Analysing whether a mobile app is necessary or pointless

1. Overview

I led a study to evaluate whether a mobile app could boost conversions for a Brazilian building materials marketplace, uncovering key insights into B2B mobile shopping behavior and saving unnecessary development costs.

For confidentiality, some specifics—like survey protocols, sample details, metrics and other deliverables—aren’t included in this case.

2. Background

Juntos Somos Mais is a marketplace that connects building materials industries with stores, facilitating the sell-in process. It’s a straightforward concept: large industries sell products to smaller stores, driving business for both sides.

Here’s where things got interesting: although a significant portion of marketplace access came from mobile devices, the majority of purchases were happening on desktops. Naturally, the question arose—would developing a mobile app improve conversions?

This project aimed to explore that question and go deeper, looking at:

Whether B2B mobile shopping behavior already exists.
Which channels companies prefer for mobile purchases.
What motivates or discourages companies from shopping on mobile devices.

I worked alongside Mariana Leiva, guiding her through the process and contributing to data analysis to help uncover actionable insights.

3. Problem statement

The challenge

Mobile access was high, but purchases lagged. We needed to figure out whether building an app would actually drive mobile conversions—or if there were other, more cost-effective solutions.

Key questions we wanted to answer

Would a mobile app increase mobile conversions?
Is there already B2B mobile shopping behavior?
Which channels are most frequently used for mobile purchases?
What motivates or deters companies from buying on mobile?

4. Research

We relied on a mix of methods to address these questions and gather meaningful insights:

Surveys: to collect statistically significant data on user behavior and preferences.
Interviews: to dig into the motivations and challenges users face when shopping on mobile.
Desk research: to understand why other marketplaces build apps and whether those reasons apply here.
Data analysis: to explore existing mobile and desktop usage patterns using analytics tools.

5. Ideation

The study was driven by a clear set of objectives and hypotheses:

Primary objective

Determine whether an app would meaningfully improve mobile conversions.

Secondary objectives

Identify existing B2B mobile shopping behavior.
Explore the most-used channels for mobile shopping.
Understand what drives or deters mobile shopping decisions.

Key hypotheses

Mobile devices are mostly used for browsing, while purchases are made on desktops.
Mobile is more convenient for searching prices and product details.
Users see value in a dedicated shopping app.
An app could increase client loyalty.

6. Design process

My role in the project was to lead Mariana in defining the research scope and ensuring the analysis aligned with the marketplace’s business goals. I also contributed to synthesizing the findings and shaping the recommendations.

7. Testing and iteration

Here’s what we found:

Mobile behavior is real: there is already B2B mobile shopping behavior, especially for searching prices and product details.
Channel preferences matter: the study identified the most-used channels for both mobile and desktop purchases.
Motivations and barriers:
1. Mobile is preferred for its convenience.
2. Many users believe a shopping app would be relevant, but it’s not the only solution.
Potential for loyalty: evidence suggests an app could boost client loyalty, but it’s not a guaranteed solution.
The biggest win? We saved significant resources by concluding that while mobile is a valuable channel, diving straight into app development might not be the right move just yet.

8. Action plan

Instead of jumping into app development, the study proposed a phased approach:

Test a Progressive Web App (PWA): use an MVP to compare KPIs with the existing mobile site.
Explore WhatsApp as a channel: investigate its role in supporting mobile shopping.
Enhance analytics: set up Google Analytics Cross Device tracking to understand multi-platform behavior.
Benchmark competitors: look at how similar marketplaces tackle mobile strategy.

9. Reflection and learnings

Challenges

The interviews didn’t provide as much relevant information as expected, which slightly limited the depth of the analysis.

Key takeaways

Mobile is an important channel, but app development should be driven by clear ROI metrics.
A PWA is a cost-effective way to validate mobile-focused solutions before committing to a full app.
Combining research methods strengthens results, even when some approaches fall short.

11. Future opportunities

Building on this study, I’d recommend:

Iterative roll-outs: start small with focused experiments to test new features.
User engagement: keep gathering feedback to ensure solutions meet actual user needs.
ROI metrics: develop a clear framework to evaluate whether app development will provide sustainable value.

Any updates from this roll-out will be shared here.