Fitness app development has quietly become the ultimate retention engine for ecommerce brands, driving high-margin sales and powering high-LTV customer segments. In this article, we'll dive into the business impact of mobile apps on ecommerce businesses.
The Mobile App Market is Massive (And Growing)
The market for shopping apps is growing fast. A staggering 76.5% of US smartphone users regularly use shopping apps, with 78% of consumers worldwide embracing mobile app shopping. This isn't just casual browsing; it's a major behavior shift. Users spend an average of 201.8 minutes per month in shopping apps versus just 10.9 minutes on mobile websites.
Revenue Contribution: Small Segment, Outsized Sales
Our research shows that retail and ecommerce brands typically see 10-30% of their total online revenue coming through their apps, with high-performers hitting 40-60% of online sales from their app channel. The math is simple: not every shopper will download an app, but those who do are almost guaranteed to spend more.
Engagement & Habit-Building
Mobile apps excel at creating regular shopping habits. App users don't just convert more – they come back more often and engage more deeply. Our data shows that app users view approximately 4.2x more products per session than mobile web visitors, indicating much deeper engagement with your catalog.
Mobile App Conversion Rates
The conversion data reveals why apps are such powerful revenue drivers. Across every brand we studied, app users converted at much higher rates: up to 11x higher compared to mobile web. These aren't small improvements; they represent clear differences in how customers behave when they have a dedicated app experience versus browsing on mobile web.
Ecommerce Push Notifications
Push notifications alone can justify building an app. Our data shows abandoned cart push campaigns generating substantial revenue with minimal effort: up to 10x higher revenue per user compared to email and SMS. The best part? These are automated flows that run in the background once set up.
Mobile App ROI & Cost Economics
Traditional mobile app development used to require massive investments – $100,000-$250,000 and 10-13 months to launch. But modern web-to-app solutions have changed the economics entirely. Our data shows real ROI examples from Q1 2026: up to 459x ROI. With managed solutions like MobiLoud, brands can go live for as little as $1-2K upfront.
By leveraging fitness app development and mobile apps, ecommerce businesses can drive sustainable growth, build stronger relationships with existing customers, and power high-LTV customer segments. The results speak for themselves: higher revenue contribution, increased engagement, and a significant competitive advantage.