eCommerce Native App or Hybrid Progressive?

I've had quite a few conversations this year around the question of when a company, retailer or manufacturer looking to go direct to consumers, should build a Native mobile app.

That isn't an easy question to answer.

The company culture comes in to play and the relationship the brand has with its customers.  If you just need a simple interface for online sales then why build a native app?  Mobile web is a great solution.

Then one app I've been using came to mind: Hamilton

Yes, the app for the Broadway musical.  For a while I was in that app every day as the lottery for shows in Boston was held every day.  I found myself doing lots of other things in the app and play around with it a bit even now that the show has moved on from Boston.  It occurred to me if they can get me in to their app every day then the opportunity exists for other brands to do the same.  If the relationship with their customers demands it.

Here is a little article on a different approach:

https://econsultancy.com/five-ecommerce-brands-success-progressive-web-apps/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Essentially, PWAs [progressive web apps] are mobile apps that are delivered through the web. By using an app shell and pre-caching on a user’s phone, they can be added to the home screen and will load instantly.

Google states that 53% of users will abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load. As a result, the functionality of a PWA can simplify the online shopping experience, and even improve conversions.

Recently, we’ve seen a number of ecommerce brands capitalise on the technology.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Google Phone vs Apple iPhone

Great little article from the folks over at TechCrunch that looks at the most recent offerings from Google and Apple.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

First off, if you’re strapped for cash, or more accurately just want to be more responsible with the cash you do have, the price tags of these devices communicate some loud differences. The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL go for $200 less than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, respectively. Paying $1,000 for a phone is wild, but it’s the world we live in...

Here is the full article:

https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/09/pixel-3-vs-iphone-xs-how-do-they-stack-up/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

The New Nike Mobile App Store

We've been hearing it for years now.

Bricks & Mobile, the play on the descriptive "Bricks & Mortar".

Truer words were never said.

When I was building the shopping assistant app for regional supermarkets the concept was an in-store shopping assistant.  I envisioned mobile would soon enable concierge level service for the masses.

Hello Nike.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

A year later, the mobile strategy is showing results with direct-to-consumer sales that rose 34% and comparable store sales gains of 5% in fiscal Q4 2017 from a year earlier, per eMarketer research. Nike's website also had about 11% of the online traffic generated by the top 10 U.S. apparel retailers in Q1 2018, one of the only direct-to-consumer brands in the top 10, according to SimilarWeb.

Here is the full article:

https://www.mobilemarketer.com/news/nike-melds-mobile-physical-retail-with-new-la-concept-store/527832/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

The In-Store Shopping Opportunity for Mobile Apps

When I was first imagining the mobile app I would build for regional supermarkets the biggest opportunity I saw was to help reinvent the in-store shopping experience.

Want to find a store?  Don't you already have a favorite supermarket picked out?  Doesn't google do that for you?

After you've been to the store?  What?  Recipes to cook the food you bought?  Sure, but there are a few resources for recipes available already right?

In the store?

Now you're cooking with butter!

(I love that saying)

Walmart is at it in a big way and it is worth following.  With resources I could only dream of they are reimagining the shopping experience.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

With a new mobile app experience, Walmart is hoping to change the way people shop at its brick-and-mortar stores. The multinational retail chain, which now has more than 11,600 stores under 59 banners and ecommerce websites in 11 countries, recently debuted a new mobile app experience that promises to get customers in and out of stores more quickly, reimagining in-person shopping.

Walmart’s new Store Assistant is an all-encompassing mobile app solution...

Here is the full article:

http://streetfightmag.com/2018/02/27/walmart-reimagines-in-store-shopping-experience-with-mobile-update/

Now imagine if none of the past were present and no stores existed today and you wanted to open a store.  What would you do .... today?  Mobile interactions?  Social media interactions?  You bet.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Improving Retail Mobile Apps

Continuing the discussion on retail mobile apps.  I've been in and around this game for many years.  What I see is a new kind of "Tier 1" retailer. 

There's the classic Tier 1, but then there is a superpower level.  That retailer has it all: great retail stores, great mobile app, great online shopping.  Which ones qualify?  Walmart, Amazon, Target, Starbucks .... anyone else?

Here is the story:

https://www.clickz.com/retailers-improve-app-experience/207018/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Most retail apps leave something to be desired, according to Jim Cusson, President at retail marketing agency Theory House.

“I think of that quote from Field of Dreams: ‘If you build it, they will come,’” he says. “A few years ago, there was this rush to build apps and everyone wanted one, whether it had a true purpose or not. You see a lot of injured soldiers on the battlefield now because companies have invested money in an app that’s obsolete.”

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Retailers and their Mobile Apps

Recently found a great little website for all things related to digital marketing.  Worth checking out:

https://www.clickz.com/

Here's one of the stories that grabbed my attention.  6 retailers who have outstanding mobile apps:

https://www.clickz.com/6-retail-brands-nailing-app-game/207024/

Here's a snippet from that piece:

Earlier this year, the app market data and insights company found that the typical consumer uses 10 apps per day. For most people, it’s unlikely that many of those 10 are retail apps. Amazon is the category’s sole representative on Apple’s Top Chart.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

App Marketing in 2017

Great little read that should help update your (and my) understanding of how to market mobile apps today.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

In the early days of apps, life used to be so simple. You built it, released it into the app store(s), spread the word about it and waited for the downloads to roll in. That was in the days when apps were novelty items and people were still amazed at the utility and functionality that could be coded into something they could keep on their homescreen and use whenever they wanted.

Fast forward a few years – nine to be exact – and things look somewhat different. While mobile phone OS fragmentation has eased somewhat, leaving iOS and Android as virtually the last men standing, the fact remains that there are more than 2m apps in Apple’s App Store, and another 2m+ in the Google Play store.

Here is the article:

http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/app-marketing-101

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0250 Mobile App Marketing

Best Reading of the Day

Great article, yet again, from the folks at Google.

Never forget however they are looking to sell you something.  Don't let that stop you from reading this if you are in to mobile apps.

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/app-marketing-new-download-growth-engaged-users.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

App marketers may be flush with new downloads, but not everyone is equipped to make loyal users out of them. Ken Rudin, director of growth and analysis at Google, shares tips on how data can provide the insights needed to keep new users engaged and loyal.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Smart Phone One-Handed Mode

Ever since Apple decided to make their flagship iPhone larger I've enjoyed the larger screen while missing the usability of the days when one hand was enough to do everything on my phone.

To help with this Apple introduced what their marketing geniuses called "Reachability" where you double-tap the home button to pull down all of the icons on your phone.

I never use that function.  Never.

But what about this?

https://thenextweb.com/mobile/2017/04/03/every-smartphone-phone-come-one-handed-mode/#.tnw_nasSC5wC

Check out that screenshot.  The entire screen shrunk down, on command, to make it simulate a smaller device.  Now that is cool.  All of the advantages of a larger screen with few of the drawbacks.

Awesome.

This is now my must-have feature for iOS.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Charging Your Smart Phone

I've recently gone through a bit of a learning curve on the reliability of that battery indicator in our smartphones.  Turns out 100% may not be 100% all the time.  Seems completely ... false but I can't conclude otherwise after my recent experiences.

Cutting to the chase for those who don't want to read a bunch or dive in to the details: (1) make sure you have a good power cord for charging, plugged in to the wall, (2) ensure your battery charging port on your phone is clean.

Okay, so what brought this on?  I've noticed my aging iPhone 6 has been having battery issues.  Just doesn't seem to hold a charge well now, after more than 2 years of use (hey, its the 10 year anniversary of the iPhone and I'm holding out for this year's model!).  I've never put this phone in to a case so I don't have a protective cover for the battery port (bingo!).  Plus, my amazon generic charging cord was busting and barely working.  Regardless, if I left it plugged in long enough the reading achieved 100%.  Good to go right?  No.  Battery charging would collapse quickly after unplugging.  I figured the aging battery was going bad, at least, until I dropped it once more and the LCD quit working.

$100, a new LCD with a new scratch-free glass screen (bonus!), a free cleaning of the battery port, AND a new power cord suddenly changed everything.

Wow!  Not quite like a new phone but greatly improved.  When this phone reaches 100% it lasts most of the day, once again.  Wow!

So, 100% may not actually be 100%? Yeap.

Here is an article on cleaning your battery port:

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/use-a-toothpick-to-clean-out-your-iphone/

Here is a piece on the problems the iPhone 6 and 6S has been having with the battery indicator:

http://fortune.com/2016/01/19/battery-issues-iphone-6s-and-6s-plus/

Don't assume just because you don't own an iPhone 6 or 6S you won't have similar problems.  Follow the recommendations above to get the most out of your aging device.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE** Wow, just found this about an Apple battery replacement program for the 6S and maybe coming for the 6:
https://appadvice.com/post/iphone-6-battery/735269

UX for Mobile - Menu Navigation Methods and the Hamburger Stack

I've referenced the following article a few times in my professional life and found I hadn't grabbed it for my professional blog.  I'm correcting that oversight now.

Ever wonder how and why we build the ways we choose to navigate in your favorite apps?  Have you ever used an app, or website, and thought you had a great "experience" using it, or, more likely, a terrible experience?

Read on:

http://thenextweb.com/dd/2014/04/08/ux-designers-side-drawer-navigation-costing-half-user-engagement/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

So, you have a mobile app where there are more pages or sections than can fit on a mobile screen at once. Your first thought might be to create a tabbed design, with a row of tabs along the top or buttons along the bottom.

But wait… that extra row of tabs or buttons wastes a lot of valuable real estate on a small mobile display, so let’s not do that. Instead, let’s move the options into a side menu, or side drawer, as our Android team keep reminding me it’s called.

Here is one more article on this:

http://techcrunch.com/2014/05/24/before-the-hamburger-button-kills-you/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0235 Are You Investing Too Much in Your Mobile App?

Best Reading of the Day

I've spent many years working on software development projects and was an early adopter of smart phones with their "apps".  The past few years I've worked exclusively on mobile apps in a consumer-facing product capacity so I'm fluent in the strengths and weaknesses of mobile apps.  However I'm also likely biased, with an inherent blind spot, in favor of mobile apps due to my career choices.

How can we shine some light in to the darkness of our blind spots with out asking questions and challenging ourselves?  A recent article by the folks over at Econsultancy will help me and might help you as well. It is titled "Eight Reasons to Kill Your Native Mobile App".

https://econsultancy.com/blog/66977-eight-reasons-to-kill-your-native-mobile-app/

The key word there is 'native'. They aren't declaring a withdrawal from support of mobile in general, just emphasizing the native development vs. mobile web question.  Native apps are much, much more expensive than mere mobile websites or 'hybrids' where a simple app encapsulates mobile web content.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Companies have invested significant sums in developing native mobile apps but the harsh reality is that many have little to show for it.

While many continue to maintain and invest in their apps despite the results, some are deciding that it's better to pull the plug.

One such company is Atavist, a digital magazine that launched in 2010 just as excitement around media consumption on phones and tablets was building.

But five years later, the upstart publisher came to the conclusion that the most sensible thing to do was kill its native app.

When should a company make a similar decision? Here are eight reasons it might make sense to retire a native app...

The article linked in that snippet is worth reading as well.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Welcome Alphabet, Move Over Google

In a quiet and, for many, very surprising late-day announcement yesterday the company named 'Google' has just been radically re-organized.

Say hello to Alphabet.

Google as a company will continue within the the superstructure provided by the parent company Alphabet, as will a collection of other companies.

Here is a story from the Silicon Valley Journal:

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/08/10/google-names-new-ceo-under-new-company-led-by-page.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

"For Sergey and me this is a very exciting new chapter in the life of Google — the birth of Alphabet," Page wrote in a blog post. “We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity’s most important innovations, and is the core of how we index with Google search.”

The company announced the moves after the market closed on Monday. Google shares traded about 6 percent higher in after-hours trading around 3:33 p.m. Pacific time.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Beacons Continue to Mature Now With Google

Beacons have had quite a year and now Google is attempting to leapfrog Apple in the arena with a new version of their offering.

http://adage.com/article/digital/google-rolls-version-beacon-technology/299496/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Google is stepping up efforts against Apple's location technology with new tools to link smartphones to nearby objects.

The search giant on Tuesday introduced a new format called Eddystone that lets electronic beacons provide more specific locations and other information within applications, the company said in a blog post. The tools, which compete with Apple's iBeacon technology, will enable smartphone users at a museum, for example, to get more information on a painting they're looking at or to gain easy access to electronic bus tickets when they're near a bus stop.

"We're beginning to roll out a new set of features to help developers build apps using this technology," Google said in the blog.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Mobile Payments News - Samsung Pay and PayPal with Paydiant

What a news day for mobile payments and I'm out of the country on business.

The folks over at Re/Code have it all.  Here is news of the new Samsung Galaxy and 'Samsung Pay'.

http://recode.net/2015/03/01/first-look-samsung-galaxy-s-6-galaxy-s-6-edge-finally-gets-a-premium-design/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Last month, Samsung acquired a U.S.-based startup called LoopPay to launch a new mobile payments solution to compete with the likes of Apple Pay. The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will be the first devices to incorporate that technology, though the feature won’t be available right at launch.

Called Samsung Pay, the technology is based on something called Magnetic Secure Transmission.

Here is news of PayPal's acquisition of Paydiant, the technology company behind MCX's CurrentC:

http://recode.net/2015/03/02/paypal-to-pay-280-million-for-paydiant-the-startup-behind-walmarts-apple-pay-competitor/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

PayPal isn’t giving up on payments in brick-and-mortar stores.

The eBay payment unit plans to acquire Paydiant, a payments startup that licenses a technology platform used by big retail chains to create their own branded mobile wallet apps. Multiple sources said PayPal will pay around $280 million for the Wellesley, Mass.-based startup. PayPal declined to comment on the price.

Founded in 2010, Paydiant’s white-label platform is used by Subway and other retailers and banks to add payment, loyalty and digital-coupon capabilities to their own apps. Its customer list also includes MCX, a consortium of big-box retailers led by Walmart that says it will launch its own mobile wallet app, CurrentC, later this year.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

PS  Adding for the news on Google's new API level (software interface) payments kit dubbed 'Android Pay.
http://thenextweb.com/google/2015/03/02/google-is-working-on-an-api-level-payments-service-called-android-pay-but-it-wont-compete-with-wallet/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

“We’re working on something called Android Pay. It’s an API layer in Android, so that all the mechanics of payments can be done in a standardized and consistent way,” Pichai said.

He added that because Google is attempting to integrate a payments system at the OS level, it won’t actually compete with things like Samsung’s newly-announced Pay service or its own Google Wallet.

Xiaomi Smart Phones Growing in Importance

What cell phone are you carrying around now?  An iPhone?  Android of some sort?  What will your next phone be?

How about a Xiaomi?

Maybe.

Here is a write-up on their latest phone.  Check out the headline:

Xiaomi’s Mi Note phablet outclasses the competition for half the price

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/02/xiaomis-mi-note-phablet-outclasses-the-competition-for-half-the-price/

Here is a snippet from the review:

Xiaomi (roughly pronounced "Shiao-Me") is probably the most important company in the smartphone industry right now. The upstart OEM is the number one vendor in the world's biggest smartphone market—China—where it makes five of the top eight models. Xiaomi saw 227 percent growth last year, and, despite only doing business in about six countries, it's currently battling for third place in worldwide share behind Samsung and Apple.

The company caught our attention last year, and when we reviewed its flagship, the Mi 4, we were expecting a cheap iPhone knockoff. However, we came away extremely impressed by the device—especially the build quality. That was a 5-inch device, but now Xiaomi is targeting the iPhone 6 Pluses and Galaxy Notes of the world with a high-end phablet, the Mi Note.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Mobile for Travelers Rising Dramatically, Plus Target Leaving Canada

Interesting news for business travelers who love their mobile devices.  Companies that provide services for travelers are well aware of the availability of mobile opportunities with travelers and they are responding.

Here is a great little piece on the subject:

https://econsultancy.com/blog/65974-mobile-use-for-travel-and-holidays-rapidly-becoming-the-norm/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

One in four people use their mobiles to book (28%) or pay (24%) for their daily commute, a figure double that of 2013.

This is according to new research from BuzzCity revealing the habits of today’s connected traveller. Not yesterday’s though, that traveler just read a book or did a crossword.

Holiday booking habits have also changed noticeably. There has been an increase of 50% in mobile use across business and leisure travellers, with 30% relying purely on their mobiles to make last minute bookings.

In other news Target is eliminating its entire presence in Canada after a very short attempt at the new market.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/target-closes-all-133-stores-in-canada-gets-creditor-protection-1.2901618

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0185 NRF Top 10 and Mobile Apps

Two stories are the best reading of the day today.

First up is the Top 10 list by Retail Information Systems on the NRF conference.  Great stuff in there, though some of that news has already been posted in this blog.

http://risnews.edgl.com/retail-news/Best-of-NRF-2015--Top-10-Takeaways97678

Here is a sample:

Many companies and brands today have the same overarching problem: how to connect with fans of the growing business and make that sustainable. The NRF Big Show 2015 kicked off on Sunday with "Game Changer: Loyalty and Performance Lessons from Passionate Sports Fandom". The sports industry has built its empire around loyal, passionate fans, as well as created engaging experiences to drive fan interaction. Through the use of big data, the various franchises and companies are able to not only deliver personalized experiences, but also leverage these insights for drive better on-field performance.

Next up is a great little article over on CMO.com about the importance of mobile apps and how mobile is changing ... everything.

http://www.cmo.com/articles/2014/12/26/mobile_users_say.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Mobility has swept over the business and marketing landscape like a giant supernova. With a smartphone in hand, consumers increasingly tap, pinch, and swipe their way to messages, promotions, and purchases. For businesses across a wide swath of industries, mobile interaction now accounts for more than 50% of online activity, and the figure continues to rise.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0182 Retail Apps Blast Off

Around the offices here in Quincy, MA there has been a lot of discussion around mobile and its impact on retail.  I've said for much of the year this is the moment when the retailers struck back at eCommerce.  After a decade of bad news, mobile provides the tools retailers need to provide an "Amazon" experience in the store.

New mobile usage data by Yahoo! owned analytic company Flurry indicate retail is embracing mobile in a big way and the consumer is following.

http://www.flurry.com/blog/flurry-insights/shopping-productivity-and-messaging-give-mobile-another-stunning-growth-year#.VKwMwNLF_9Y

Here is a snippet from that piece:

In the six years that Flurry has been reporting on our mobile app usage, and in some cases addiction, we’ve seen stunning growth. This last year was no different. According to Flurry Analytics, in 2014 overall app usage grew by 76%. In this context, Flurry defines app usage as a user opening an app and recording what we call a session. In 2014, Shopping, Utilities & Productivity, and Messaging experienced triple-digit growth and were the key drivers. As our mobile devices become more and more a part of our everyday lives, we are increasingly using them for always-on shopping, working, and communication. Where years past have seen massive growth in games and entertainment, 2014 was the year apps got down to serious business.

Every app store category has again seen session growth in 2014. While 2013 was the year messaging apps took off, 2014 was the year retail came to mobile in a big way.

What will 2015 bring?  Will the Apple Watch have an even greater impact on retail?

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0177 Google and Apple Smartphones

If you are looking for one, concise, article to sum up what is happening in the smartphone wars between Google and Apple look no further.  The folks over at Re/Code have it:

http://recode.net/2014/12/11/how-to-understand-the-google-apple-smartphone-war/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

When thinking about smartphones — the most important digital devices today — it’s customary to think of the business as a simple market-share contest. The conventional wisdom is that, of the two players who count, Google, via its Android platform, has soundly trounced Apple, via its iOS platform. So, game over.

But, as with most conventional wisdom, this example is oversimplified and ignores many nuances. The game is not over. In fact, the two contestants are playing different games, in which success isn’t mutually exclusive. Both have been very successful, but by different metrics and different skills.

And each of these heavyweights is facing serious challenges, though rather different ones.

Notice Windows Phone isn't mentioned at all as it lingers in the single digit market share range, and Blackberry is just a blip on the radar.

The reason this is the best read of the day is due to both the excellent groundwork the article does and the very recent news captured there such as the quotes from the Apple iPhone product team.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant