Meet Tapcart, a tech startup that’s revolutionizing mobile eCommerce and generating over $5 billion for retailers

The mobile e-commerce (also known as m-commerce) industry has seen remarkable growth in recent years, thanks to smartphones becoming prevalent and the increasing convenience of shopping on mobile devices. In 2021 alone, mobile e-commerce generated approximately $3.53 trillion in global revenue, and this number is expected to rise further.

Despite the impressive growth and the massive digital adoption, especially in the retail sector, the mobile e-commerce industry is still ripe for disruption. One of the leading companies in this space is Tapcart, a mobile commerce SaaS platform that enables businesses to create and launch their own branded mobile apps for online shopping.

We covered the Santa Monica, California-based tech startup back in 2020 after raising  $10M in funding to accelerate the already rapid adoption of its SaaS platform, which enables businesses of any size to design and launch a fully native app for a monthly fee using a simple drag-and-drop Editor. As a distinguished member of the new Shopify Plus Certified App Program, Tapcart has been recognized for the quality of its technology as well as the platform’s ability to solve complex merchant needs.

Founded in 2017 by Eric Netsch and Sina Mobasser, Tapcart was launched with a simple premise to make mobile shopping easy, fun, and attainable for every brand. Native mobile app development was historically something that could only be done by developers and was only available to Enterprise businesses with resources.

Over the past six years, Tapcart has positioned itself as an industry leader and game-changing eCommerce startup. It has blazed a trail in mobile app development, generating an astonishing $5B+ in sales. Tapcart has a number of brands that it supports, but one of the most recognizable is The Messi Store. As the name suggests, this is the official lifestyle brand of soccer legend Lionel Messi. Tapcart has helped the marquee store leverage mobile commerce to enhance its customer experience and drive sales.

From the Soccer Field to the Runway: The Genesis of The Messi Store

Launched amidst a flurry of media attention in 2019, The Messi Store capitalizes on Messi’s on-field excellence to promote men’s fashion. Despite an initial stumbling block on launch night, the brand rebounded and embraced the challenge, quickly improving its customers’ journeys.

Quickly, they realized that a mobile app was crucial, given its global audience and Leo Messi’s 300 million Instagram followers who mainly use mobile devices. After the app’s launch, despite 90% of their site visitors shopping via mobile, their conversion rates were still falling short. Why?

A Match Made in Mobile Commerce: The Messi Store Meets Tapcart

As Maximiliano Ojeda, Founder-CEO of MGO Global, noted, a mobile app was the natural next step. There were some concerns that coding and managing a mobile app would be too complicated, but Tapcart quickly stepped in and showed how effortlessly a mobile app could be developed and deployed.

In light of the surge in online shopping during the 2020 pandemic, The Messi Store launched its app in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM). This proved to be a masterstroke in their app promotion strategy, as it garnered maximum attention right when everyone was shopping online the most.

An App-Launch Masterclass: Boosting Growth with Tapcart

The Messi Store’s well-executed app launch, combined with influencer marketing featuring Messi himself, led to a meteoric rise in downloads. This strategy tripled the store’s sales in the first month and led to a period of sustained growth. “Since launching, it has just been pure growth,” stated Maximiliano Ojeda while highlighting the app’s ongoing success.

Of course, there are plenty of mobile shopping apps, so what sets this one apart? With the Tapcart-powered app, Messi’s fans received exclusive access to signed items and early access to new releases. It became a one-stop shop for fans to stay updated with Messi’s latest news while also buying their favorite licensed Messi merchandise.

International Reach: How The Messi Store and Tapcart Connected with Global Fans

Tapcart’s ingenuity contributed to a new, global reach for The Messi Store. Football is the world’s sport, and Messi has fans globally. This app makes it easier for fans across the world to keep up with Messi and the store. As a testament to the brand’s global appeal, The Messi Store has shipped products to over 120 countries.

The app has consistently proven its worth as one of the highest-performing channels. Attracting 10,000 users each month, the app has a conversion rate 2.4x higher than the rate for mobile and desktop browsing combined. Furthermore, the app generates 1.6x higher revenue per visitor per session, indicating that the user experience resonates with customers.

The Mobile-First Future with Tapcart: What’s Next for The Messi Store?

The Messi Store has clearly recognized the significance of the mobile-first world we live in. Particularly for their young demographic, mobile is not just a shopping tool, but a lifestyle. The store’s mobile app, with its mix of shopping convenience and exclusive content, is ideally positioned to capitalize on this trend.

“It’s a mobile-first world,” says Maria Reask, Communications Manager. “Our application just gives them the best overall experience… And hopefully, one day, those three hundred million followers will turn into 300 million downloads.”

In this fast-paced mobile digital landscape, Tapcart stands out as a powerful ally for brands, helping brands of all types capitalize on a customer-centric future. Tapcart has demonstrated its innovative capabilities to drive consumer growth, and it will be exciting to see what happens next.