The modern digital era is witnessing a massive evolution in technology, where our daily lives have become closely linked to the internet. With the growing use of smartphones and easy access to the internet — especially after the Covid-19 pandemic — e-commerce has become one of the most important industries in the world. In this context, designing an online store comes as a fundamental step for business growth and prosperity. 

Salla: The Future of E-Commerce, an Easy Platform to Start Your Business

Creating an Online Store App in Numbers

Did the percentage in the article title catch your attention? This is a realistic statistic according to Salla stores that made the right decision and built an app for their stores using the App Maker on Salla platform. It provides merchants with this effective tool within 72 hours to a week to build a story of multiplied success, keeping in mind that the period for preparing and uploading the app is separate from the period for creating and activating the merchant's private developer account on the Apple platform, which ranges from two weeks to a month. And that is not all, as the language of numbers says that:

• The customer engagement rate with push notifications increased by 73% compared to email marketing.

• The average order value for stores increased by 70% after creating an online store app.

• Online payment rates via the app increased 9-fold.

What are the stages of creating an online store app on the Salla platform?

1. Purchase the app from your store's control panel.

2. Fill in all the required information related to the Google Play and App Store platforms, then click publish application.

3. The review phase by the Salla team, which takes place following the steps below:

If you choose "I do not have store accounts":

- We review the application.

- We contact the merchant by phone to verify the information.

- We prepare and create the developer account for the merchant on both Apple and Google platforms. The setup takes two weeks to a month, depending on communication speed and accuracy of the information provided (noting that the duration of procedures related to account creation is not related to Salla, but rather to Google and Apple company policies).

 - During this period, the merchant's application is uploaded to the Salla account.

- After the developer account is activated, the application is transferred to your account, which takes three business days.

If you choose "I have store accounts":

- The Apple account must be of the Enterprise type and linked to the commercial registration of the store.

- We review the application and the accounts entered.

- We contact the merchant by phone to access the accounts.

- We upload the application to the App Store.

- The application review process will take two to seven days.

- After receiving approval, the application will be published and you will be notified.

Why do we believe that creating an online store app is a great step?

Thanks to the app, customers can access the store, browse products, and purchase them at any time and from anywhere. This provides great convenience to customers and facilitates the purchasing process, increasing sales and marketing opportunities for the company around the clock. An online store app can also provide an outstanding shopping experience for customers. By designing the app to be easy to use, providing an interactive and enjoyable experience, which is one of the most important e-commerce facts that facilitate product browsing, displaying details and pictures, and reading reviews from previous customers. It also makes it possible to add additional features such as a rating system and personalized recommendations to improve the shopping experience. Another effective feature when creating a successful online store app is the ability to analyze customer and sales data to improve business performance and make strategic decisions. Through data analysis, brands can understand customer behavior and preferences, thereby improving the shopping experience, providing personalized offers, and targeted marketing. Moreover, best-selling products and geographical areas with high demand can be identified, helping companies improve sales increase strategies and achieve better results.

Examples of global companies that decided to create an online store app

There are many global brands that have benefited greatly from creating an online store app to boost their businesses and achieve significant success, including:

• Amazon: Amazon is considered one of the largest companies influencing the global economy that benefited from creating an online store app. It started as an online bookstore and evolved to become the largest e-commerce market in the world, with global revenues exceeding about $386 billion in 2020. It's worth noting that the Amazon app is one of the most downloaded apps on iOS and Android platforms.

• Apple: Apple's App Store is a major destination for users to download apps and games on iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. The App Store provides an ideal environment for developers to distribute their products and reach a large base of users. Statistics indicate that the revenue of Apple's service department reached about 17.5 billion dollars in the second quarter of 2021, keeping in mind that the App Store includes more than 2 million active applications, which have been downloaded more than 130 billion times so far.

• Zara: Zara launched an online store app that allows customers to browse and buy the latest fashion trends via mobile, which is one of the most downloaded apps in the fashion sector and contributes significantly to increasing sales online for the company. The app provides instant updates on new products, discounts, and notifications about sales. Inditex Group, which owns Zara, reported revenues of about 28.3 billion euros in 2020, with online sales expected to hold a large share of this figure. 

Local Success Stories on the Salla Platform 

Practical tips that support the step of creating an online store app

• Enhance User Experience: We recommend focusing on providing an easy-to-use, comfortable, and seamless experience by designing a simple and attractive user interface. This ensures a comfortable and easy purchasing experience for customers, which is what the App Maker provides for your store when creating an online store app.

• Personalization and Interaction: It is important to include personalization and interaction features in the app to make it more attractive and interactive for customers. These features can include product customization, offering personal recommendations, and providing user reviews and ratings.

• Security and Trust: The app must provide high protection and security for customers' personal information and financial transactions. This is achieved through strict security measures and using encryption technologies to protect customer data, which Salla makes sure to provide for its merchants.

• Optimize Performance: The app must be fast and responsive for a smooth user experience. This is done by optimizing the app's performance, loading pages quickly, and avoiding errors and annoying crashes.

• Marketing and Promotion: It is essential to use social media platforms, online advertisements, and email marketing to promote the app, attract new users, and expand your target audience after creating an online store app.

• Continue to Improve the Experience: We recommend improving the app based on user feedback and reviews. Use app analytics to understand user behavior and identify areas that can be improved.

• Customer Service: Provide excellent customer support through the app. Provide communication and help options for customers, such as live chat or email, to answer their inquiries and solve the problems they may face after creating an online store app, a step that the Salla platform cares about to assist you with high-quality solutions that boost your chances of success.