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Why PWA

A progressive web app or PWA is a website that is built with the help of such technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript. This application software looks and works like a native mobile application. It is easier for users to implement PWA than a mobile app because they don’t have to install anything at all.

Progressive web applications, like native mobile apps, are known for quick set up no matter how good the quality of available network is. They both can send notification and share location, so PWA have exactly the same capability as mobile apps, and even possess some advantages in terms of user experience as they do not utilize the mobile storage thus leaving more space for other software preserving much higher loading speed.

For eCommerce websites PWAs proved to be exceptionally efficient due to quick and simple installation process without the necessity of making updates. They help the merchants drive more conversions, can work across multiple types of platforms and are recognized for affordability and fast reliable performance.

Advantages and disadvantages of PWA

One of the most significant advantages of PWAs is their generic nature that allows them to be compatible with various kinds of mobile phones both on Android and Apple’s iOS. At the same time, PWA has the same look and immersive experience as a native mobile app.

In comparison with native web applications, it is more cost-effective for the merchants to use PWA. Thanks to better security, improved search ranking and ability to send instant push notifications, progressive web applications are appreciated among both sellers and users.

One of the most important reasons why online merchants turn to eCommerce development companies for building a PWA is that the users can interact with these apps offline. No installation is needed to use it, and it is possible to access PWA in offline mode and it actually doesn’t take much space on the device.

After the PWA is installed, companies witness decreased cart abandonment rate, more unique purchases and higher loading speed which leads to skyrocketing conversions and enhanced shopping experience of their clients.

However, there are some disadvantages that users may encounter. Among the often listed counter arguments are high battery usage and the absence of cross-app login that allows you to log in via Facebook or Google account. Besides, PWAs were not initially created for iOS devices. They can work on iOS, but with limited capacity – for example, lacking offline and push notification options.

Top eCommerce PWA examples

Debenhams

Debenhams is a well-known British retailer with multinational 240 stores. The company decided to replace native applications with PWAs because of high price and low loading speed. After this innovation, the shop witnessed an increase in mobile sales and conversions. At the moment, the Debenhams online store can boast of advanced navigation, the possibility to use the website without signing in, user-friendly search bar and filers.

Jumia

Jumia is one of the most popular online stores in Africa and the majority of users resort to mobile phones with certain data constraints. Thus, to motivate the potential buyers to use their website, Jumia chose a PWA integration approach that allows the customers to make purchases without the necessity to download a heavy native app.

FlipKart

FlipKart was one of the pioneering online stores which turned to PWAs. The majority of Flipkart users connect with the help of 2G technology, so high speed was extremely important to attract visitors and reduce the bounce rate. After the introduction of PWA, the store minimized the used data and increased customer engagement and conversions.

AliExpress

AliExpress is an internationally known huge marketplace that is mostly used on mobile devices. The company made a decision to carry out cross-browser PWA integration for the sake of cost-effectiveness, increased loading speed and user engagement. It helped to acquire more users, get unique purchases, escalate the conversion rate and the time spent per session.

Alibaba

Alibaba.com is the world’s largest online store available in more than 200 countries at the moment. The store owners were eager to provide an exciting shopping experience for their multinational clients and enhance their store with PWA. It resulted in more conversions, new active users both on iOS and Android platforms and higher interaction rate.

Pure Formulas

The Pure Formulas company provides health and nutritional supplements as well as valuable advice on the correct diet plan. The purchasers faced a problem with the slow checkout process and slow loading speed which led to high cart abandonment rate and low conversions. After the PWA was implemented, the shop got boosted revenue and better customer experience.

5 Miles

5 Miles is an eCommerce marketplace website that allows merchants to sell items online, find a place to live, hire local services, or get a new job based on their location. Initially 5 Miles stimulated customers to install the native app, but this strategy turned out to be costly and time-consuming. So the company switched to PWA top-notch solutions. As a result, the website is fast, delivers enhanced UX resulting in more profit and increased conversion rate.

Conclusion

PWAs have abundant features and more and more companies decide to choose this solution. They are often preferred over traditional native mobile applications due to better user experience, higher loading speed and affordability. However there are some minor drawbacks that the users can face like the absence of log-in with social networks and high battery usage.

The list of benefits that PWA can bring to your table is longer, they do not require additional space for installation on the device, can work offline and are app-store independent. From my point of view, it is always worthwhile to try new cutting-edge technologies and reap the rewards of them.