Roughly 70% of customers never make a second purchase from an ecommerce business. And 81% won’t stick with a brand past 12 months. Shocked? We were.

Customer retention has always been a challenge, but with the competition in today’s markets, it’s never been more critical. Rising acquisition costs make the customers you already have even more valuable.

Yet, many brands still focus on retention as a reactive strategy — offering discounts and spending time on re-engagement campaigns. But by then, your customers have already churned.

The real issues are the engagement gaps — the dead zone in the buyer's journey where customers stop interacting, lose interest, and drift away before their next purchase. These dead zones often form when brands focus on winbacks at the expense of continuous engagement.

Instead of making retention about bringing back customers, it’s time to focus on keeping them engaged so they never want to leave in the first place. And the best tool to build lasting customer relationships?

A mobile app.

Over-relying on acquisition hinders ecommerce retention

Customer acquisition costs (CAC) keep climbing, making it more expensive than ever to win new customers. But what’s worse? Many brands keep paying for the same customers over and over again — because they’re failing to keep them engaged. Instead of building strong relationships that encourage repeat purchases, brands rely on paid ads to bring back customers who’ve drifted away.

Ad prices have climbed too high to spend them on win-backs and re-engagement campaigns.

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Industry cost-per-click (CPC) averages for Facebook ads in 2025 paint an even more vivid picture:

• Apparel, Fashion, and Jewelry: $1.07
• Beauty and Personal Care: $0.94
• Shopping, Collectibles, and Gifts: $0.68

And those are just averages — many brands see higher costs depending on their competition and audience targeting.

Brands used to be able to justify these rising costs by focusing on acquisitions — but that’s not going to work in 2025.

"When considered alongside our new advertising reality, it’s clear — the winners in 2025 will be the companies that nurture and grow relationships with existing customers the best rather than those that attract the most new buyers”
‍—Manu Mathew, CEO of Cohora, in Forbes

The numbers back it up. Repeat customers account for only 21% of customers but generate 44% of revenue and 46% of orders, according to customer data from Gorgias.

Engaged customers don’t need to be won back — they return on their own, increasing revenue without increasing ad spend. Instead of constantly chasing new shoppers, the most successful brands create experiences that keep existing customers active, connected, and eager to shop your brand.

Target customer journey dead zones with a mobile app

More than winning customers back, retention thrives on continuous engagement, keeping customers connected between purchases and filling the dead zones where engagement drops off.

Many brands rely on email campaigns, discounts, and paid ads to retain customers, but these tactics struggle to create consistent, meaningful touch points. They don’t always maintain direct, personalized connections with customers.

• Email open rates limit visibility. Messages reach only a fraction of your audience.
• Paid retargeting increases costs. Bringing customers back requires ongoing ad spend.
• Social algorithms control reach. Platforms dictate when and how often customers see your brand.

Mobile apps are the missing piece to your retention puzzle. They create a direct, always-on channel for engagement, reinforcing a habit loop that keeps customers coming back. Customers stay connected through:

• Push notifications
• Personalized recommendations
• Seamless shipping experiences
• Loyalty programs

By keeping your brand top-of-mind before, during, and after purchases, mobile apps prevent engagement drop-offs and strengthen retention.

Fix retention with mobile-first engagement

Engagement and retention go hand in hand — the more engaged your audience is, the higher your retention. The power of mobile apps is in their touchpoints, which reach through the dead zones to engage with customers throughout their buying journey.

Here’s how mobile apps keep customers engaged — and why that drives better retention.

Push notifications: The right message at the right time

Most brands struggle to maintain consistent, relevant engagement after a customer’s first purchase. Push notifications create immediate, direct connections that bring customers back when they’re most likely to shop.

• Timely and personalized: Push notifications leverage real-time behavioral data to send hyper-relevant messages — whether it’s a restock alert, an abandoned cart reminder, or a limited-time discount.
• Direct and visible: Unlike emails that get buried in inboxes, push notifications appear instantly on your customer’s home screen, increasing visibility and actionability.
• Creates habit loops: Regular, well-timed notifications keep your customers engaged without feeling intrusive, reinforcing the habit of checking the app.

Loyalty programs: Rewards keep customers coming back

Loyalty programs reward purchases while keeping customers actively engaged between transactions. Your customer has easy access to their account, points, perks, and exclusive offers in a mobile app, where loyalty program information is more accessible and actionable.

• Keep rewards visible and top-of-mind: Instead of waiting for an email reminder, your customers can track and redeem points inside the app at any time.
• Seamless earning and redemption: Customers instantly see their points balance and available rewards, reducing friction in the loyalty experience.
• Integrated with top platforms: Loyalty apps like Yotpo, Loyalty Lion, and Talkable sync seamlessly with mobile apps, ensuring a cohesive and automated experience.

Mobile-first personalization: More personal, more profitable

Personalized experiences increase retention, and mobile apps give brands the best platform to create highly relevant, customer-centric shopping experiences. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, apps deliver tailored content, offers, and product recommendations based on customer behavior and preferences.

• Proven impact: According to Adobe, companies that create personalized experiences grow 1.7x faster year-over-year and more than double customer lifetime value.
• Customer segmentation enhances relevance. Mobile apps organize shoppers into segments based on purchase history, browsing behavior, and engagement patterns, ensuring they see products and offers that matter to them.
• Behavior-based collections: Customers see curated product categories and promotions based on their interactions, creating a more engaging and rewarding shopping experience.

Seamless shopping: Make purchases friction-free

A smooth, frictionless shopping experience directly impacts retention. Mobile apps provide a streamlined, mobile-first experience that removes barriers and makes repeat purchases effortless.

• Fast, one-tap checkout: Saved payment methods reduce hesitation and improve conversion rates.
• Optimized navigation: The app experience is built for speed, making it easy to find products, browse collections, and complete purchases.
• Reduced cart abandonment: Unlike web-based checkouts, apps create fewer distractions and allow for instant checkout, increasing order completion rates.

Community building: Strengthen customer loyalty with in-app experiences

Building a connection between customers and your brand is an engagement win. Mobile apps provide a dedicated space for your most engaged customers, creating an experience that goes beyond shopping.

Create exclusive in-app experiences

Customers love feeling like insiders, and a mobile app gives your brand a direct channel to offer exclusivity. Offer app-only perks to encourage downloads and frequent checkins, further enforcing that habit loop.

• Early access to product drops and sales keeps engagement high and makes customers feel valued.
• App-exclusive products and collections give customers a reason to shop in the app instead of the website.

Real-world example: RipNDip used their app to offer small but meaningful exclusives that strengthened engagement.

“We offered phone wallpapers that were exclusive on the app… We've had significant growth just through those small little things.” —Matt Pierce, Director of Ecommerce

Even a simple digital perk can encourage customers to keep returning, reinforcing long-term loyalty.

Reward loyal customers with a VIP community

More than storefronts, mobile apps can become your brand’s community hub where customers can interact post-purchase.

• Share event invitations, giveaways, and community-driven experiences to keep customers actively participating.
• Push notifications create direct connections, making customers feel like part of something bigger than just another shopping app.

Real-world example: The Hundreds built their app as a digital space where their most engaged customers could connect with the brand beyond shopping.

Their app audience is made up of loyal customers who regularly interact. The app acts as a central hub for brand storytelling, culture, and commerce, reinforcing long-term engagement and strengthening retention.

When customers feel like part of something bigger, they keep coming back. Mobile apps allow brands to offer exclusive experiences, real-time engagement, and a space where superfans can connect — transforming casual shoppers into lifelong customers.

How mobile apps drive lasting loyalty and engagement

Retention thrives on engagement. When customers stay connected to your brand, they shop more often, spend more, and build long-term loyalty. A mobile app makes it easy to keep them engaged — without the need for expensive reacquisition strategies.

Mobile app users shop more and spend more — leading to higher LTV

 Customers who interact with your app stay in the shopping mindset. Every push notification, exclusive drop, and seamless checkout experience keeps them engaged and ready to buy.

• More visits lead to more purchases. Customers who check in regularly are more likely to buy again.
• Smarter recommendations increase order value. AI-driven personalization helps customers discover products they’ll love.
• Faster checkout removes hesitation. One-tap purchases and saved payment methods create a frictionless experience.

Brands that partner with Tapcart see a 35% increase in customer lifetime value.

Lower retention costs, higher retention rates

A mobile app creates an owned marketing channel that reaches customers instantly. Instead of spending on paid ads for re-engagement, brands build direct connections that bring customers back on their own.

• Push notifications deliver instant re-engagement. No ad spend required.
• Higher retention reduces acquisition pressure. Repeat customers lessen the need for constant new customer acquisition.
• App-exclusive perks encourage habitual engagement. Early access, loyalty rewards, and in-app events keep customers coming back.

Mobile apps replace costly reacquisition efforts with a more efficient, direct way to keep customers engaged.

Keeping your app top-of-mind with brand loyalty

An app keeps your brand at the center of the customer experience. Shoppers return for new collections, loyalty rewards, and exclusive content that strengthens their connection to your brand.

• Apps build habits. Features like push notifications, product drops, and loyalty rewards encourage repeat visits.
• A direct space for brand engagement. Customers engage without competing social media distractions.
• Frequent app interactions increase retention. Customers who engage regularly stick around longer.

Customers return when brands create experiences that keep them engaged. A mobile app increases purchase frequency, lowers retention costs, and strengthens brand loyalty, making it a powerful tool for long-term growth.

Aviator Nation’s mobile app keeps customers engaged in the community

The Aviator Nation brand is built on community and experience. Their in-store events and activations bring customers together, and the mobile app ensures that engagement continues long after. The app keeps customers engaged, driving repeat purchases and deepening customer relationships.

The app strengthens customer relationships by:

• Bridging the gap between in-store and digital engagement. Customers stay connected to the brand beyond store events, creating a continuous experience that extends the Aviator Nation lifestyle.
• Using push notifications to stay top-of-mind. Notifications highlight new product drops, restocks, and exclusive sales, keeping customers engaged.

• Offering VIP access and app-exclusive perks. Early access to product launches, personalized recommendations, and members-only collections give customers a reason to check the app regularly.
• Boosting AOV with AI-powered personalization. The Rebuy x Tapcart integration delivers intelligent product suggestions based on browsing behavior, increasing order values by 15%.
• Driving retention with a frictionless shopping experience. Returning customers primarily shop through the app, reinforcing its role as a key driver of repeat purchases and long-term engagement.

Aviator Nation’s mobile app creates consistent, meaningful interactions that turn occasional shoppers into loyal customers. By keeping engagement high with real-time notifications, personalization, and VIP perks, the brand strengthens retention and builds lasting customer relationships.

Build stronger customer relationships with Tapcart

Retention starts with engagement, and a mobile app creates the most direct, effective way to keep customers connected to your brand. Tapcart helps ecommerce brands turn casual shoppers into loyal customers by removing friction, creating seamless experiences, and keeping engagement high at every stage of the customer journey.

With Tapcart, brands can:

• Engage customers beyond the first purchase. Push notifications, loyalty integrations, and app-exclusive perks keep customers coming back.
• Reduce retention costs with an owned marketing channel. Mobile apps provide a direct connection to customers, eliminating the need for expensive reacquisition campaigns.
• Create a seamless shopping experience. Faster checkouts and mobile-first navigation remove barriers to repeat purchases.
• Strengthen brand loyalty with exclusive in-app experiences. VIP perks, early product drops, and members-only content encourage repeat engagement.

Brands like Aviator Nation, The Hundreds, and RipNDip have proven that an app-powered retention strategy builds stronger customer relationships, increases loyalty, and drives long-term growth. 

Tapcart makes it simple to launch, manage, and optimize a high-performing mobile app—helping brands build deeper customer relationships today and grow stronger for the future.

Ready to turn retention into a growth strategy? See how Tapcart can help your brand create seamless and engaging mobile experiences. ‍Let’s chat