The cost of
developing a mobile app for shoppers is prompting many retailers to opt for a
cheaper, albeit less personal, alternative: building a mobile-optimized
e-commerce website.
A new study
by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Forrester Research, as reported by CNBC, indicated that 58% of retail companies are placing a high priority on
mobile commerce this year but they’re balking at the expense. For a national retail
chain, that might top $2 million in development fees, not to mention the costs
to market the app to consumers.
A campus
bookstore could get a decent app for much less, maybe four figures, but that
would still represent a fairly large piece of the budget for such a store.
Retail apps
do boost online sales—possibly as much as 30% for some merchants—and help strengthen
customer loyalty to the store, according to the NRF/Forrester study, although
the bump may not compensate for the yearly maintenance and upgrade costs.
The
majority of shoppers are using apps to determine if sellers have certain
merchandise on hand. A mobile-friendly website, if designed correctly, can
provide the same information to consumers.
