start from scratch, just a few changes to make it look and operate like a native app.

Once you're satisfied with the outcome, we'll start building your mobile app. We'll handle all the technical aspects - you don't need to write any code or have coding expertise.

If you want our team to handle the entire process, from start to finish, we can do that too. Our full-service package covers everything necessary to configure, design, and publish your app, allowing you to be completely hands-off.

Step Three: Prepare for Launch

After building your app, it's time to prepare for its launch to the public. A launch plan is crucial to draw people to download your app.

We offer various resources for app store descriptions, launch announcements for your website and email list, press releases, and other materials. Furthermore, you can enable extra features without any additional charges, such as smart app banners and exclusive app discounts to encourage current customers to make purchases through the app.

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

Finally, we will launch your applications to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The procedure for submitting your applications to these app stores is notoriously tough, particularly for first-time app owners and developers. However, we have gone through the process countless times and are well-versed in it.

Our team will handle the app submission process with Apple and Google on your behalf. We offer a 100% app approval guarantee and will manage multiple submissions if necessary, as well as recommend and implement any required modifications. You won't have to do anything.

Once your listings are live, you can officially begin receiving downloads and enjoying all of the benefits of having your own Zoho Commerce mobile app.

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

Mobile usage is rapidly increasing, and it's likely that most of your revenue comes from mobile users. If it doesn't yet, it will soon. To maximize your revenue, it's essential to have your own branded app in addition to a mobile-optimized website for your online store.

Fortunately, it's easier than ever to turn your Zoho Commerce store into a mobile app with MobiLoud's Zoho Commerce app builder. Instead of spending a small fortune on mobile developers, MobiLoud makes it incredibly accessible and straightforward.

Here are some of the main advantages of using MobiLoud's Zoho Commerce app builder:

 
• The cost is only a fraction of what custom app development would cost.
 
• You can launch top-quality, professional apps in less than a month.
 
• Your app will have every feature that makes your website great, including product collections, payment gateways, plugins, tools, themes, and more.
 
• Everything is synced across web, Android, and iOS. Any changes you make on your site will immediately reflect in your apps.
 
• You don't need to worry about submitting your app to app stores because we guarantee approval.
 
• Our team will assist you in every step of the way and do all the heavy lifting for you.

This easy-to-use, zero-code app builder enables you to launch your own shopping apps and stand alongside the world's most prominent brands in app stores.

Get in touch with us now to learn more about how we can help you launch an app for your Zoho Commerce store. Schedule a free, customized demo and one of our app specialists will guide you through the entire process.