Progressive Web Apps and E-commerce: a big step up from mobile-responsive websites?
Thanks to Progressive Web Apps, AliExpress and the Washington Post improved conversion by 82%, and Twitter reduced data consumption by 70%. It’s a good enough argument for taking a closer look at the PWAs, isn’t it?
Progressive web apps have some advantages that result in a 300% performance improvement. These include adaptability, flexibility, and high data loading and processing speed. Another significant benefit lies in obtaining accessibility from all locations. Furthermore, for optimised websites, this can lead to achieving the loading speed of native applications. PWA runs like a native solution that users download from an App Store or Google Play. When clients visit e-commerce web pages, it automatically loads in their mobile browsers. For a business with a mobile responsive website, adopting an e-commerce PWA is crucial.
In this post, we will consider Progressive Web Applications components. We’ll also dwell on the business benefits of that digital journey, which are not limited to higher customer satisfaction, conversion rates, and engagement levels.
A refresher: PWA is a web app enhanced with several features to function as a native application. Therefore, it is not surprising that Progressive Web Applications have a comprehensive structure containing various service components. Here’s the list of the most significant elements behind the scenes of the solutions:
Service worker comprises JavaScript files, serving as a mediator for web applications and networks. By working independently from the web page in background mode, this component is critical to locally downloading and caching various content on a particular device. When you use a PWA for the first time, it acts immediately by downloading all the content in the background mode. Since clients have the files cached on their gadgets, the speed of loadings improves by up to 50%.Apart from caching, PWAs imply offline access and push notifications.
A page can’t qualify as PWA without HTTPS: it prevents eavesdropping on the communication between users and the website. Service workers require a secure connection, so all Progressive Web Apps must run under HTTPS. The implementation of HTTPS safeguards against intruders from interfering with or passively monitoring the communications between your website and its users. Thanks to the protocol, developers realise smooth and responsive UX.
In other words, a file that shares the data about the PWA and tells the browser how to behave while the user installs the app on a mobile device/desktop. Typically, the manifest contains the app name, URL, and icons the application should utilise. Web app manifest makes PWAs look and feel like native solutions by providing a consistent and branded experience. The manifest also encompasses fullscreen mode and automates the visual display of the program on the user’s device.
It is noteworthy, however, that PWA is not confined to the above-mentioned structure and can be implemented by businesses for a range of benefits. Back to the primary question, PWAs are not just an instrument to address user experience issues and boost conversion (although these advantages are critical for businesses). Let’s take a closer look at our checklist below:
PWA implementation provides businesses with an additional marketing channel: users receive rich push messages on lock screens. This kind of promotion works efficiently, giving us a higher response rate than emails, as PWA are adapted for mobile devices. The latter is especially important, as users actively take advantage of mobile solutions for education, shopping, beauty services, etc. Thus, PWA will allow your company to reach new customers and increase the loyalty of existing clients.
If your goal is to implement payment Integration, PWA is an excellent option to consider. Thanks to PWA technology, you can shorten the way from product selection to checkout. Just adopt a one-tap checkout feature to eliminate the typing card numbers part. And hence, your customers will be free to buy goods on the go. Clients will reward companies that developed PWA with enhanced engagement.
When you install the PWA application, it loads in your browser automatically. At that point, the app will work similarly to the native solution. That’s how customers browse the app and view items offline at the same speed.
First, Progressive Web Apps don’t need coding for different OS, unlike native ones. After setting up, businesses must constantly upgrade custom solutions and improve their compatibility. Thus, the maintenance cost rises. As numerous web browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge, support PWAs; progressive apps are more cost-effective.
PWAs are an indispensable part of SEO strategies intended to improve rankings. Generally, progressive web apps have better performance metrics and are more likely to move companies to the top of search engine result pages.
Except for particular benefits for user experience, PWA technologies enables companies to obtain consistent and intuitive journey for customers within the website. Reaping the benefits of more seamless transitions between pages, clients navigate the platform more easily, spending less time waiting.
Thanks to PWA, businesses unlock valuable insights into user behaviour, tailoring marketing strategies and offerings in line with the audience’s needs. Another benefit resulting from user analytics is customising the shopping experience for a given group of customers.
Since PWA applications flawlessly operate across various devices, you can reach an audience of all backgrounds, countries and ages. The apps are pretty lightweight and have minimal data usage, which allows them to load instantly on a computer, tablet, laptop, or smartphone.
Therefore, PWA allows businesses to improve their digital journey, reach higher customer satisfaction and conversion rates, and increase engagement levels.
PNN Soft has been delivering programming products for 20 years, and we hone our skills to provide our clients with reliable IT services. We implemented reliable PWAs for the e-commerce and retail sectors. Regardless of the industry segment, we aim to pay special attention to systems security and IT support. We focus on getting an in-depth understanding of an individual company’s goals, requirements, and suggestions. That is why our clients prefer long-term cooperation. One of our most popular solutions is Bluefy for iOS, which supports BLE connection. It is a PWA application that revolutionises the experience of using connected devices. Within the app, you may simultaneously connect multiple wireless devices and adjust them easily via the native application.
PNN Soft implements Agile, Scrum, and RAD methodologies to interact with clients effectively, meet customers’ expectations, and obtain more flexibility. Our teams of experts include software developers, DevOps and DevSecOps engineers, GUI designers, testers, technical writers, and managers.
