Shopify’s Mobile SDK lets you get your online store onto phones and tablets

There’s An App For That

More people use their phones for ecommerce than their computers, so if your Shopify store is only available from a desktop, or your mobile site is clunky, you’re missing out. The latest for many e-retailers is to have a dedicated app available on the Android or Apple app stores, with full mobile purchasing capabilities. 

Why Have An App?

Having an online presence these days includes having a mobile presence. That’s standard. People expect that you’ll have a mobile-friendly version of your website that they can access from their phones. For many, a mobile-friendly website is probably sufficient, and Shopify already includes mobile-friendly features for any user. 

Apps are slightly different – they’re downloaded from a marketplace like the iOS App Store or Android Market, and they stay on your customer’s device until they are uninstalled. They are ideal for certain features that just aren’t met by a website. In particular, if your business requires users to return often, or save information, an app might be a better choice. 

For example, say your business offers online lectures or 30 minute courses that your customers can access anywhere. Having an app instead of just a mobile site will let your customers save videos they like to access offline, make collections and playlists, etc. With the Shopify Buy integration, your customers would be able to purchase additional videos in-app with a fully streamlined process. 

If you already have an app but don’t have an ecommerce store, integrating with Shopify is a way to monetise the content you already have, and add the ability to make purchases within the app. Shopify gives you the latest in online store management, including the ability to scale up and expand through other sales channels. 

What The Mobile SDK Does

The Mobile Software Development Kit available through Shopify allows you to connect a mobile app with your Shopify store using a few lines of code. Your customers will be able to browse through your app and easily purchase directly, while still syncing all of your inventory and operations as usual. 

It uses a similar mechanism to the Buy Button that you can put anywhere online -- meaning you can choose which products and collections you want shown, customise the checkout experience and fully integrate purchasing features into the aesthetics of your app. 

Add the Mobile App Sales Channel

One of the main mantras of Shopify is integration. By adding every place you sell as a “sales channel” you can find out how each one is doing through your Shopify admin. You’ll be able to see how many of your sales (and of what) are coming from your app, compared to coming from Amazon sales, Facebook sales, your direct site, etc. With this kind of data, you’re better equipped to market smarter and put your resources where they’ll have the biggest impact. 

Looking For An App Developer For Your Shopify Store?

Elkfox is a registered Shopify Plus Expert. That means we know all the ins and outs of developing apps for Shopify store owners. Get in touch to learn more about how we can transform your store into an app -- or your app into a store -- with the powerful Shopify platform.