How to Hire Mobile App Developers for Retail Business Growth?

Retail apps are more than just platforms to showcase retail products and complete transactions; they are potential engines that can drive retail business and win over their competitors. While the global mobile application market size is projected to reach USD 626.39 billion by 2030, hiring mobile app developers is both crucial and challenging for retailers. This blog discusses how retailers can hire developers with the right expertise to build an app that effectively connects with their customers.

Struggles of finding the right retail app developers

Hiring retail app developers comes with unique hurdles like specialized skills, rising costs, and time pressures that can hinder business growth.

Talent scarcity

The mobile development market has many general developers; however, there is a scarcity of top-tier talent with expertise in retail-specific technologies. Many retail applications may need specialized features such as AR try-ons, AI-led personalization, or POS/Inventory management integration. However, developers with those skills are typically hired by big tech firms or fintech companies. As a result, retailers are forced to settle with freshers who need training or developers without niche expertise.

High development costs

Developing a retail application is expensive and the cost further increases with the increase in complexity. Businesses that look for more low-cost solutions end up dealing with costly reworks, bugs, and poor customer experiences.

Difficulty evaluating true expertise

Most retailers without a technical background tend to evaluate candidates based on portfolios alone, without assessing their exposure to the retail industry. This leads to building an app without including components like checkout or loyalty programs which are crucial for a shopping app.

Device fragmentation and compatibility testing

Retail applications have to perform consistently across a wide variety of Android devices. Inadequate compatibility testing leads to poor user experiences and lower conversions.

Time-to-market pressures

Retail apps need to be fully ready for peak shopping periods to offer a good customer experience and maximize sales. The pressure of putting together a team to launch the app can be immense for retailers.

These challenges highlight why retailers must be strategic in how they approach hiring.

Process to hire mobile app developers

Here are the steps that will help retailers connect with app developers who possess niche knowledge, prior experience and expertise to build the application.

Step 1: Define your app requirements and scope

Before looking for people to build your app, document your app’s scope, target audience, features, timeline, and budget. Share this with potential developers to get realistic feedback and suggestions. A clear MVP (Minimum Viable Product) scope helps avoid misunderstandings and sets the foundation for success.

Step 2: Adopting the right hiring model

Retailers have three main options:

• In-house team Hiring permanent developers to build an internal team offers full control and deep business knowledge integration. However, hiring the right candidates might take months and a higher budget, which is challenging for non-tech retailers.

• Freelancers Hiring freelancers is cost-effective, flexible, and great for small budgets or specific tasks like a UI design. However, risks include inconsistent quality and lack of backup if someone leaves.

• Hiring pre-vetted team on demand Dedicated teams provide developers, designers, QA, and project managers. They reduce risks, ensure faster delivery, and bring retail-specific expertise. For growth-focused apps, this model is often the most reliable. However, ensure the companies offering their developers follow a structured delivery workflow.

Step 3: Where to find developers or teams

Look beyond generic platforms.

• Utilize specialized directories that offer certified provider rankings to access those with retail case studies.
• Get referrals from people in retail networks.
• Attend events or webinars related to retail technology to connect with experts.
• Explore global options for cost-effective scaling models.
• These sources assist retailers in connecting with professional talents who can fit well within the retail organizations.

Step 4: Evaluate and vet candidates

• Assess the shortlisted candidates thoroughly to ensure they can truly extend your retail team:
• Review the portfolio to see the type of projects they have experience with and can prioritize smooth UX, high ratings from the app store, and existing feature sets such as quick checkout or loyalty.
• Evaluate their experience in developing mobile applications using iOS, Android, modern technology stacks such as React Native/Flutter, and e-commerce domain-specific skills such as secure payments and real-time inventory management.
• Carry out interviews that focus on your retail issues, for instance, managing traffic during peak seasons. If your requirements are complicated, ask for a paid pilot that will allow you to work together and experience the quality firsthand.

This rigorous vetting identifies flexible and high-fit partners ready to accelerate your app under your direction.

App development companies, like SayOne, already have a team of experienced app developers who have gained real experience working with retail businesses and creating apps that are highly functional and evolve with customer demands.

How specialized partners accelerate retail app development

As an app development company having experience working for retail companies across different countries, SayOne can assist you in developing apps that connect with your customers. Through a systematic delivery workflow, we shortlist our top app developers from which you can choose the developers to extend your team after interviewing them. They work on your app and fulfill your tech needs on demand at 70% lower cost.

Partner with us to strengthen your tech team with our developers to create a conversion-driven app for your retail.