3 Ways Retailers Are Improving Their Mobile Apps

For retailers, mobile apps are traditionally tricky territory. The general consensus is that it’s better to have a presence in an app store than to pass up the platform altogether, but only a retailer’s most loyal customer is going to download and use its app. “When apps first started, the assumption for retailers was that a majority of people would use it,” said Yory Wurmser, eMarketer’s retail analyst. “But it’s actually a minority. The average shopper is not going to download the app.” Indeed, considering the download and retention rates, investment in retailer mobile apps seems a dubious undertaking. However, brands are seeing some success with their more loyal customers. A February study on the state of mobile commerce by Criteo makes a case for how an app can drive business: The study found that for retailers who prioritize mobile apps, it’s worth it. Mobile app transactions accounted for 54 percent of all mobile transactions for the fourth quarter of 2015, while app shoppers spent more per order on average ($102) than both mobile Web ($92) and desktop shoppers ($100). Read more at Digiday.