Mobile App for an Online Store: When It Pays Off and What to Include
Basics4 minInnovialabs editorial team
In short
An app pays off when a store has many repeat purchases and a loyal base it can bring back with push notifications and rewards; new buyers are better won by a fast mobile site, and the app must run on the same data as the site and 1C.
The short answer
A mobile site and an app solve different problems:
- the mobile site brings in new buyers from search, ads and social media — nothing to install;
- the app keeps existing customers and helps them come back more often.
So the question is not "site or app" but "does the store have enough regular customers for an app to pay back its development and upkeep".
App vs mobile site
| Criterion | Mobile site | App |
|---|---|---|
| First contact with a buyer | Straight from search and ads | Has to be installed first |
| Repeat visits | Via ads, emails, bookmarks | Home screen icon, push notifications |
| Speed and convenience | Depends on optimization | Usually higher, data is saved |
| Sign-in and payment | Again each time, or via cookies | Saved account, quick reorder |
| SEO | Yes | No, only store search (ASO) |
| Updates | Instant | Through store review |
| Costs | One product | Another product, two platforms, maintenance |
When an app pays off
Signs that it's time:
- Purchases repeat — groceries, cosmetics, kids' goods, pet supplies, pharmacy, household goods. The more often people come back, the more the home screen icon is worth.
- You have a loyalty program, or should launch one: points and a card on the phone are a strong reason to install.
- Push notifications add value rather than spam: order status, a price drop on a saved item, a product back in stock.
- You have physical stores: the app replaces the plastic card and connects online and offline purchases.
- Your mobile site already works well, and growth is limited by retention rather than acquisition.
When it's too early:
- purchases are rare and one-off (furniture, large appliances);
- the mobile site is slow or awkward — fix it first;
- there is no budget for promoting installs and post-launch support.
Essential features
Core:
- a catalog with fast search and filters;
- product pages with stock, variants (size, color) and reviews;
- a cart synced with the website;
- checkout: delivery, pickup, online payment;
- account, order history, reorder;
- favorites.
Retention:
- push notifications — segmented, with settings in the profile;
- a points balance and loyalty card;
- personal promo codes;
- deep links — so a link from an email or ad opens the right product in the app.
For physical goods you can use your own payment gateway — App Store and Google Play in-app purchases are not required for them.
Integration with your store and 1C
The key rule: the app must not have its own separate catalog. It works with the same data as the website.
A typical setup:
- 1C remains the source of products, prices and stock.
- The store backend (a CMS or a custom platform) receives data from 1C and serves it to the website and the app via an API.
- App orders go to the same place as website orders and then on to 1C.
- Account, cart, points and history are shared between the website and the app.
If your current platform has no proper API, one has to be built — often the largest part of the project.
Common mistakes
- An app that just wraps the website: stores reject such builds, and users see no reason to install.
- Separate prices or stock in the app — the buyer sees one thing, and something else turns up when the order is packed.
- Mass push campaigns without segmentation: people turn notifications off and delete the app.
- No analytics: nobody knows how much revenue comes from the app.