Are you looking to optimize for mobile and make your eCommerce site more user-friendly? If so, a progressive web app (PWA) might be the perfect solution for you.
In this article, we’ll discuss why PWA is an ideal option for Shopify Plus stores and explore some of the key benefits that PWAs can offer.
What is a PWA?
Consider a PWA to be a perfect blend of native applications and a web page. It is a software development methodology that enables a website to act and feel like a native application, providing a seamless experience to the user.
Download a PWA to your home screen and receive push notifications—it’s like having a native app. Enjoy offline access and instant loading, no matter your internet connection. Plus, PWAs are super customizable!
More and more brands are switching to PWAs for their online stores, including Starbucks, George, Uber, and Alibaba.
Benefits of PWAs for your online store:
- Quick loading time
- Good performance in poor network conditions
- Small size
- App-like features (an icon on the home screen for easy access, offline mode, push notifications)
- Avoid app aggregators like Google Play, App Store, etc.
- Instant updates
A website powered by Progressive Web Apps (PWA) is a truly mobile-friendly experience that enables your customers to stay engaged with your store.
PWA for Shopify Plus stores
A progressive web app (PWA) for Shopify Plus stores is a great way to improve the shopping experience for your customers. PWAs offer many benefits, including faster page load times, the ability to add an app icon to their home screens, and better offline access.
By implementing a PWA for your Shopify Plus store, you can boost conversion rates and increase customer loyalty. As a platform with a headless commerce approach, Shopify Plus provides a smooth transition of your store to a PWA. The headless architecture separates your frontend design from your backend infrastructure. Each end of the system operates on different technologies, seamlessly connected through a network of APIs. This ensures that each system is fully optimized while maintaining smooth data exchange between platforms.
Benefits of headless commerce include:
- Integration – building a custom enterprise architecture with APIs enables deep integration with tools or services of choice (like a PWA or a separate content management system).
- Flexibility – by separating the back end from the front end, you have full ownership and control of the front-end experience and the tech stack used for building it.
- Omnichannel – allows you to extend shopping into any customer experience on any device or platform.
PWA – why is it worth investing in?
In a world where the mobile eCommerce experience has taken priority, and customer expectations are higher than ever, brands must optimize for mobile to deliver long-term business success.
Why investing in a PWA:
- Since PWA acts like a website, it is discoverable by search engines, unlike native apps.
- PWA store boosts UX thanks to the native app-like experience and re-engages with users through web push notifications; this leads to a rise in conversions and a reduction in bounce rate;
- PWAs can be downloaded directly from the internet, making them easily discoverable through search engines, which is great for SEO. This not only enhances visibility but also lowers the expenses associated with acquiring new users.
- The frontend work happens separately from the backend, cutting down on development time and speeding up the time it takes to bring a product to market.
- PWAs use web technologies and work across different OS systems, eliminating the time and knowledge spent on creating native apps for other OS systems. Businesses can save the costs of designing, developing, and maintaining a native app;
- PWAs are cross-platform, which means that they work on any platform, and separate versions for Android and iOS are not required.
Thank you for reading! We hope this article has been helpful. If you’re looking for a reliable partner to help you implement a PWA for your Shopify Plus store, look no further than vtlabs. Our PWA development company is experienced in implementing PWAs and can help you get the most out of this technology. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you improve your store’s performance.
Can I publish PWA to the Play Store?
Google introduced PWA technology and has since maintained a PWA-friendly app store. To get your app on Google Play, follow these steps: submit your app, meet the requirements, and publish your solution. One essential requirement is having Android Studio.
Can I publish PWA to the App Store?
No, you won’t find progressive web apps (PWAs) on Apple’s App Store, but here’s the scoop: Google and Microsoft welcome them on their app stores. Even if you’re rocking an iOS device, no worries – you can still use PWAs by downloading them straight from your browser. Easy, right?
Is PWA builder free?
Create app prototypes instantly, for free! Introducing Builder Studio – your no-code app builder for crafting progressive web apps (PWAs) and other native apps. No coding is required!
Conclusion
In today’s mobile-first eCommerce landscape, optimizing for mobile is crucial for long-term business success. A Progressive Web App (PWA) is an ideal solution for Shopify Plus stores, offering a seamless and native app-like experience for customers. With benefits like quick loading time, good performance in poor network conditions, and instant updates, PWAs can boost conversion rates and increase customer loyalty. By implementing a PWA, you can stay ahead of the competition and provide a truly mobile-friendly experience for your customers. If you’re looking for a reliable partner to help you implement a PWA, consider vtlabs, an experienced PWA development company that can help you get the most out of this technology.
