In this article, you'll learn:
- How to set up your mobile app.
- How to upload visual assets for your mobile app.
- How to post items to your mobile app.
About the Mobile App
A mobile application (app) is a type of application software designed to run on a mobile device, such as a smartphone.
With CommentSold, retailers can launch a mobile app for their business. While CommentSold will handle the app development and launch, there are some steps a retailer will need to take to provide our team with the information to do so. In this article, we cover how to prepare and what to expect so retailers can plan accordingly and fast-track their app launch.
How the Mobile App Benefits Your Business
- Retailers generate an average of 67% of their total revenue through their branded mobile app.
- Create a professional, highly-branded mobile app that reflects the look, feel, and personality of your business.
- Make it easier than ever for shoppers to browse, cart, and purchase items from their phones.
- Choose to host live sales exclusively on your app or opt to include it in one of many sales channels when going live.
- Configure stories from your Instagram account to publish to your app.
Step 1: Enter Your App Name
Mobile apps require an app name. By default, CommentSold populates a retailer’s name as entered on the Shop tab of their Setup page.
We recommend retailers provide alternate app names in the event the default name is already taken.
- Select Mobile App in the side menu of your CommentSold dashboard.
- Review your default app name in the Preferred App Name field. Select the pencil icon if you wish to make changes to the name.
- In the event your app name is taken, choose how you wish to submit alternate names:
- Yes, modify the name for me. If selected, CommentSold will choose an alternate name for you. Names will reflect the originally submitted name (i.e. if Peaches & Pockets is taken, we will submit Peaches & Pockets Boutique.
- No, I’ll provide some alternate names. If selected, you can enter alternate app names in the field provided. Select Add Alternate App Name to add an additional field.
Step 2: Enter Contact Information
- Enter the URL for your website’s contact page in the Contact URL field. If you do not have a contact page, you can create a webstore page that contains your contact information.
- Indicate whether your business sells products that would be considered adult content by using the Yes or No buttons.
- If Yes, you will need to ensure that the products uploaded to your mobile app for this enrollment process are free of adult content (e.g. nudity, adult language, suggestive imagery, etc.).
Step 3: Upload Mobile App Inventory
Before we can submit a retailer’s app to the App Store and Google Play Store for review, they will need to publish, at minimum, nine (9) products to their app. This allows reviewers to get a full sense of the purpose and content of the app so they can approve it. Learn how to post products to your mobile app here.
CommentSold will display up to 30 products; however, you only need to select nine products. Select a product tile to include it in the app review process, or deselect to exclude it.
Remember this is just for the review process–you can post more products to sell on your mobile app once it has been approved.
Step 4: Choose Your Design Elements
Retailers can choose to auto-generate their app design elements or upload designs they’ve already created.
- Primary Color. Enter the hex code or use the color slider to select your primary color. Your primary color will highlight certain elements such as navigation tabs, prices, and buttons.
- Secondary Color. Enter the hex code or use the color slider to select your secondary color. Your secondary color will appear on your login button
- Icon Design. Select the refresh icon to load available icon designs.
- Icon Initials. Select the pencil icon to enter the initials you wish to feature in your app icon. Maximum 3 characters.
You can drag and drop an image into the field provided or select Choose File to locate and upload a file from your device.
- Launch Screen. Launch screen images typically consist of easy-to-view images of inventory, pleasant backgrounds, or a familiar model. This image briefly appears every time the app loads on a shopper's mobile device.
- Required Size: Minimum of 1000px x 1600px (WxH) for best quality.
- Required File Type: PNG
- Don't have a launch screen image yet? We created this template to help get you started. It meets the recommended sizing requirements and provides guides to help you visualize where the logo and registration/login buttons will be located.
- App Icon. We recommend that you use your brand's logo as your app icon.
- Required Size: Minimum of 1024px x 1024px(WxH) for best quality.
- Required File Type: PNG
Step 5: Choose Your App Setup Method
Last, retailers will choose how they wish to set up their app with Apple. There are two options: use CommentSold’s shared developer account (recommended) or use their own Apple Developer Account.
- Yes, manage my app accounts for me. Choosing this option significantly reduces the time it takes to get your app up and running. It also saves you the cost of annual developer account fees with Apple.
- No, I’ll manage my own app accounts. Choosing this option will require that you have an Organization Apple Developer Account. Learn how to create your Organization Apple Developer Account here.
- Apple Account Name. Enter the Team Name listed in your Apple Developer account (including all spacing, punctuation, capitalization, etc.). We recommend copying and pasting your Team Name in this field.
- DUNS Number. Enter your DUNS number in this field. If you already have a DUNS number, you can look it up here. If you don’t have a DUNS number, you can obtain one here.
If you choose to use your Apple Developer Account, you’ll need to invite CommentSold to your account. Expand the below drop-down to learn how.
- Log into your Apple Developer Account.
- On the Users and Access page, select the plus sign icon (+) in the top-left corner of the page.
- Complete the following fields on the New User pop-up:
- First Name: Enter Mobile.
- Last Name: Enter Team.
- Email: Enter mobile.iota@commentsold.com in this field.
- Roles: Admin
- Under Additional Resources, please ensure Certificates, Profiles and Identifiers has been selected. It should also appear grayed out.
- Invite in the bottom-right corner of the pop-up.
Learn More
- Post Products to Your Mobile App. Learn how to post products to your mobile app for the app creation and review process.
- Understanding Your Mobile App Settings. Learn how to configure the look and feel of your mobile app and how to create and send push notifications.
