E-commerce Mobile Application Development: Steps & Benefits

The growing lifestyle of online shopping itself promotes e-commerce mobile application development. According to Statista, there are 6.65 billion smartphone users worldwide, which means about 84% of people own a smartphone today. The reality is that, today, at least one ecommerce app exists in the smartphones of the majority of people. A study found that 67% of online shoppers are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly eCommerce site or app. On the other hand, 61% of shoppers will leave if the store isn’t mobile-friendly. Today, many businesses want to develop e-commerce apps.

After knowing this relevance, here we will try to understand the steps and benefits of e-commerce applications development for mobile devices. Not only that, we will cover all the important factors related to e commerce mobile app development.

Reasons to Hire ecommerce Mobile App Development Services

Some may ask if it is beneficial to invest in e-commerce mobile application development and feel doubt to move ahead. If you are also among that, here is the answer for you.

1. Growing Market Opportunity

Online shopping is bigger than ever, and it’s only getting bigger. Having an app makes sure your business stays ahead and reaches more people every day.

2. Sell in All 7 Continents

Why limit yourself? An eCommerce app lets you sell to customers all over the world, no matter where they are. More reach means more sales!

3. Stronger Brand Presence & Credibility

Having your own app makes your business look professional and legit. Customers trust brands with apps more than just websites, which means more sales for you.

4. 24/7 Customer Engagement

An app keeps your store open all the time. Whether it’s midnight or early morning, customers can browse, buy, and interact with your brand anytime.

5. Higher Conversion Rates

Apps are faster, easier to use, and make checkout smooth. That means more people actually complete their purchases instead of leaving halfway through.

6. Better Customer Data & Insights

With an app, you can see what your customers like, how they shop, and what keeps them coming back. That info helps you sell smarter.

7. Cost-Effective Marketing

Why spend big on ads when you can send free push notifications? An app lets you promote deals, updates, and new products directly to customers.

8. Easy Integration with Social Media

People love sharing their favorite finds. An app makes it easy for customers to post about your products, leave reviews, and shop straight from social media.

Do you know? There are about 1,600 eCommerce apps (not counting big marketplaces or grocery apps) that get 3,000+ downloads per month in each country. In total, there were 4.6 billion eCommerce app downloads between October 2022 and April 2024—that shows a lot of shopping happening on mobile!

All these are the answers for your concern on the benefits of investing in e commerce mobile app development.

12 Steps to Develop an E-commerce Mobile Application

1. Define Your Business Goals and Requirements

Before starting development, clarify what you want to achieve. Are you targeting a niche market, planning global expansion, or integrating AI-driven features? Defining these goals helps shape your app’s functionality.

2. Fix Your Budget

Set a clear budget for your app development. Consider costs for design, development, testing, marketing, and future updates. A well-planned budget prevents overspending and ensures smooth execution.

3. Choose Your E-commerce App Category

Decide what type of e-commerce app you want to build—B2B, B2C, marketplace, subscription-based, or single-brand store. Your choice will determine the features and user experience.

4. Conduct Market Research & Competitor Analysis

Analyze competitors and industry trends. Study features offered by e-commerce mobile application development companies to understand market demands and identify unique opportunities for your app.

5. Make a Clear Project Plan

Outline a step-by-step roadmap for development. Define milestones, deadlines, and responsibilities. A structured plan ensures smooth progress and minimizes delays.

6. Choose the Right Technology Stack

Picking the right tech stack is crucial for performance and scalability. Popular choices include:

• Frontend: React Native, Flutter
• Backend: Node.js, Django
• Database: Firebase, MongoDB, PostgreSQL
• Payment Gateway: PayPal, Stripe

7. Focus on UI/UX Design for a Seamless Experience

A clean, user-friendly design is key to keeping customers engaged. Prioritize:

• Easy navigation
• Quick checkout process
• Responsive design for all devices

8. Start the Development Phase

This is where coding begins. If you don’t have an in-house team, working with an e-commerce mobile app development company ensures high-quality development within your budget.

9. Integrate AI-Driven Features

Leverage AI-driven e-commerce mobile app development for personalized recommendations, chatbots, fraud detection, and smart search functionalities to improve user experience.

10. Perform Testing and Quality Assurance

Before launching, run thorough testing to catch bugs and optimize performance. Use both automated and manual testing to ensure a smooth user experience.

11. Deploy and Submit to App Stores

Once testing is complete, launch your app on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Ensure it meets their guidelines to avoid delays or rejections.

12. Provide Post-Launch Support and Regular Updates

Continuous updates based on customer feedback keep your app relevant and user-friendly. Partnering with e-commerce mobile app development services ensures long-term success.

Key Features of E-commerce Apps

The ultimate aim of adding features in the ecommerce app is to offer an easy, fun, and stress-free online shopping experience for your customers. For that, your ecommerce app at least needs the following features.

Simple Login

Nobody likes wasting time signing up. Let users log in with one tap using Google, Apple, or social media so they can start shopping right away.

User Profiles

A personal account lets customers save their details, track orders, and get recommendations based on what they like. The more personalized, the better the shopping experience!

Easy Search

Nobody wants to scroll forever! A good search bar helps users find what they need fast. Add filters and voice search to make it even smoother.

Smart Filters

Customers want what they want—fast. Filters help them sort by price, brand, size, color, and more so they don’t waste time browsing stuff they don’t need.

Multiple Payment Options

Credit card? PayPal? Buy now, pay later? The more payment choices, the better. People love flexibility, and a smooth checkout means more sales for you!

Push Notifications

Want to remind customers about a sale, a new product, or an abandoned cart? Notifications keep them in the loop—but don’t spam, or they’ll turn them off!

Shopping Cart

A simple cart lets users review what they’re buying, apply discounts, and choose delivery options. A "save for later" feature also keeps them coming back.

Flexible Shipping

Fast shipping, standard delivery, store pickup—customers love options. Give them control over how and when they get their orders, and they’ll keep coming back.

Smooth Checkout

Nothing kills a sale faster than a complicated checkout. Keep it quick with saved payment details, one-tap pay, and guest checkout for new shoppers.

E-commerce Mobile App Development Cost

Another thing to consider while developing an e-commerce app is the e-commerce app development cost. The e-commerce mobile app development cost varies based on factors like:

Features & Complexity

More advanced features mean higher development costs.

Technology Stack

The choice of programming languages, frameworks, and tools affects expenses.

Developer Expertise

Hiring experienced developers or an e-commerce mobile app development company costs more but ensures quality.

Geographic Location

Developer rates differ across regions (e.g., UK developers charge more than developers in India).

Design & UI/UX

Custom, high-end designs require more time and investment.

Third-Party Integrations

Payment gateways, chatbots, and analytics tools add to the budget.

App Security Measures

Stronger security (SSL encryption, fraud detection) increases costs but protects user data.

Platform Choice

Developing for Android, iOS, or both affects overall expenses.

Maintenance & Updates

Ongoing updates and bug fixes require additional investment.

Marketing & Launch Costs

Promoting your app through ads and influencers adds to your budget.

On average, an e-commerce app can cost between $25,000 and $300,000 depending on the scope.

Case Study: Bhavika Mart’s E-commerce App crafted by Fulminous Software

Bhavika Mart is an online shopping app that sells fruits, vegetables, and groceries. With online shopping growing fast, they wanted a strong digital presence to reach more customers.

To make this happen, they teamed up with Fulminous Software, a top e-commerce app development company, to build and launch a user-friendly online store. Our team at Fulminous Software took full ownership of the project, from initial concept to final deployment.

Technology We used

We leveraged cutting-edge technologies to ensure a high-performance platform:

• Mobile App Development: Used React Native to build a cross-platform app for Android and iOS.
• Web Development: Developed a responsive website using Angular for a seamless user experience.
• Backend & Infrastructure: Implemented .NET Core, AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda), and MS-SQL for a scalable, secure backend.
• Deployment & CI/CD: Used Docker & GitHub CI/CD pipeline for efficient deployment and maintenance.

Key Features Implemented

To differentiate Bhavika Mart in a crowded market, several unique features were integrated:

• Cross-Device Compatibility: Ensured adaptability across various devices for a seamless shopping experience.
• Advanced Filtering and Sorting: Enabled users to efficiently navigate products based on preferences.
• Comprehensive Product Descriptions: Included text, images, and videos to provide detailed product information.
• Ratings and Reviews: Established a platform for customer feedback to build trust and inform purchasing decisions.
• Shopping Cart and Checkout: Designed an intuitive cart and checkout process to enhance user convenience.
• Multiple Payment Methods: Offered various secure payment options to cater to diverse customer preferences.
• Order Tracking: Provided real-time tracking to keep customers informed about their purchases.

The owners of Bhavika Mart are super happy with Fulminous Software for going above and beyond their expectations. The business keeps growing, bringing in steady sales, ad revenue, and commissions from partner stores.

With Fulminous making it easy for partner stores to add products, more stores are joining every day. Bhavika Mart now delivers thousands of products every month across 27+ cities, with 35,000+ users and 250+ partner stores.

Conclusion

Seeing all the above-mentioned information, now you may feel it's a wise idea to invest in e-commerce mobile application development. Yes, it is. But you need to collaborate with any e commerce mobile application development companies for a smooth journey.

As the top ecommerce website development company in the USA, we offer the best ecommerce mobile app development services. Not only in the USA, Fulminous Software is a top-notch ecommerce mobile app development company across the 7 continents. It's not an exaggeration, we have clients across the globe.

Do you have ecommerce app idea? If you are looking for affordable and high-quality ecommerce mobile app development services, contact us now. Do you have any thoughts on e-commerce app development? Share your insights in the comments and don’t forget to share this article on social media!

Frequently Asked Questions about E-commerce Mobile Application Development

Q1. How much does e-commerce mobile app development cost?

The e-commerce mobile app development cost ranges from $25,000 to $300,000, depending on complexity and platform selection.

Q2. How long does e-commerce mobile application development take?

The timeline for e-commerce mobile application development varies. A basic app may take 3-4 months, while an advanced AI-driven e-commerce mobile app development project with personalized features can take 6-12 months.

Q3. Which platform should I choose for my e-commerce mobile app development—Android or iOS?

Choosing between Android app and iOS app depends on your expected audience. To maximize reach, consider cross-platform development. Many e-commerce mobile application development companies use frameworks like React Native or Flutter for cost-effective solutions.

Q4. What key features should an e-commerce mobile application development include?

An e-commerce mobile app development company typically includes features like simple login, smart search, multiple payment options, seamless checkout, AI-driven recommendations, real-time order tracking, and push notifications.

Q5. Can I integrate third-party payment gateways into my e-commerce app?

Yes, integrating payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and Razorpay is common in e-commerce mobile app development services to offer secure and flexible payment options to customers.

Q6. Why choose Fulminous Software over other e-commerce mobile application development companies?

As a top e-commerce website development company in the USA, Fulminous Software also provides cost-effective end-to-end e-commerce mobile app development services.

• Mobile Application Development Services

• Software Maintenance & Support Services

• Software Consulting Development Services

• IoT Development Services

• Website Development Services

• Digital Marketing Services

• Web Designing Service Company

• SEO Services Company