How brands are breaking the norm with ecommerce mobile apps in 2025

We designed Reactiv to be much more than a mobile app builder. And we’re working on that mission every day. 

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2024 was filled with learning. We introduced Reactiv to more ecommerce merchants, helping them build truly unique mobile experiences that increase conversions, boost AOV, and reach customers where they are. 

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In 2025, we’re building on our insights to deliver even more value. Starting with this post.

We’ve compiled everything we’ve learned, backed up by real stories from real customers, to teach you how to build the best ecommerce mobile strategy—one that’s literally guaranteed to close the gap between discovery and conversion.

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Creating interactive pages to drive up engagement 

Ecommerce mobile apps aren’t just another sales channel. 

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They’re a way to create a unique experience that customers won’t find anywhere else, including your website. Go beyond the standard product pages and checkout and give your customers a reason to use your app (and return to use it again). 

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Building a valuable mobile app seems like a lot of work, but it’s not with Reactiv. You can quickly launch a mobile experience that drives acquisition, conversions, and customer loyalty. 

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Don’t just take my word for it, though. 

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Missouri Star Quilt Company (MSQC) launched a mobile app to create a personalized shopping experience for loyal customers. In just 2 weeks, the app garnered 50,000 users and drove 10% of total revenue. 

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That type of success requires a clear, well-defined mobile strategy. 

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Before launching an ecommerce app, consider two questions: 

1. What are the incentives for customers to download your app vs. just using your mobile site?
2. What are the incentives for customers to re-visit your app?

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Having a re-engagement strategy can help answer those questions.

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I recommend incentivizing app downloads and repeat visits with in-app offers for new customers and loyalty rewards for repeat users.

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Let’s take a look at two ecommerce brands that have tailored their app directly to their ideal customer’s needs. 

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Med School Bro creates excitement with in-app daily quizzes

Founded as an alternative to archaic medical school study resources, Med School Bro sells engaging study guides, flashcards, and PDFs to help students ace their exams. 

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Staying true to their mission, Med School Bro designed a mobile app that was just as exciting. They’ve embedded ‘Question of the Day’ quizzes and weekly trivia features to encourage user engagement. 

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Based on the first-party data collected in-app, like quiz results, Med School Bro provides personalized product recommendations to increase conversions.

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This unique element of their app closes the loop from engagement to conversion to re-engagement. 

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MSQC incentivizes app visits with live shopping and daily deals

MSQC created a curated and thoughtful user journey for its quilting community via its mobile app’s intuitive UI. 

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To help customers navigate the thousands of SKUs they offer, MSQC embedded two elements in its mobile app:

1. Bundles: These allow shoppers to hold items for seven days while they add items to their cart, aiming to qualify for free shipping and consolidated shipments. 
2. Daily Deals: MSQC lists deeply discounted items each day to encourage swift, impulse purchases. 

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Offering these unique features exclusive to the app has sparked frequent transactions and increased customer loyalty. 

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Using Reactiv Clips as an acquisition tool

It’s clear mobile apps hold a lot of revenue-generating potential for ecommerce brands. 

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But what if your customers don’t want to download another app? 

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Well, they don’t have to. 

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Reactiv Clips eliminate the need for app downloads while delivering a full, seamless app experience for shoppers. They are mini versions of mobile apps that allow users to access a specific app feature, like making a purchase or browsing a product, directly from an ad, email, or QR code. 

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Not only does this combat app fatigue for your shoppers, but it also gives you the ability to retarget users.

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Reactiv Clips give you an 8-hour window to retarget customers with personalized push notifications—no email, SMS opt-in, or cookies required. This gives you a second chance to convert up to 95% of ad clicks that would otherwise lead to nothing, all while providing deep, actionable insights into user behavior.

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Here’s how it works:

1. Engaging Discovery Across Platforms:
   Run ads on channels like Meta, Instagram, or TikTok, or send iMessages, emails, or even create NFC tags with QR codes that direct customers to a Reactiv Clip. Shoppers can instantly engage with a specific feature or product page in your app, without needing to download anything. This first interaction is both smooth and valuable, designed to capture attention right when they’re interested.
2. Instant Re-engagement with Push Notifications:
   The moment someone clicks on your Reactiv Clip, you have a unique opportunity to keep them engaged. Without requiring an opt-in, you can start sending push notifications that gently re-engage them, reminding them of any items they browsed or encouraging them to complete their purchase.
3. Seamless Purchase Flow:
   With a Reactiv Clip, if a customer leaves before completing checkout, you can send a targeted push notification that brings them right back to where they left off, making it easier than ever to finish their purchase in just one click.
4. Drive Post-Purchase Engagement:
   After a customer completes their purchase, use a final push notification to invite them to download the full app. This step provides added value, allowing them to track their order, explore more products, and stay connected with your brand beyond peak season.

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Reactiv Clips’ impact on BFCM 

Since introducing Reactiv Clips, we’ve seen Reactiv Plus merchants take full advantage of their potential. Especially during peak shopping periods like Black Friday Cyber Monday. 

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During BFCM 2024, Reactiv Clips users saw:

• 60% click rate on notifications
• 5.08% conversion rate on those ad clicks
• 7.16% of ad clicks leading to an app download 

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Over BFCM, Reactiv Clips helped brands decrease CAC, increase their ROAS, and double their add-to-carts. Achieving these results during a period when shoppers are bombarded with notifications is no small feat. 

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Reactiv Clips turn ad clicks directly into shopper engagement, closing the gap between discovery and conversion. 

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Customizing push notifications to match buyer intent

Push notifications are an effective way to grab user’s attention with personalized messaging delivered right to their phone. But like any retargeting strategy, they have to be well-planned and relevant. 

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Customizing your messaging and directing traffic to the relevant page based on the buyer’s intent increases the likelihood that they’ll convert. 

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Some of the most effective types of push notifications are:

• Abandoned cart:

When a customer leaves items in their cart, sometimes all they need is a gentle nudge to complete their order. If they’re browsing multiple stores and comparing options, they may have unintentionally forgotten about their cart. Sending a push notification reminding them about their order can help capture otherwise missed revenue. 

• Browse abandonment:  

Similarly, you can send a push notification when a customer spends time looking at a specific item without actually adding it to their cart. Browse abandonment notifications encourage users to take a second look, which could be the difference between a conversion and a lost opportunity. 

• Sales announcements and reminders: 

Create FOMO with push notifications about your sales and promotions. This works especially well for exclusive, limited-time-only sales by creating a sense of urgency. Customers won’t want to miss out and reminding them about their chance to save can drive a purchase. 

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One way to leverage push notifications is with Reactiv Clips. 

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The advantage of leveraging Reactiv Clips to send push notifications is the fact that you don’t have to wait for a user to download the app to send the notification. Once a customer engages with your app through a Reactiv Clip, you can retarget them for up to 8 hours through personalized push notifications (on iOS). 

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Ecommerce brands can now retarget every single ad click with a push notification—without an opt-in. Unsurprisingly, this has helped brands greatly decrease their CAC, improve the efficacy of their ad spend, and meet customers where they are. 

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Engage more customers—with zero friction—with Reactiv Clips

Reactiv Clips help you bring your mobile experience to more customers—even those who haven’t downloaded your app. 

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And that’s not even the best part. 

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Every ad click unlocks the ability to retarget customers with tailored, personalized push notifications turning discovery into conversions. 

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Book a demo of Reactiv Clips to see how it works for yourself.

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