Your mobile traffic is thriving, but mobile sales? They could use a boost.

Shoppers add to cart on mobile 51.8% more often than on desktop, but they check out less. The conversion rate is just 2% — 9.09% lower than desktop. While they’re more likely to browse items on their phones, they’re less likely to convert.

The issue isn’t lack of intent — it’s friction. In Q3 2024, mobile cart abandonment hit 83.6%, making it 15.3% higher than desktop. Mobile websites slow shoppers down with clunky navigation, long forms, and checkout roadblocks.

Mobile apps remove those barriers. With faster checkout, seamless UX, and direct engagement tools like push notifications, brands can see 63% higher app conversion rates than mobile web. 

By the end of this article, you’ll walk away with key tactics that top brands use to turn mobile browsers into high-value customers.

Why mobile shoppers expect more — and why mobile websites fail to deliver

You’ve spent hundreds of dollars with a brand. You’re a loyal customer. But when you visit their mobile website, you’re treated like a first-time shopper — greeted with a pop-up for 10% off your first order instead of the VIP experience you expect. Sound familiar?

That disconnect is frustrating and exactly why mobile websites fall short. Shoppers want an intuitive, personalized experience, but the mobile web experience rarely delivers.

What shoppers expect:

• Instant load times and frictionless checkout
• A tailored experience that recognizes their loyalty
• A smooth, intuitive shopping journey

What they actually get on mobile web:

• Slow load times: Every second counts. A one-second delay in mobile load time can drop conversion rates by 20%, according to Think with Google.
• A clunky, one-size-fits-all experience: Even returning customers are treated like first-time visitors, bombarded with generic promotions instead of the VIP treatment they expect.
• A frustrating checkout process: Extra steps, long forms, and missing saved payment details drive shoppers away before they ever complete their purchase.

The result? Every delay — every extra tap, load, or second spent waiting — adds friction. And friction kills conversions.

Every 0.1-second slowdown in mobile site speed can drop conversion rates by 8.4%. Now multiply that by every frustrated shopper, every day, and the missed revenue adds up fast.

Meanwhile, ad spend goes to waste on traffic that never converts. You paid to bring that shopper to your mobile site, but the experience slowed them down before they could convert. The demand was there, but the experience got in the way. And that’s ad spend you don’t get back.

If your mobile site feels like an afterthought, shoppers will treat it like one.

"A website can get to a first purchase—even a good mobile website. But is it going to get you your second purchase? All the data I’ve seen in my career has shown it’s not as likely as with a mobile app.”
‍Kyle Patel, Head of Ecommerce at Stadium Goods

Mobile apps close the gap with faster load times, frictionless checkout, and personalized experiences that turn intent into revenue.

What makes a mobile app a better sales channel than mobile web?

Mobile websites struggle to deliver fast experiences, but mobile apps are built for speed, personalization, and frictionless shopping. That’s why brands consistently see higher app conversion rates compared to mobile web. 

Here’s what makes the difference:

Keep shoppers focused with fewer distractions

A mobile website is constantly competing for attention. Shoppers can switch tabs, check social media, or abandon their cart the moment a notification pops up.

On the other hand, an app is a walled-off shopping experience where you have shoppers' undivided attention. Without browser tabs or external distractions, customers stay engaged longer — and they’re far more likely to complete their purchase.

Remove checkout friction for faster purchases

Every extra step in checkout increases the risk of abandonment. Mobile apps streamline the process with saved payment details like Apple Pay and Google Pay, making checkout nearly instant. No need to enter card details or shipping addresses — just tap, confirm, and buy.

Increase order value with hyper-personalization

Shoppers are more likely to convert when they see products tailored to their interests. AI-driven recommendations inside mobile apps suggest relevant products based on browsing history, past purchases, and real-time behavior, boosting average order value (AOV) and conversion rates (CVR).

Deliver a seamless UX for frictionless shipping

Apps load faster, run smoother, and offer intuitive navigation designed specifically for mobile. No clunky menus, slow-loading pages, or awkward pinch-to-zoom moments — just a streamlined shopping journey that keeps customers moving toward checkout.

The features high-converting mobile apps have in common

A well-built mobile app creates a seamless shopping experience that engages customers and drives higher conversions. The right features reduce user drop-off, build trust, and keep shoppers moving toward checkout.

Shoppable video keeps customers engaged

Shoppable videos showcase products in action, making it easier for customers to visualize their purchase. According to Adhese, video content can boost conversions by up to 30% by driving higher engagement and purchase intent.

Tapcart integrates with leading video commerce platforms to help brands take full advantage of shoppable content:

• Firework: Brands can create a video-first shopping experience with shoppable and live-stream video content.
• LiveMeUp: Live stream notifications and one-tap access make it easy for shoppers to join and buy directly from video.
• Videowise: A commerce-driven video experience helps brands engage shoppers across mobile apps and other channels.

Social proof builds trust

Shoppers want validation before they buy. Customer reviews, influencer testimonials, and user-generated content (UGC) help establish credibility and reduce hesitation. 

Tapcart integrates with top social proof solutions to make it easy for brands to showcase real customer experiences:

• Yotpo UGC: Shoppable UGC galleries bring the Instagram Shopping Feed experience into mobile apps, showcasing real customer photos and videos.
• Foursixty: An interactive Instagram gallery lets brands display customer-generated content to inspire purchases and increase engagement.
• Okendo: Customer reviews, success stories, and UGC help brands highlight social proof and strengthen credibility inside their mobile app.

Push notifications recover lost sales

A simple reminder can be the difference between an abandoned cart and a completed order. Personalized push notifications bring customers back with timely messages, offering incentives, urgency, or a gentle nudge to complete their purchase.

And when those notifications lead directly to the right product or collection,  conversion rates can really climb. Deep linking lets shoppers jump straight into the app experience and check out in just a few taps — no extra clicks, no wasted time.

Want to send smarter, higher-converting messages? Get The Ultimate Push Notification Guide to Boost Engagement and Retention →

Frictionless checkout reduces drop-off

Every extra step in checkout increases the risk of abandonment. Auto-saved payment and shipping details speed up transactions, while one-tap payment options like Apple Pay drive even higher conversions. Businesses that integrate Apple Pay see up to a 58% increase in conversion rates, thanks to fast authentication with Face ID and fingerprint recognition.

The right app features make the shopping experience smoother, more engaging, and more profitable.

Benchmark data: What is a good conversion rate?

Every brand wants higher conversion rates, but what does “good” actually look like?

Benchmarking numbers are hard to track down with this data, but here’s what we found:

• Retail install-to-purchase rate: 1.38%
• Travel install-to-purcase rate: 2.41%

The sample size of this data from UXCam is unclear, but we can use it as a starting point. As a general benchmark, most mobile apps have a 1–2% conversion rate, with anything above 2% considered strong. 

How to measure your conversion rate

A high-performing app drives installs and turns users into customers. The key is tracking conversion data that reflects actual purchasing behavior. Here are two popular methods:

• Install-to-purchase rate: How many people download the app and complete a purchase?
• Event-based tracking: Follow the customer journey from product views to add-to-cart to checkout to understand where drop-off happens.

Why benchmarks alone aren’t enough

Conversion rates are useful, but they don’t exist in a vacuum. App success depends on more than just first-time purchases.

While CVR benchmarks provide a baseline, mobile app success depends on multiple factors:

• Retention rate: How many users return and make repeat purchases?
• Average order value (AOV): Are mobile app shoppers spending more per transaction?
• Checkout speed: How much faster is the app’s checkout process compared to mobile web?

Focusing on these metrics gives a clearer picture of how well an app is driving long-term growth — not just short-term sales.

How top brands optimize their apps for conversions

A well-designed mobile app removes friction and keeps shoppers engaged. Leading brands design their apps to create a smoother experience, increase conversion rates, and encourage repeat purchases. Here’s how they do it.

Seamless transitions drive higher conversions

Top brands don’t let shoppers get stuck in the browser. The easier shoppers move from mobile web to mobile app, the more likely they are to convert.

• Top brands link directly to their app (not a mobile webpage) when driving traffic from ads, emails, or social media.
• They use deep links to land shoppers on specific product or collection pages, not the homepage, reducing friction and speeding up checkout.

App-only perks encourage engagement and sales

Shoppers know they’ll find the best deals in the app — and that exclusivity pays off.

• Early access and in-app discounts create urgency and drive downloads.
• Favorites and one-tap reorders make it easy for loyal customers to come back and buy again.

Every small optimization adds up to a better shopping experience — and better results. 

Leading brands that have boosted conversion rates with a mobile app

Mobile apps create a smoother shopping experience and drive measurable business growth. Brands that invest in a dedicated app see higher conversion rates, stronger retention, and increased customer lifetime value.

Let’s take a look at how these brands optimized their mobile experience and saw real results.

Naked Harvest: 142% higher CVR on app vs. mobile website

Naked Harvest needed a way to improve the shopping experience without overhauling its website. But more than that, the brand wanted to create a seamless path to repurchase for its most loyal customers.

As a daily supplement company, retention is everything. Customers aren’t making one-time purchases — they’re buying products on a recurring basis. A mobile app made that process effortless.

• Customers' lifetime value is 45% higher in the app.
• Purchase frequency increased by 30%.

By making it easier for customers to shop, re-order, and engage with the brand, Naked Harvest saw a 142% CVR increase on its app compared to its mobile website.

HOP WTR: 139% higher CVR on app vs. mobile web

For HOP WTR, a seamless shopping experience was essential. As a beverage brand, repeat purchases drive growth, and customers needed an easy way to restock their favorites without friction.

A mobile app made that possible. Shoppers could save past orders, favorite products, and check out in seconds, creating a faster, more intuitive experience than the mobile website.

• Customers could reorder with minimal steps, increasing retention.
• Frictionless checkout made purchases feel effortless.

By optimizing the buying experience for repeat customers, HOP WTR saw a 139% increase in conversion rates on its app compared to its mobile website.

[The app] makes it really easy for customers to do business with us. That's what we want from a customer experience standpoint—to remove any friction, and having that fast-loading app experience helps do that.”
‍—Brad Nogle, VP of eCommerce at HOP WTR

BÉIS: 67% higher CVR on-app vs. mobile web

BÉIS saw the impact of its mobile app right away. Conversion rates were significantly stronger than on the mobile website, proving the value of a dedicated app.

Beyond conversions, the app also introduced push notifications, giving BÉIS a powerful new way to re-engage customers and drive repeat purchases.

• Higher conversion rates proved the app’s impact early on.
• Push notifications became a key retention strategy.

With a stronger conversion rate and better customer engagement, BÉIS turned its app into a major growth driver.

Brands winning on mobile have one thing in common

Most brands underestimate how much revenue they’re losing to mobile friction. Slow load times, clunky checkouts, and missed engagement opportunities drive shoppers away before they ever complete a purchase.

A mobile app changes that. Brands that invest in a seamless, high-converting app see higher conversion rates, stronger retention, and increased customer lifetime value.

Stop losing revenue to mobile friction. Launch a high-converting app with Tapcart and see results like 142% higher conversion rates.

See how →