The rapidly evolving technology has considerably changed the way we look and consume things around us. With smartphones in almost every hand, every possible human need is addressed and available at our fingertips.
It has taken over almost all aspects of life and e-commerce is just one of them. People love shopping from the comfort of their homes. Businesses too have developed safe channels for its users that enable ease and comfort of usage as well as security.
It is estimated that 42% of smartphone prefer shopping online and are planning to use more of it in the coming year. Thus, if you have a business that involves selling and buying, you must get an app.
About 53% of smartphone users make their online purchases from apps that are specific to a certain company. This provides them with a sense of reliability on your product while you can focus on building a brand for yourself.
It can put you ahead in the existing market competition and help you climb the success ladder.
If you are planning to build to an e-commerce platform like that, then the eBay application can be a great example for you. It is one of the leaders amongst its peers and has users from across the globe.
Read Also: How To Make A Website Like eBay
Let’s have a look at the features and factors influencing the development cost when comes to develop an app like eBay.
What Does eBay Do?
eBay is an e-commerce platform that enables its users to make purchases from the biggest marketplace online. eBay has made shopping easy for its customers. It is budget-friendly and has a wide variety of products available for different audiences.
The users have also the ease of making instant payments through their cards or any other online channel and the product is delivered to their doorstep. It is available on almost all operating systems including iOS and Android.
The e-commerce platform has great deals and offers to attract customers. They have the latest items available for their users and the recommendations based on their shopping history keep the users engaged.
The prices are affordable, and it keeps the users updated about any latest feature, alerts, and offers. The users can not only buy but also sell items online through the channel. The customers can list and sell the items using their already created account.
Regular notifications keep the customers coming back to them. It also lets them keep track of their orders and purchases. The customers can also write their feedback on the products or the delivery through the platform.
Whether it is selling, purchasing or reading reviews, eBay provides a one-stop solution to all the needs of their customers.
Things You Need to Keep in Mind
Developing an application like eBay means that you have to deal with a huge amount of data. This data can be used in several ways to develop and improve the application regularly.
Thus, it is important to have structured data that lets you use the user data while segregating the useless ones. Data is an integral part of any e-commerce platform.
This can help to develop algorithms that can be suitable for the need of the customers which in turn can get you more users on board.
Usually, an app like eBay has a system architecture that can be divided into four parts, namely the back-end part, the front-end part, database servers, and application compatibility.
Developing an application is only one part, elaborate research and efforts will ultimately make the app successful.
If budget is not a problem for you, then you can focus on the nativity of the application. A native application is suitable and compatible with the operating system it has been programmed for.
If your developers’ team have programmed the application for iOS, then they can’t use the same code while developing it for android. A separate code is required for each platform.
Hosting and Domain:
It is necessary to have an attractive domain name for your website. An attractive logo that speaks for your brand is necessary. The next step can be getting a website script.
You can choose from the various CMS solutions like WordPress available. Custom PHP scripts are also commonly used for e-commerce platforms.
Site Design:
This can be one of the most important cost deciding factors for your application. It is thus crucial for you to discuss the important factors and carry out a design outline with your team.
If you are looking to save up on some capital, it is advisable to keep the features simple and customized according to your needs. This can be done by some market research, observing trends, knowing your audience and prioritising the features keeping in mind your budget accordingly.
One can also save up by using readymade templates already available. A wide range of pre-built features is available at a very low rate.
An attractive, customised UI/UX design is like a cherry on the pie but it is important to note that heavy customizations will increase your expenses to some extent.
Payment Gateway:
One of the most important things to consider while developing an e-commerce application is to create a secure payment gateway. This gateway must provide complete security to the users and a smooth transaction from your side.
Logistic Support:
However, this is probably the last step of the developmental process but is a crucial one. The products purchased by the customers must reach the customers on time and at the right location.
For this, you might need to tie-up with logistics groups that can help the smooth transitioning of your business. Better customer experience will help you build a good reputation among your market.
Read Also: 10 Best Shopping Apps Of 2023
How Much Will the cost to Develop an app like eBay?
The cost to develop an app like eBay will depend on the features you want in there and the number of developers on your team. Here are some factors that can affect your expenses on developing an application like eBay.
App Development Team:
The cost to develop an app like eBay depends on the number of hours that the developers spend on building the app. For e-commerce applications, a native mode of app is preferred as it provides smooth functioning and better user-experience.
This requires more time and effort of your team and will naturally increase the cost. It also depends on whether you want to hire freelancers or get a developer’s team.
However, for a long-term benefit, a developer’s team is suggested as you would need to fix bugs and update features accordingly.
Application Design:
The UX/UI design of your application can be a deciding factor for developmental prices. It is important to have a well-categorised application and attractive graphics can be a win-win.
But these will also shoot up the costs of developing the app. You can also start with the basic and default features available and improve them after customer feedback.
Tips on Managing the Developmental Costs
Start with The Basics:
Before you kick start your business, you need to evaluate and assess the needs of your business as well as predict the feedback of your customers. Therefore, it is advisable to start with a basic layout of the app.
A simple logo and UI designs and an interface that provides a decent customer experience. As and when the business becomes profitable, you can add in features and customizations to improve the app.
Engaging Content for Loyal Customers:
Now that you have your store, it is necessary to have regular customers. To keep your customers engaged and keep coming to your site, it is important to send out regular reminders.
You can achieve this through communication channels like email and text messages. These updates can be about offers, tracking down orders and other updates about features.
However, no customer likes spam. Make sure your reminders are customized and at regular intervals.
Know Your Market:
Before you start, it is necessary to go through extensive market research as it will help you understand your competitors.
To stay ahead of them, you can try and find the existing problems and focus on fixing them. You have to make a statement with your brand and focus on the things that set it apart from others.
Customer Support:
It is the customers that will make your product and business success. Set up customer support that assists them with their orders and requirements and resolves their issues quickly.
This will help you build trust among your people. A good customer support system indicates the reliability of the product and will keep you ahead of your competitors.
Read Also: How To Create An App Like Walmart
Final Thoughts
A platform like eBay provides a series of buying and selling a solution to its customers. While it has features that make it best in class, it is important to understand that success doesn’t come instantly.
It sometimes can be a series of trial and error methods. One can always start with the basic features and update them regularly keeping the customer feedback in mind.
Above all, know and understand your niche audience. You can always look up to experts in the fields and seek their advice or refer your market research.
If you are low on budget, you can always consider getting basic features and designs for your application. Try to develop an app that speaks for a brand like eBay and is clear with things that set it apart from other factors like cost.
