Your store, as an app people reopen
without typing a URL
A mobile app earns its place next to a mobile-friendly website only if it does something the browser cannot: a push notification that actually gets opened, a wallet that remembers the address and card, an offline cart that survives a dropped connection. We build for that difference, not for having an app as a checkbox.
What it is and who needs it
An e-commerce mobile app puts your store’s catalogue, checkout and order tracking into a native iOS and Android experience, built specifically to do what a mobile website cannot: send a push notification a shopper actually taps, remember a saved card for a one-tap reorder, and hold a cart through a dropped connection on the way home. It is for a store with a repeat-buyer base large enough that re-engagement matters more than discovery, and for a brand that wants to own the checkout experience rather than renting it from a marketplace app.
It is the wrong investment for a brand-new store with no proven repeat purchase pattern yet; we will tell you that in the first call rather than take the project anyway.
What is inside
The app syncs to your existing catalogue, whether that lives on Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom platform, so product data, stock and pricing stay in one source of truth rather than a second system someone has to update twice. Checkout supports the payment methods your market actually uses, cards, PromptPay, LiqPay or cash on delivery, with the same idempotency guards we build into every checkout so a flaky connection never doubles an order.
Push notifications are tied to events that justify an interruption: a price drop on a saved item, restock of something out of stock, a cart left unfinished, an order moving to the next fulfillment step, never a generic blast. Saved addresses and cards make reorder close to one tap, and order tracking stays visible without a support ticket.
We also build in the operational detail that most store-app builds skip: webhook-based inventory sync so an item that goes out of stock on the website disappears from the app within seconds, not minutes; a returns and refund flow that writes back to the same order record the website uses, so support staff see one history, not two; and a staging environment where catalogue or pricing changes get tested before they touch the live app, since an e-commerce bug in production costs real revenue every hour it runs. For brands selling across more than one country, currency and tax display adapt automatically rather than requiring a second build.
How we build it
- Audit the existing store. Catalogue structure, current checkout flow, payment and delivery providers, so the app connects cleanly instead of duplicating logic.
- Design the app-specific wins. Push triggers, saved-cart recovery, reorder flow, the things a browser genuinely cannot do as well.
- Build the sync layer first. Catalogue and inventory sync is the part that breaks silently if rushed, so it gets built and tested before the UI.
- Ship checkout with guards. Idempotent orders, stock checks at the moment of payment, and the local payment methods your buyers expect.
- Launch with tracking to revenue. Analytics measures orders and repeat rate from the app, not installs alone, from day one.
Timeline and price
| Tier | Price | What’s included | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | from $6,500 | Catalogue sync, checkout with local payments, push on three core events | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Production | from $13,000 | MVP plus loyalty points, saved reorder, order tracking, admin visibility | 10 to 14 weeks |
| Full control, handover-ready | from $22,100 | Everything in Production plus full handover documentation and a support runbook for your own team | 10 to 14 weeks |
What you own at the end
Your own developer accounts with the app registered under them, the repository under your organization, and the backend’s source and database schema documented for handover. If the app syncs to a store you already run, nothing about that store’s ownership changes; the app is an additional, replaceable layer on top of it, not a lock-in.
Related
See the e-commerce service page for how we approach stores and marketplaces end to end, and the marketplace mobile app and loyalty and rewards app pages for adjacent builds. For the infrastructure pieces, see in-app subscriptions and push notifications infrastructure. For a real store rebuild, see the D2C store Thailand audit and rebuild and ProBay’s marketplace automation.
Have a store with repeat buyers who deserve better than a mobile browser? Get in touch and we will look at whether an app earns its cost for you.
FAQ
How much does an e-commerce mobile app cost?
From $6,500 for an app synced to an existing catalogue with checkout and push notifications. A native catalogue, loyalty points or a multi-vendor structure usually runs $10,000 to $18,000. We quote the exact figure once we see your current store.
How long does it take?
6 to 10 weeks when the app connects to a catalogue that already exists on Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom store. Building the catalogue from scratch alongside the app adds 2 to 4 weeks.
What stack do you use?
React Native and Expo for iOS and Android, a FastAPI or Node backend syncing to your store's API or database, PostgreSQL for app-specific data like saved carts and push preferences, and your existing payment and delivery providers rather than new ones we insist on.
Who owns the app and the data?
You. The app is registered under your own developer accounts, the backend and its data live on infrastructure in your name, and the repository is yours. If you already run a store, the app extends it rather than replacing anything you own.
Does this replace our mobile website?
No, and we will say so if it would not earn its cost. A mobile app adds push re-engagement, offline resilience and faster repeat checkout; it is worth building once you have enough repeat buyers for those to matter, which we check with you before quoting.