Company
Date Published
Author
Kritika Murari
Word count
2191
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

In recent years, the shift towards a mobile app-only strategy by businesses has proven to be problematic, leading to significant challenges in customer engagement and sales. Despite the initial allure of mobile apps, studies reveal that a high percentage of users abandon apps shortly after downloading them, with 57% of users churning within the first month. Companies like Flipkart and Myntra experienced setbacks after adopting app-only approaches, with Myntra seeing a 10% drop in sales and eventually reverting to mobile web platforms to regain traction. The inefficiency of app-only models lies in limited user reach, high costs, and complex development demands. In contrast, mobile-friendly web apps offer broader accessibility, lower costs, and simpler maintenance while achieving higher conversion rates. Successful examples, such as Jumia's use of Progressive Web Apps (PWA) and LancĂ´me's mobile web optimization, demonstrate the advantages of focusing on mobile web strategies. As consumer behavior increasingly favors browsing over downloading apps, businesses are encouraged to adopt mobile-first web designs to effectively capture and retain their audience.