Shopify Mobile App vs Website: Which is Better for Gathering Customer Data?

With the growing restrictions on customer data and privacy, it's becoming increasingly challenging for eCommerce businesses to gather insights from their website traffic. 

Websites now face limitations like third-party cookie bans, browser privacy settings, and consent requirements, making it harder to learn about customer behavior. This means fewer opportunities to personalize experiences and improve marketing efforts. 

Beyond these privacy restrictions, website data can be unreliable due to ad blockers, fragmented sessions, or even customers using multiple devices. Plus, it's tough to track in-depth engagement beyond page views and clicks. 

That's where having your own Shopify mobile app comes in. 

In this blog, we’ll compare how Shopify mobile apps and websites stack up when it comes to gathering customer data. 

Shopify mobile app vs Shopify mobile website: comparison for customer data 

As more and more people are using only their phones for online shopping, if you're just looking at data from your desktop store, you're missing out big time. 

You also need to optimize your website for mobile users and build an eCommerce app too. It's the only way to get the full picture of your customers' behavior. 

If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick comparison table: 

Want to get a better understanding of Shopify mobile apps? Read the Shopify mobile app FAQs here to clear your basic concerns!

In-depth analysis: Shopify mobile app vs website for collecting customer data 

Based on the table above, it’s clear already that if you haven’t already — it’s time to turn your Shopify store into a mobile app. Here are some more insights on why we think it’s essential from a customer data perspective: 

1. Depth and quality of data 

When it comes to the depth and quality of customer data, Shopify mobile apps clearly have the upper hand. With a mobile app, you can access much more comprehensive data, such as user location, device type, and in-app behavior. 

For example, you can track how frequently customers open your app, what products they browse, and even how they interact with push notifications. Features like geolocation and biometrics also provide app-specific data that helps you build more detailed customer profiles. You could also send location-based offers or monitor how many users unlock your app with Face ID. 

On the other hand, mobile websites are limited to basic metrics. You’ll get insights like page views, time spent on site, and bounce rates, but the data doesn’t go much deeper. Browser privacy settings and cookie consent further limit your ability to collect customer information, making it difficult to track user behavior beyond your website. This means your understanding of your customers’ preferences and actions remains fragmented, leaving you with less reliable data to work with.

Simply put, if rich customer data is essential to your business, a Shopify mobile app offers superior tools for gathering actionable insights. 

Also Read: 12 Best Shopify Mobile App Builders in 2024 | Turn eCommerce Website to App 

2. Personalization 

When it comes to delivering personalized experiences, Shopify mobile apps outshine mobile websites. 

A mobile app allows you to use real-time data to tailor content, recommendations, and offers based on individual user behavior. 

For example, you can suggest products that align with a customer’s previous purchases or browsing history, send personalized push notifications, and even adjust promotions based on their in-app activity. This level of dynamic personalization creates a more engaging shopping experience, increasing the chances of repeat purchases and customer loyalty. And the more these customers come back to you, the more data you have on them. 

On a mobile website, personalization is more limited. Since the data is often tied to broader user segments and session-based interactions, it’s harder to provide unique experiences for individual users. 

Moreover, continuity is a challenge—tracking customer behavior across devices and sessions can be disjointed, leading to less cohesive personalization. 

For example, a customer may browse a product on their phone but not see the same personalized recommendations when they revisit on their desktop, reducing the impact of your marketing efforts. 

In contrast, a Shopify mobile app keeps everything consistent and tailored to the user, ensuring a seamless, personalized journey that encourages more conversions. 

3. User engagement & retention

When it comes to keeping your customers engaged and coming back, a Shopify mobile app has several advantages over a mobile website. One key factor is the ability to directly engage users through automated push notifications and in-app messaging. These tools allow you to send timely, personalized updates that prompt users to re-engage with your app. 

For example, you can notify users about a flash sale or remind them of items left in their cart. The immediacy of push notifications is highly effective in drawing customers back, especially compared to email marketing or pop-ups on a mobile website, which are often ignored or blocked. 

In-app features like gamification can also drive repeat visits. Many successful apps include rewards programs, challenges, or points systems that keep users coming back. A loyalty program where users collect points for every purchase made in the app creates an incentive for regular engagement. 

Additionally, the smoother, faster navigation experience on a mobile app, coupled with intuitive design, often leads to longer session durations and more interactions compared to mobile websites, where loading times or design limitations can frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates. 

In contrast, mobile websites rely on less immediate engagement methods like email campaigns or on-site pop-ups. These tend to be less effective because they require users to open their email or choose to revisit the site. The ability to re-engage users is limited because mobile websites don’t have the direct, in-the-moment communication features that apps do. 

Also, mobile websites are more dependent on user initiative—meaning the customer has to decide to come back, rather than being nudged by a push notification or reward system. The overall experience is often less immersive due to limitations in design and functionality, reducing the likelihood of sustained engagement and retention — which translated to less data on customer’s browsing behaviour. 

4. Data privacy & security 

Data privacy and security are critical concerns for eCommerce businesses, and a Shopify mobile app offers more robust protections compared to a mobile website. 

Apps have enhanced security features like biometric authentication (such as Face ID or fingerprint scanning) and in-app encryption, which adds layers of protection to customer data. 

These features give users peace of mind, knowing their personal information is secure, while also making it easier for them to control their data permissions. 

For example, users can decide whether to allow location tracking or push notifications right from the app’s settings, which helps build trust between the customer and the brand. 

Mobile websites, while generally secure, often rely on SSL certificates to encrypt data. While SSL is an important security measure, it doesn’t offer the same level of protection as the biometric and encrypted systems found in apps. 

Users also tend to have less control over what data is collected by mobile websites, as most of the data collection happens through cookies and third-party trackers, which can be blocked by browser settings or privacy tools. This not only impacts data collection but also affects customer trust, as privacy settings can reduce transparency. 

5. Data integration 

Data integration is another area where Shopify mobile apps excel. A mobile app seamlessly integrates with CRM systems, analytics tools, and other third-party services, giving you a unified view of customer behavior. 

For example, a Shopify app can track a customer’s entire journey—from Shopify mobile app install to purchase, including offline actions like opening push notifications or engaging with in-app offers. This holistic view of customer interactions allows you to create highly targeted marketing campaigns and personalized offers based on real-time data. 

Moreover, mobile apps offer better integration with offline behaviors. For instance, if a user opens a push notification but doesn’t make a purchase right away, that action is still tracked within the app’s analytics, giving you more insight into how your marketing efforts are performing. This level of data tracking provides a 360-degree view of the customer journey, ensuring that no interaction is missed. 

On the other hand, mobile websites often struggle with data fragmentation. While integration with CRMs and analytics tools is possible, it’s more difficult to track customer behavior across multiple sessions and devices. 

Build your eCommerce mobile app with Appbrew! 

There's no better channel for gathering valuable customer data than a mobile app. However, to completely use each customer interaction, it’s crucial to track data from all channels and compile it for a complete, accurate picture. 

Don’t have a mobile app for your Shopify business? Or is your current eCommerce app lacking in data collection capabilities? You’re missing out on potential sales. 

That’s where Appbrew comes in. With Appbrew, a leading Shopify mobile app builder, you can collect and track every bit of customer data you need—from in-app behavior to purchase history and more. This data will help you make informed decisions for Google and Meta ad campaigns, ensuring your marketing efforts are on point. 

But it’s not just about the data. Your app will come packed with features to engage, convert, and retain customers, giving you even more insights as they keep coming back. 

Book a demo with Appbrew today!