Mobile app development has become a cross-segment industry. Business owners across different market sectors benefit from using mobile applications in their marketing strategies.
From e-commerce marketplaces and online banking to healthcare and the food business, we can hardly imagine a progressive company of any market scope without an app, and there is a reason for this. The majority of users have gone mobile, spending a considerable amount of time with their mobile devices.
This e-commerce trend has established a mobile-first user relationship approach. Understanding why mobile applications are important for modern businesses is essential to staying competitive in today’s digital ecosystem. Beyond customer engagement, convenience, and brand loyalty, the advantages of mobile applications extend to data-driven personalization, faster communication, and higher conversion rates.
Let’s discover 7 reasons why businesses need mobile apps, backed by real success stories from industry leaders.
1. Be visible to customers at all times
The era of mobile devices changed our lifestyle forever. We use our smartphones on a daily basis, and we are tied to them. However, while the health endorsement of such an addiction is questionable, it represents an excellent opportunity to reach an untapped audience and bring under control an additional income source, if not the main one.
People always search for something, and most of the time they do it on mobile. Whether your potential customers look for wallpapers, appliances, or even food, they primarily begin surfing the web from their mobile devices. This is when your mobile-oriented market rivals start taking the lead, and one of the advantages of a mobile app over a website.
Real-world success:
- Starbucks demonstrates the benefits of a mobile app perfectly: mobile orders account for 25% of total U.S. transactions, with over 30 million active users engaging through their app.
- Amazon sees significantly higher engagement from app users, who average 13.4 sessions monthly compared to just 9.3 for web users, proving that mobile presence drives more frequent interactions.
- McDonald’s achieved 127 million worldwide app downloads in 2022, making it the most downloaded food app globally and ensuring the brand remains visible to customers wherever they are.
Year | Milestone description | Impact/notes |
|---|---|---|
2009 | Launch of the Starbucks mobile app | Introduced basic features like drink builder, store locators, and enabled mobile payments |
2011 | Introduction of in-app payments | Allowed seamless mobile payments using the app, enhancing convenience |
2014 | Rollout of mobile pre-order and pay | Enabled customers to order ahead and skip queues, boosting user convenience and operational efficiency |
2017 | Launch of the Starbucks rewards program integrated into the mobile app | Created a robust loyalty network with personalized offers and points, driving repeat business |
2020-2023 | Expansion of Mobile Order & Pay features, including remote ordering, customization, and integration with drive-thru express lanes | Strengthened customer engagement, leading to over 30 million active app users and 25% of transactions via app |
2023 | Implementation of the AI and data analytics platform “Deep Brew” | Personalized customer experiences, optimized inventory, store management, and marketing efforts |
2024 | Recognition as having one of the highest mobile payment user bases in the U.S., second only to Apple Pay | Demonstrated leadership in mobile payments within retail |
2025 | Integration of the “Digital Flywheel” framework for a seamless omnichannel experience | Enhanced personalization and data-driven customer engagement across digital and physical channels |
So if you’re asking yourself, “Does my business need an app?” – the data speaks for itself. Nowadays, people are just used to spending hours on apps looking for the products they need. You should use this habit and go mobile to be always visible to customers.
2. Create a direct marketing channel
Mobile apps are not solely about actual product sales. They also provide an opportunity for customer engagement and mobile community organization. Let’s consider these advantages of mobile apps in detail.
Customer interaction
Involving users in your brand environment is integral to loyal and long-term customer relations. As you collect client data, such as demographics, geodata, and other user-related info, you receive valuable knowledge of your target audience. You get to know them better and understand their demands and expectations.
Mobile community: make your customers feel united
Organizing a platform for your online community is beneficial for your business, whether you are selling something online or not. By engaging people with your web content, you create a groundwork for discussion and communication.
Real-world success:
- Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community, launched in 2017, creates vibrant engagement where users share beauty tips and product reviews, transforming customers into brand advocates.
- Nike has built an ecosystem of over 100 million members across four interconnected apps, with members spending 3x more than non-members, demonstrating the power of mobile community building.
- Domino’s mobile-first strategy has been so successful that 70% of total U.S. sales now come from digital platforms, showcasing how direct mobile channels drive revenue.
Here are the core benefits of a mobile application you get:
- Brand recognition: The more people hear about your business, the better
- News and announcement platform: You can gather your target group in one place to make your notifications more convenient
- Overall loyalty boost: A brand with an enormous community always seems a better alternative to other similar businesses
3. Provide value to your customers
Having a loyalty program drives additional sales. Integrating it with a mobile app doubles the result. No client will ever mind receiving a product discount from you. At the same time, people are fed up with conventional coupons and flyers.
Integrating your loyalty programs with your app unleashes the selling beast – and clearly demonstrates why creating a mobile app for your business is a strategic move. Here are implementation ideas you can come up with on the fly:
- Area-targeted notification: Every time customers come by your store, remind them about your excellent services
- Rewards: Offer bonuses to the most active community members, and motivate product reviews with discounts and cash back
Real-world success:
- Starbucks Rewards has grown to over 75 million members who account for 81% of U.S. revenue. These members spend 3x more per visit than non-members, showing the advantages of mobile app development.
- Nike’s member-focused approach shows that members have 40% higher purchase frequency, while their SNKRS app revenue exploded from $70 million to $700 million in just five years.
- Target’s Drive Up service accounts for the majority of app orders and has shown astronomical growth, with customers expressing high satisfaction with the convenience it provides.
4. Build Brand and Recognition
As we have mentioned before, a mobile application has a tremendous impact on brand recognition. Beyond enhancing your marketing strategy, mobile apps are good for business because they create a seamless user experience and open up new opportunities for growth.
You see, the sooner people discover your business, the sooner they will consider you as a preferred service provider. It can take dozens of contacts with a customer to make them notice you, which is why understanding the benefits of mobile applications for business is crucial. Strong brand recognition is a key driver of long-term success.
Real-world success:
- McDonald’s achieved over 40 million U.S. app downloads in 2022 alone, exceeding the combined total of the next three competitors and solidifying its position as the dominant fast-food brand in mobile.
- Nike ranks as the 9th most loyal brand globally, with its mobile ecosystem significantly contributing to this impressive brand loyalty positioning.
- H&M consistently ranks among the top fashion apps across multiple markets, demonstrating strong regional performance and maintaining brand visibility in the competitive fashion retail space.
5. Improve customer engagement
Clients often need help with the product or service they paid for. And sometimes businesses can’t provide it. “Too bad,” says the customer who will never come back. Understanding why users leave a website can help you avoid this sticky situation, and your application can be the solution.
Mobile software is proven to be a robust and convenient communication channel. Your users are just a few clicks away from reaching you. That’s when customers begin to appreciate your work and show their gratitude with brand loyalty. And happy users are what we are all striving for.
Investing in a mobile app offers clear benefits of mobile app for businesses: it strengthens communication, enhances convenience, and builds long-term relationships with your audience. In other words, why develop a mobile app? Because happy users are more likely to become repeat customers.
Real-world success:
- Starbucks reports that 64% of app users engage every visit and 23% use it on most visits, showing significantly higher loyalty compared to non-app customers.
- Amazon app users demonstrate their heightened engagement with 4.1 sessions during Prime Day events compared to 3.1 for web users, proving that mobile apps drive more active participation.
- Uber maintains an 84% customer satisfaction rate with app-based support focused on completed rides, demonstrating how mobile platforms can effectively handle customer service at scale.
6. Stand out from the competition
Website optimization for mobile devices is a known yet still rare technology in a significant part of the market segments nowadays. Entrepreneurs don’t see its immense potential, and this is what secures your advantage over them. Understanding what are the benefits of having our own business mobile app can transform your strategy and secure your position ahead of competitors.
When you invest in mobile app development, your desktop-only rivals can’t really compete. A well-built mobile app allows you to cover an enormous information space, making your brand visible to customers long before competitors even enter the stage. The advantages of mobile app development go beyond convenience – they create a direct, personalized channel to engage your audience, increase loyalty, and drive conversions.
Real-world success:
- Domino’s digital transformation outpaced competitors who were slower to adopt mobile technology, ultimately achieving 70% digital sales and leaving traditional competitors struggling to catch up.
- McDonald’s mobile ordering continues growing at 5.8% with geofencing technology providing a competitive edge that allows the company to engage customers at precisely the right moment.
- Target’s Drive Up service differentiates the retailer from competitors with its unique curbside pickup feature, creating a competitive moat that’s difficult for rivals to replicate.
7. Complement your marketplace with a mobile app
“Why would I care about the benefits of a mobile app for business if my website works like a charm?” you may ask. The point is, an application can serve as a complementary tool for your marketing. Let’s figure out how it works.
The mobile and web user experience drastically differ in customer interaction and session length. The website is often not as immersive as a mobile app, so users are more concentrated during the mobile session.
What is more important, your website can hardly provide the most suitable experience anywhere, anytime, unlike a mobile app. The latter is always at your disposal because it is, like the name says, mobile. Let your customers access your software from everywhere, and you will unlock the key benefits of a mobile app for an e-commerce website, gaining a crucial edge over competitors.
Real-world success:
- Sephora achieves seamless integration between its “Beauty Talk” mobile app and web platform, with AR features in the mobile app that enhance the online shopping experience in ways the website alone cannot match.
- Nike’s SNKRS app alone is on pace to generate over $750 million in annual sales, doubling its business and active monthly users in recent years. However, despite these digital gains, Nike’s overall fiscal 2025 revenues declined 10% year-over-year to $46.3 billion, with direct-to-consumer revenues falling 14% in the fourth quarter to $4.4 billion.
- Target creates a comprehensive omnichannel strategy by integrating its app with the in-store experience, allowing customers to seamlessly switch between digital and physical shopping while maintaining continuity.
Metric | Value | Change vs. prior year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Full-year revenue | $46.3 billion | Down 10% reported, 9% currency-neutral | Broad-based declines across all regions |
Fourth quarter revenue | $11.1 billion | Down 12% reported, 11% currency-neutral | Exceeded market expectations |
NIKE direct revenue (Q4) | $4.4 billion | Down 14% reported and currency-neutral | Includes 26% drop in digital sales |
Wholesale revenue (Q4) | $6.4 billion | Down 9% reported and currency-neutral | |
Gross margin (Q4) | 40.3% | Decreased 440 basis points | Impacted by discounts and channel mix |
Diluted earnings per share (Q4) | $0.14 | EPS of $0.14 exceeded the forecast of $0.12 |
Summary
The mobile app development marketplace is a place of fierce rivalry. Having an ace in the hole is the only way to stand out among the others. And the mobile app is your trump card.
The benefits of creating a mobile app are clear when looking at success stories from industry giants like Starbucks, Nike, Amazon, McDonald’s, and Target. Mobile apps aren’t just a trend – they’re a fundamental business driver. If you’re ready to start, our mobile app development service can help you build a solution that truly stands out.
From Starbucks’ 75 million Rewards members generating 57% of U.S. revenue to Nike’s member spending being 3x higher than non-members, the data speaks for itself.
Don’t be afraid to experiment, but remember that any software should perform specific tasks. Set your goals properly, learn from these proven success stories, and success will be a simple matter of time.
At Roobykon Software, we’ve helped numerous marketplace owners strengthen user retention by building custom mobile apps that complement their Sharetribe platforms. Whether it’s improving communication, offering in-app support, or enhancing user experience, we know how to turn a digital marketplace into a community that users return to.
Get in touch to start your mobile app journey today!
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