What Are PWAs and Why Are They Beneficial to E-commerce?

As an online store owner, you are aware of how important customer satisfaction is. You work hard to provide the best user experience on your website, and try to stay up-to-date with the latest trends.

You may have encountered the term Progressive Web Applications, or PWAs, when researching ways to improve your store. PWAs can significantly enhance the user experience, but to use them to your advantage, it is important to sufficiently understand what they are.

We will examine the definition and benefits of Progressive Web Apps to make it easier for you to implement them in your online store.

What are Progressive Web Applications?

Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) are web applications that combines the features and capabilities of mobile apps and websites. Built using web-based technologies like HTML and JavaScript and accessed through an Internet browser, PWAs act like a native app. They can also be installed to be accessed offline, which makes them convenient and more accessible.

To put it shortly, they offer an app-like experience whether you are using a phone, a tablet, or a desktop computer. They can be designed to automatically adapt to different screen resolutions and sizes, providing a better user experience across devices.

Many successful brands have launched their PWAs – for example, Pinterest, Starbucks, and Twitter, to improve the user experience. Statistics show that Progressive Web Apps can boost overall user engagement greatly (some brands have reported a rise in engagement as high as 400%), so they are often considered a valuable tool for businesses looking to improve their store operations.

What’s in it for e-commerce? Let’s take a closer look.

Progressive Web Applications for Magento

If you already have a Magento-based online store, you can reach out to your preferred Magento maintenance services and ask if they offer support for developing Progressive Web Apps. It will be easier to build a web app for Magento 2, as it is more compatible with PWAs, so you might also need to consult a company providing Magento version upgrade services if you still operate on the previous version.

Progressive Web Apps: Benefits for Your Store

There are numerous advantages of using PWAs regardless of the sector a business operates in. However, for e-commerce, there are specific ways in which these apps can benefit your store. When website owners understand the benefits of another platforms for their store, they find ecommerce replatforming quite useful.

• Wider Audience Reach

  As Progressive Web Apps are designed to be cross-platform compatible, they can reach a wider audience than an app designed for a specific operating system or a generic website. This means that businesses can target desktop and mobile users simultaneously, increasing their potential customer base.

  Since they are accessible to virtually everyone and easy to use, PWAs have the potential to attract a larger user base, including those who enjoy app functionalities but would prefer not to install a native app on their device. Because of their lightweight design, they are ideal for users with slower Internet connection or limited data bandwidth.

• Better Customer Experience

  The seamless user experience that a native app-like PWA can offer can be a game-changer for e-commerce businesses. Features such as offline functionality are a great way to ensure that customers can continue browsing even without an Internet connection.

  In addition, PWAs can also provide faster loading times compared to traditional websites. Studies show that faster websites are favored by users and search engines alike, as they tend to rank higher in search results. Though it’s important to note that to ensure best performance of your Magento PWA it would be best to have a reliable partner for Magento maintenance services who could make sure that all the PWA runs the latest version and has all latest security patches installed.

  As Progressive Web Apps can be accessed from both desktop and mobile devices, all your customers will be able to browse the shop on one device, and finish their purchase on another without any issues. This can increase customer satisfaction, as it offers a convenient shopping process.

• Customization Possibilities

  Your store’s web app can be designed in a way that will reflect your brand’s values and aesthetics and updated or modified any time you need it. If you hire professional Magento PWA development specialists, you can be sure you will get an app that fits your business needs and requirements, regardless of what industry you operate in.

  Themes, colors, fonts – everything about your website’s appearance can be designed to match your brand’s desired identity. The same goes for functionalities and features. Whether you need a simple and user-friendly interface or advanced search and filtering options, your PWA can be tailored to be just what you need.

• No Need for App Store Approval

  As PWAs are a built-in part of your website, you do not need to put them in any app store for approval. This eliminates the process of waiting for the store’s approval and paying for any app publication fees.

  Another advantage of not being tied to a specific app distribution platform is that you have the freedom to make updates and improvements to your PWA whenever you want, and your developers are not limited by Google’s (or Apple’s) policies. As the app will be instantly available for your customers to use, you will be able to see the impact of any changes in real-time and address any issues that might arise quicker.

• Lower Costs

  Progressive web apps are a good investment, as their cross-platform nature means you will not need to have separate apps created for different operating systems, nor will you need to worry about compatibility issues with Internet browsers or customers’ devices.

  As there is no need for multiple apps or website versions, the deployment process will be quicker, thus saving the developers’ time and your money. Choosing to use a single PWA instead of separate apps for various platforms can also lead to significant spending reduction, as the result of the lower maintenance and update costs.

PWAs for E-commerce: Are They Worth It?

In conclusion, by embracing the power of Progressive Web Apps, you can change the way your store operates. Improving the user experience is always a good strategy for increasing customer satisfaction and boosting sales. Cross-platform compatibility makes your reach much wider, allowing you to target more potential customers, and the freedom to edit and update your app whenever it is needed is a significant advantage, too.

PWAs have proven to be highly effective in increasing conversion rates and customer engagement, so if you are looking for a solution to improve your e-commerce business, Progressive Web Apps are worth considering.