Welcome to the first article in our new series, Opening Up, where we reveal how we scale our expanding portfolio of DTC brands. In this series, we’ll explore how we combine advanced marketing strategies, leverage economies of scale, and utilize our technological advantage to reach more customers, reduce costs for both us and our shoppers, and build beloved brands.
How Mobile Apps Enhance Brand Engagement
Mobile apps are a powerful tool for brands to strengthen relationships with customers, increasing brand affinity, average order value (AOV), and repeat purchases.
At BuilttoScale, we’ve developed the infrastructure to create high-quality iOS apps for our brands quickly and efficiently. In fact, we’ve built 41 apps for popular brands like men’s clothing line Jack Archer and children’s toy brand Sensory Joy. Now, more than ever, having a mobile app for your Shopify brand can set you apart from the competition.
According to research by Klarna, 68% of U.S. consumers are shopping on their phones more now than two years ago, and 94% of those surveyed have shopping apps installed. At BuilttoScale, over two million shoppers have already purchased from our portfolio of brands. To reach even more consumers and boost sales, we’ve made a strategic investment in mobile app development for many of our brands.
The Challenge: Outsourcing App Development
Building an app, however, is no small feat. It requires time, money, and technical expertise. When I joined BuilttoScale in June 2022, the company outsourced app development to a third-party provider. While this partnership helped us create 11 apps for our brands, it came with limitations.
Each app took the third party roughly two weeks to complete. After delivery, we were responsible for managing all aspects of the app, from push notifications to updates, which took additional time and effort. As we scaled, it became clear that bringing app development in-house would allow us to have greater control, improve app quality, and enhance the customer experience.
The Solution: Building Apps In-House
From June to September 2022, we developed an internal infrastructure to build iOS apps at scale. Our team of engineers, designers, and product managers collaborated to launch our first in-house app for women’s activewear brand Feed Me Fight Me. This success paved the way for us to transition completely away from third-party providers and take full ownership of app development.
Today, we can develop a new app for a brand in as little as an hour. By using a no-code template, we can easily customize the app with specific brand details such as colors and fonts, while ensuring a consistent user experience across web and mobile platforms. The apps are built on modern Apple frameworks like SwiftUI, which allows us to implement the latest technologies, such as Apple App Clips, ensuring our apps stay cutting-edge.
Strategic App Development for Repeat Purchases
Not every brand in our portfolio requires an app. For example, our drone brand, EXO Drones, doesn’t have an app because the average shopper isn’t making frequent repeat purchases. On the other hand, brands in categories like apparel and beauty, which tend to drive repeat purchases, are prime candidates for app development. We also consider factors like social media followings and brand loyalty to help identify which brands would benefit most from an app.
The Results: Higher AOV and Better Customer Retention
To date, we’ve built 41 apps using our iOS infrastructure, and the results speak for themselves. By bringing app development in-house, we’ve gained valuable insights into brand performance and enhanced the shopping experience.
Our apps integrate seamless payment options such as Apple Pay, PayPal, and Shop Pay, making checkout easier. Customers can save shipping details within the app, further simplifying the process. Additionally, apps allow us to send timely push notifications to reduce cart abandonment and drive engagement. SMS marketing campaigns can also direct customers straight to the app, boosting conversions.
Overall, shoppers who use our apps tend to return more frequently than those who shop solely on the web. Features like upselling, product bundling, and personalized recommendations have led to significant increases in AOV. Between Q1 and Q3 of 2023, our apps saw a 23% rise in AOV. Additionally, shoppers at Jack Archer who made in-app purchases were 22% more likely to make a repeat purchase within the same month compared to web shoppers.
Scaling Brands with BuilttoScale’s App Infrastructure
Building custom iOS apps is just one of the many ways BuilttoScale helps scale your brand and reach more customers. By taking full control of our app infrastructure, we ensure that we stay ahead of the curve in delivering delightful shopping experiences.
If you’re interested in learning more about how BuilttoScale can help grow your Shopify business, you can request an offer today.