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Progressive Web App (PWA) in Ecommerce

By Weby Ditor | Dec. 7, 2020

Since the introduction of Progressive Web Apps in 2015, there ara a lot of companies that have taken advantage of this technology. This technology are able to provide a highly-engaging user experiences of an app without the same development costs and at the same time reaching new user bases. It have been used large by huge companies such as Twitter, Alibaba, Walmart and more to get high conversion rate and increase revenues. Some of these large companies has claimed that building a great mobile experiences is an indispensable part of its success and this enables them to grow three times faster. Any businesses can take advantage of this technology to make an app-like experience for their customers and grow their audience.

What Is PWA?

Progress Web Apps or PWA is a technology that enables companies to build web applications that have the look and feel of mobiles apps while using web technologies such as Javascript, HTML, CSS, etc.. It runs in a browser but give users the experience of a native app through key features like access to the app through the mobile home screen, offline app access, push notifications and more. It is a combined approach of developing a platform that operates as an application as well as a website.

Why PWA technology is the future of Ecommerce?

Marketing efforts alone are not sufficient to ensure you are reaching customers. As a merging technology changing the way consumer experience on the go ecommerce, prominent businesses are focusing on enhancing user experience with PWA platform. The following are the factors of ecommerce when the costumers browse through your site:

1. Customer conversion rate

2. More page visits

3. Increase amount of time spent on site

4. Higher engagement

5. All of the above has to be achieved with lower data usage.

What are the benefits of Ecommerce PWA Platform?

A. Offers a quicker release time

PWA are designed with reusable codes, wherby developers can use the same codes and modules in quick succession. Additionally, as the app primarily redirects to the original ecommerce site, the groundwork has already been laid. For ecommerce business owners who want to offer their customers native app like features, implement a PWA may prove to be the most efficient alternative to developing a native mobile app or mobile friendly website.

B. No installation required

PWAs are primarily websites and are accessed on browsers only. It avoids the lengthy process of installations. Similar to surfing a website, the users can view the pages quickly, navigate to different sections of the app and complete a seamless checkout process.

C. One-size-fits-all

PWAs can be accessed on any browser like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera Mini and more. Therefore, anyone can make it work across all browsers or any specific one of your choice that brings in more traffic to your ecommerce site.

D. Native App-like Experience

The coolest thing about PWA is that it doesn’t look like a usual web page that is opened inside a browser window. It works and looks similar to the native app, thus, making it truly compelling. It also employs smartphone features of users like contacts, cameras, maps and many more.

E. Quick Loading

Caching ability is one of the distinctive features of PWAs over native apps. PWA makes speedy responses possible by storing the repetitive elements and then later when required, can inject them into the browser. This makes an ecommerce site more user-friendly and loads up pages quickly.

F. Lower data consumption

PWA loads quickly. It leverages new, open web APIs to deliver a mobile web experience that uses less data but loads fast, thus, re-engages users in multiple ways.

G. Enhance Visibility

Your native app "sleeps" in the app store while your customers may be searching for you on their browsers. This diversion is overcome by PWAs, as they offer the same app functions as searchable web pages.

H. Reach a wider audience

PWAs are designed to work for every user, regardless of what platform they’re on. They’re also responsive to fit different size screens. Since they’re instantly accessible to a wide audience and easy to share through a link, more people adopt them than would take the time to download an app.

Conclusion

PWAs promise a lot in the coming future. Features like the ease of use, lightweight functionality, and less demand on resources deter users from seeking an alternative technology. With mobile phones being heavily embedded in most aspects of our lives, the device is fundamentally changing how we shop. Our demand for better and highly engaging user experiences, instant loading times, instant access to information and network independence is growing rapidly.

Business owners can’t ignore the combination of the immersive experience offered by native apps coupled with the reach of and ease of access to the internet that PWA’s are providing us. Getting started with Progressive Web Apps is not something which should be delayed any longer.

With minimum required investments and a record speed time-to-market, anyone can start to drastically change the experience they deliver to their audience today, increasing conversion rates — and ultimately improving their bottom-line results.

Want to get started with PWA Ecommerce?

Getting a head start with PWA is going to be the go-for-option to everyone looking to increase mobile conversions. If you really want to deliver a rich and faster shopping experience to your customers then getting PWAs developed for your ecommerce store will benefit you without any doubt. PWA along with an excellent shopping cart app development solution will yield you more than you invested in for sure.

Our web design team at Go4Global provides PWA website design and development services to help brands like yours reach new audiences online. Contact us today.