Mobile apps accounted for 56% of web page views worldwide in 2021. Online store and marketplace owners should not miss the opportunity to use apps to drive traffic to their website. In this article, we will examine solutions for CS-Cart to get more mobile traffic.
How the CS-Cart app will help increase sales
Traffic from mobile devices to online stores already exceeds 50%. In any case, your store will benefit from an increase in visits due to the mobile segment. You get mobile traffic through:
- Responsive site that allows users to see the desktop version of the site, but adapted to the size of mobile devices.
- Mobile application
All themes for CS-Cart are already made responsive for mobile devices, but for the enhanced user experience, it is better to use the application. In addition, the same marketing tools are available in it as in the desktop versions.
- The application supports setting up promotions that will attract customers
- The application logo will be constantly before the eyes of your customers
- The phone is always at hand, easy to buy on the go
Mobile application for CS-Cart from the original platform developer
The first thing you think about driving mobile traffic to your site is the mobile app. And what is the most robust solution if not the one made by the original developer?
The CS-Cart’s application (or Multi-Vendor App by CS-Cart, Simbirsk Technologies Ltd.) allows customers to use the following platform features:
- Registration, login and account management. Your customers will need an account to use all the features of the app.
- Wishlist and shopping cart management. Customers will be able to browse categories and add desired items to their shopping cart or wishlist.
- Checkout and payments in real time. In addition to offline payment methods, the app supports PayPal Express Checkout.
- Order history. Customers can view their order history both in the app and directly from your marketplace.
- Comments and reviews. The app allows customers to rate vendors and leave their feedback for products.
All data is synchronized between the site and the application.
Delivery and payment methods
The CS-Cart mobile app has been available since version 4.8.2 and supports all shipping methods. Starting from version 4.14, the following payment methods are available:
- PayPal Express Checkout;
- Offline payments.
More answers to FAQ about the CS-Cart mobile app can be found on the developer’s website.
How to connect the mobile app to your CS-Cart store
Multi-Vendor (all editions except for the enhanced version) is already sold with a built-in Mobile application module (installation is a standalone offer). The application is connected according to one of the scenarios:
- Either the CS-Cart team itself collects and maintains it. You choose the style and visual elements, and the developer uploads it to the App Store/Google Play
- Either you get the source code and further develop the application yourself to suit your business goals with the functionality and design that you need
CS-Cart mobile app reviews
Users like the app for an impressive demo and a great user experience. However, what is repulsive for users is its cost, the inconvenient design and layout.
Alternative to CS-Cart’s mobile app
A fundamentally new type of solution for mobile devices is the PWA technology. Using this technology, any site can be converted into a mobile application and added to the screen of a mobile device. PWA allows you to combine the ease of converting a site to a mobile look, like a responsive theme, and the functionality of a mobile application. At the same time, the cost of PWA is several times cheaper than creating an application from scratch, while the PWA store looks and functions like a native application.
The Simtech Development team has developed its own solution for CS-Cart stores and marketplaces based on PWA technology. Our solution is called PWAjet.
Advantages of PWAjet:
- Offline running! PWAjet allows its offline work. It preloads the latest data from the cache on your client’s mobile device. If you don’t have an internet connection or Wi-Fi signal is weak, your customers can still add an item to their cart and save their purchase history so they can make a purchase later. Once the connection is restored, customers return to shopping and complete their checkout.
- More safe! PWAjet enhances the security of your store as the technology does not have the same level of access to mobile features and data as native e-commerce mobile apps. PWA is secure for clients as it only uses https (“s” means “secure”)!
- No need to download app updates on your smartphone! With PWAjet, the browser will always download the latest version of your store.
- No need to list your application! Your customers will be able to install the app from your store, and you don’t have to host it on the AppStore, PlayMarket, or Microsoft Store.
- Automatic notification of customers about adding to the main screen! The first time a PWA visits your online store on mobile, the browser will prompt the user to add the page to the home screen. Your customer will be able to access your store’s web page from a mobile device in one click! The shorter the path, the faster the purchase.
No native mobile app (including the CS-Cart mobile app) will allow you to have the same feature set that only PWAjet can provide you! We can discuss your project’s PWAjet launching opportunity.
We decided to try this solution for 1 month for a new project. The setup was carried out by the developer company. Within 3 days the store was ready for work, the first testing showed good results in the loading speed and display of the store on mobile devices. While we are still testing PWAjet, there are no complaints, the development team helps in setting up the site. Recommended!!