How to build a Shopify app for your online store

Launching an e-commerce store is no easy feat, so if you’ve managed to do it, you should be proud of yourself for turning your entrepreneurial vision into reality. While you’ve just cleared a major hurdle in getting started, the process of growing your business has only begun. You now need to optimize your web presence and take steps to expand into mobile commerce. 

Your customers expect you to have a mobile-optimized website, but you can really wow them with an app. Mobile apps are easier to use, and e-commerce shoppers often prefer them. The good news is that you can easily launch a store app for your business regardless of your budget. Keep reading to learn how to build a Shopify app and why you need a mobile version of your online store. 

How launching an app can boost your business

New e-commerce business owners often launch their websites and then take a break. Many of them consider an app a luxury and think adding one is a project that will take too much time and energy to execute. However, learning how to build a Shopify app for your brand might be easier than you think. 

Keep in mind that you aren’t building an app from scratch. You can choose from existing templates and follow tutorials that simplify the process. Don’t let the concept of app development dissuade you from adding one to your e-commerce business — this marketing tool is too valuable to overlook. 

“Mobile apps play an integral role in a customer’s opinion of your brand,” writes Kate Priestman, head of marketing at Global App Testing. “A great mobile app allows customers to have a brand’s product catalog and their personal shopping cart at their fingertips. This helps build rapport with your customers and, in turn, makes them come back for more because of their experience with your mobile app.” 

A mobile app gives customers several opportunities to engage with your brand. Rather than expecting every customer to use your desktop site or the mobile version of your desktop design, you give your shoppers the ability to use an app made specifically for their smartphone screens. This increases interest and engagement in your brand. 

“An amazing mobile app with the right functionality and concept attracts more customers, and more customers lead to more orders, which in the end increases profits,” says Virendra Sharma, cofounder and CEO at Emizentech. “Also, with push notifications, businesses can offer information to their customers and encourage them to make immediate orders.”

Your goal with your budding e-commerce business is to create an experience that brings customers back and turns them into brand advocates. A mobile app can help you turn new customers into loyal shoppers. 

How to build a Shopify app on any budget

You don’t have to be an expert programmer to figure out how to build a Shopify app. Many existing developers create templates and tools that make it easy for the average business owner to set up branded apps within a few hours. In fact, you might be surprised by how easy it is to turn your e-commerce website into a functioning app. 

“Because you have no experience with traditional app development, your preferred app builder must be accessible and simple to use,” says Subha Baburaj at Appmaker. “A drag-and-drop interface greatly simplifies the app creation process for newbies, so keep that in mind when selecting an app builder.”

For example, Jotform offers a similar solution if you want to create an online store app. This template is free and doesn’t require any coding knowledge on your part. 

There are multiple e-commerce app templates available to you, depending on your timeframe and budget. Kamil Krzywda at web and mobile development company Naturaily breaks down the different Shopify options and who benefits from each one like so:

• Public apps are freely available to use and serve as templates that customers recognize. 
• Custom apps are specifically made for a merchant, so you can’t find them in the Shopify store. Developers don’t need access to your Shopify admin to create one of these.
• Private apps are also made for specific merchant types and aren’t available in the store, but these do require Shopify admin access for developers.

If you’re just trying to turn your existing e-commerce website into a mobile app, then you likely don’t need any custom app development. Instead, you can choose from several public apps that already exist and then modify them with your branding and business information. 

At this point, it’s more important to get an app up and running than it is to focus on delivering unique features. There will always be time to improve your app once you start making money from it, and it’s better to make money first before adding to your expenses.

“Don’t buy a premium theme until you’ve generated enough sales for it to be paid for through your ecommerce business,” advises Tomas Slimas, entrepreneur and angel investor. “There’s no need to make big purchases in the beginning. You can still create a beautiful website through your banner graphic, color scheme, and other visual elements. You can also use a free logo maker to create a beautiful logo for your store in a matter of minutes.”

Running an e-commerce store involves managing multiple moving elements to succeed. You don’t need to waste your time, budget, and energy building a complete app when modifying an existing template will produce the same results. 

Why you shouldn’t neglect app optimization 

Getting an app up and running is impressive, but it isn’t a “set it and forget it” tool. You may need to dedicate a few hours each month to optimize, improve, and troubleshoot various problems that arise for users. For example, there’s nothing worse than having a slow app or website, especially when you’re trying to convince customers to buy from you.

“Few online businesses realize that a slow-loading website may ruin their business from the start,” writes the team at Rentech Digital. “Customers dislike sluggish websites and frequently seek alternative market participants as a result of a negative user experience.” 

They also note that if a website takes more than three seconds to load, 40 percent of visitors will leave before they access the content. That means you could waste almost half of your marketing efforts to bring customers to your Shopify app just because your site is slow. 

Investing time in improving your app can increase the number of positive interactions with your brand. A good experience can bring shoppers back and convince them that your app is a valuable asset for meeting their buying needs. 

How to easily build an app for your business 

You don’t need a large budget or a development team to launch an app for your e-commerce brand. Even if you’re a solopreneur trying to market a few products, you can easily keep an app running and driving sales. So look into how to build a Shopify app, but don’t forget to look for free alternatives as well, like the online store app templates from Jotform. You might be surprised by what a difference an app makes. 

Photo by: pressfoto