It's good to know, however, that apps are not only Native (like the ones we usually download from various stores) but there is a valid alternative that for many will be the future of applications: Progressive Web App (PWA). The immediate advantage is that the user will be able to use it immediately without the need to download from the store.
Having said that, it becomes logical that turning your eCommerce into a Progressive Web App will help reduce the acquisition process and create a positive experience from mobile devices.
Let's find out what are all the features and benefits of Progressive Web Apps for eCommerce!
First of all, let's find out how to recognize them: at first glance, browsing on Chrome, Progressive Web Apps will have a small pc symbol with a downward arrow in the address bar, as visible in the image below.
Now that we can recognize a PWA, we can talk about the differences compared to a native app. First, PWAs use a web language that allows you to develop apps capable of adapting on various devices. With native apps, on the other hand, you need to create 2 apps in different programming languages, one for Android and another for iOS.
As mentioned before, a PWA is a totally independent third-party app. In fact, installing the PWA is quick and easy: with one click, users visiting the eCommerce URL from the browser of a mobile device will have the ability to add the app to the home screen by clicking an install button, without interrupting the conversion funnel. After that, the PWA will start behaving like a native app and the app icon will be visible on the home screen of the device.
Apps are constant companions in our days: we use them for general information, for assistance, to shop online or simply to share thoughts and emotions.
A PWA is developed with the same technologies used for classic websites: HTML, CSS and JavaScript. However, Progressive Web Apps have some peculiarities that make them ideal for the growth of your eCommerce:
Responsive: the graphics adapt to the size of any device;
Multiplatform: a single PWA can run on different operating systems (android, iOS, Windows, etc.);
Progressive: the application runs regardless of operating system, browser or device type. In practice, you can develop a site that works on both modern and older browsers;
Security: PWAs use secure Https URLs (verifiable by looking at the address bar), they ensure that all data is encrypted to always protect your information. The use of https secure protocol is mandatory since 2018 for eCommerce using Paypal but now necessary for any website, both for Trust and real security issues (even more so when online transactions are involved). In native Apps this is unknown to the user;
Ease of publishing: every PWA has the possibility to be installed on devices without necessarily publishing on Play Store or App Store, so there is no dependence on mobile app stores. Once installed, there is no noticeable difference between a PWA and a native app;
Fast implementation time: it is not necessary to make a version for each operating system
Convenience: developing PWAs is advantageous in terms of economic resources compared to creating native apps
Positioning on search engines: since Progressive Web Apps are actually a website, they are indexed on search engines and can therefore be processed by the crawlers of search engines. Through SEO techniques and strategies you can improve the positioning and make them popular and visible.
Linkable: being a website, we can easily share the URL with clients, colleagues and friends;
Re-engageable: through services such as push notifications, just like native apps, you can make the user interact with the Progressive Web App even when he is not visiting the website;
Network independent: all (good) smartphone apps work even if we are not connected to the Internet. The same behavior is also guaranteed by PWAs, which can also work offline;
In summary, PWAs are an excellent solution for eCommerce, blogs, management and all activities that require frequent user interaction.
Investing in a PWA means converting your eCommerce into a fast, intuitive and performant platform even from mobile, which will give your business an interesting competitive advantage that your users will love. Contact us to evaluate together if PWAs are the right solution for your project.
