Introduction
The technology industry is always changing. With the advent of new technology trends, products and services come into being that consumers can’t live without. The retail industry is no exception to this rule, which means that retailers need to keep up with all the latest developments in order to stay relevant and attract customers.
Here are some of the hottest mobile app features you should expect from your favorite mobile app development in 2022.
New Features for Retail Mobile Apps in 2022
Location-Based Services
Location-based services, such as GPS and location awareness, are one of the most important features of a retail mobile app. Retailers need to know when you’re in their store so they can provide you with real-time information about their products and services.
This could be done through push notifications that allow shoppers to receive information on the mobile app when they enter a store or walk past any of your company’s retail locations.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) allows users to see virtual objects overlaid onto real objects using camera technology. For example, after downloading a shopping app from Amazon or Target onto your phone, you’re able to hold up your phone next to an item at home—like a couch—and have an AR experience where furniture pieces pop up on screen just like in Harry Potter movies!
Advanced Search
Search tools are another feature that can help you find what you’re looking for and improve your online shopping experience. Advanced search tools allow users to narrow down their options by entering parameters such as,
- Search by voice
- Search by image
- Search by product category
- Search by price range
- Search by brand name/manufacturer name/manufacturer item number (SKU)
The retail apps are designed to deliver products at your doorstep.
- You’re in the store, picking up a few items for dinner. You start adding them to your cart and notice that you have enough credit left on your card to get another item. When you tap “buy,” an alert pops up telling you that delivery is available in 10 minutes at no additional cost.
- You place an order for lunch from work during a busy morning meeting and then forget about it until lunchtime shows up and there’s still no food yet on your desk. Luckily, someone forgot their sandwich at home so they can deliver it right away!
- After a long day of meetings at work, all you want is some comfort food while watching Netflix in bed with your dog—but how do you get this without having to leave the house? With a few taps through the app on your phone (or even using voice commands), one of those driverless cars will make its way over with whatever has been ordered.
Personalization
Personalization is a key feature that retailers need to focus on in 2022. It will help retail store owners drive sales, build loyalty and boost engagement, which are all critical components of any successful business.
Personalization in a retail store app allows you to offer customers exactly what they want at the right time and place. It involves understanding their preferences and behaviors so that you can deliver the right products or services in a personalized manner.
For instance, if a customer has purchased an item from your store before, then they may be more likely to buy again if they receive specific offers or recommendations related to it through email campaigns or push notifications on their mobile device.
Real-time customer support service
With the help of a live chat feature, you can take customer support to the next level. It allows you to provide instant answers and solutions to your customers in real-time. You can integrate this feature with various other features such as live video, live phone calls, and more.
Here’s how to do it:
- Integrate a live chat feature into your app with the help of any third-party developer.
- Integrate a live video feature into your app with the help of any third-party developer.
- Integrate a live phone call feature into your app with the help of any third-party developer
Live Streams of Events and Product Launches
Live streaming is a great way to engage with customers. For example, it can be used for product launches and events. Live streaming also allows you to promote your products and events in real-time, which is especially effective if your audience tends to be on mobile devices.
Some brands are already doing this well: Shoe retailer DSW has an official live stream that people can tune into at any time of day or night—even when the store itself is closed!
Payments with a mobile wallet
You may have heard of mobile wallets, but do you know what they are? A mobile wallet is a way to store your credit cards and debit cards. You can use it to make purchases online or in-store, and the transaction goes through instantly because there’s no need for cashiers and machines like with traditional checkout lines.
Mobile wallets are very convenient because you don’t need to carry around a bulky wallet anymore that has all of your different cards inside (and none of them expired). All the information is stored on your phone so everything stays safe, even if someone steals it!
Voice assistant integration
If voice assistants are going to be the way that customers interact with our apps in 2022, then we have to ensure that our apps can handle all of the things that people want to do using their voices.
This might mean incorporating a voice assistant skill into your retail app or allowing users to ask Siri for information on products, but it’s also important that you take advantage of ways in which these new technologies could help you improve customer service.
For example, if a customer has an issue with their orders and wants to call customer service, they can use their voice assistant instead—and once they’re connected with a live person at the company, everyone will be able to communicate through text-to-speech technology.
The future of retail mobile apps is bright
As more and more people begin to rely on their mobile devices for shopping, the future of retail mobile apps is bright. The app features you can expect in 2022 will be more important, powerful, interactive, personalized, and convenient than ever before.
To wrap up
As technology continues to evolve and new trends emerge, we can expect retailers to use their apps as a key part of their strategy. In the next few years, we’ll likely see more retailers offering AR tech. We’ve covered the most beneficial features for retail store apps. Now it’s time to get back to work and create your own!
