Category: Blog

It is a common belief that push notifications drain a mobile device’s battery. Is it true? 

Short answer: not really, the effect is vastly exaggerated. 

Long answer: they can, and it depends. In this article we’ll explain in detail, along with ways that mobile users can preserve their batteries and how developers can send notifications from their apps that cause minimal battery hits. 

Let’s get into it. 

Push Notifications’ Impact on Battery Life

In today’s world mobile battery life has become a precious commodity, with many people experiencing “low battery anxiety”. 

Users often look for ways to optimize their device’s battery, and one commonly cited culprit for rapid battery drain is push notifications. But is there any truth to this claim? 

What are Push Notifications?

Push notifications are short messages sent by apps or websites to inform users of updates, reminders, or new content. They can pop up even if the app is not actively running, ensuring that users don’t miss out on important alerts.

Push notifications can be sent from websites or native apps, on iOS or Android devices.

The Battery Impact of Push Notifications

The bottom line is this. 

Modern push notifications, by design, have a minimal impact on battery life. They operate on efficient connection protocols that maintain a relatively “light” link to the server. 

The app or device does not continuously poll and check for new messages, which could indeed use up a lot of battery. Rather, the server “pushes” (hence the name) a message out which is then picked up by the device.  

This event-driven model, combined with modern power-saving techniques implemented by mobile operating systems, means that the battery consumption of push notifications remains negligible for the average user.

That’s not to say there’s no impact though. Excessive and poorly executed notifications can indeed use up unnecessary power. Here are a few situations where push notifications can cause battery problems:

• High volume: if an app sends an excessive number of push notifications in a short time, it can cause frequent wake-ups of the device, leading to battery drain.
• Background Processes: some push notifications can trigger background processes. For instance, a weather app might send a notification about an upcoming storm and then update its data in the background. This continuous activity can consume more power.
• Rich Media: notifications with rich media content (like images or videos) or those that trigger sound or vibration can use more battery than simple text alerts.
• Connection Type: push services typically rely on efficient connection protocols. For example, Google’s Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) uses a connection server to send messages, optimizing battery usage. However, if an app isn’t properly optimized or if there are network issues, maintaining this connection can impact battery life.

A Practical Perspective on Push Notifications and Battery Life

For the average user receiving a typical number of notifications, the battery drain attributed directly to push notifications is minimal. 

The real concern arises when apps are poorly optimized or abusive in their frequency of notifications.

Here are some tips for users on managing notifications and battery life:

• Manage Notification Settings: most smartphones allow users to manage notification settings. If a particular app is sending too many unnecessary notifications, consider turning them off or adjusting their frequency.
• Update Apps: developers often release updates to optimize app performance and battery usage. Ensure your apps are updated regularly.
• Monitor Battery Usage: use your device’s built-in battery monitoring tools to see which apps are consuming the most power. If an app is draining your battery disproportionately, it might be worth investigating further.

That’s what you can do as a user, now let’s look at how business owners, developers and brands can optimize their push notifications to be gentle on user batteries. 

How Developers and Businesses can Respect Users Batteries

Respecting your users’ batteries is simply good UX. Here are some best practices for developers to ensure that their web or native app notifications aren’t excessively draining. 

• Limit the Frequency: avoid sending excessive notifications in a short period. Bombarding users with alerts not only annoys them but can also drain the battery due to frequent wake-ups. Use analytics to understand user behavior and tailor the frequency accordingly.
• Optimize Background Processes: ensure that notifications aren’t triggering extensive background activities. For example, if a notification is meant to inform the user about new content, avoid pre-fetching excessive amounts of data unless necessary. 
• Lightweight Payloads: when sending data with your notifications, keep it concise. Instead of sending large images or data directly in the notification, consider sending a reference or URL that the app can fetch when necessary.
• Batch Notifications: if possible, batch multiple notifications into a single payload. This approach reduces the number of times the device needs to wake up, conserving battery life.
• Avoid Continuous Connections: For web apps, avoid keeping a continuous connection to your server for notifications. Utilize service workers efficiently, and rely on push services that use battery-efficient protocols.

It is also important to regularly and thoroughly test your apps – including their battery consumption. This is especially important after you make changes or updates in the notification system. Tools like Android’s Battery Historian or iOS’s xCode Organizer can be a good starting point to investigate. 

It might also make sense to educate users, giving recommendations for optimizing notifications in your FAQs or support docs. 

Finally, you should make sure that you give users plenty of options for exactly which notifications they want to receive and how.

We made sure that Vendrux apps have everything out of the box to give users a great push notification UX. All apps have push preferences, allowing users to choose which notifications to receive. Your apps will also come with a message center for users to save and revisit your notifications and messages later on. 

We also integrate with the best push provider on the market, OneSignal, to give you unlimited notifications. Their infrastructure is as optimized and efficient as you can get!

Overall – don’t buy into the more sensationalist claims about push notifications and battery life. So long as you follow the simple tips in this article, you can be confident that it’s pretty much a non-issue.

Push notifications are one of the most powerful channels for ecommerce retention and repeat sales. They put your brand directly on your customers’ lock screens, bypass crowded inboxes and rising SMS costs, and drive quick re-engagement with just one tap. 

Yet, most BigCommerce stores aren’t making use of push. For some, it’s because they don’t understand the value of push. For others, they’re unsure how to unlock push as a channel.

With your own branded app, you can send high-engagement push notifications to every customer who installs it, on both iOS and Android. 

In this guide, we’ll break down the difference between web and native push, show you why apps win for push marketing, and give you a blueprint to unlock this channel for your BigCommerce store.

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What Are Push Notifications and Why Do They Matter?

Push notifications are short, clickable messages delivered directly to a user’s device, appearing on their lock screen or notification tray. 

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Unlike email or SMS, push notifications are instant, highly visible, and bypass the competition of crowded inboxes.

Push notifications are a direct line to your customers. For ecommerce, this is a major deal.

Push you:

• Re-engage shoppers who haven’t visited in a while
• Send real-time promotions, product launches, and back-in-stock alerts
• Reduce abandoned carts with automated reminders
• Build loyalty and drive repeat purchases through personalized offers

At a time when customer acquisition costs keep rising, push notifications help BigCommerce store owners maximize the value of existing customers. They keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage repeat engagement with just one tap.

Web Push Notifications vs Native Mobile Push Notifications

Push notifications can be delivered in two main ways: through web browsers or through native mobile apps. 

While both can help you reach customers, the performance and capabilities are very different.

Web Push Notifications

Web push notifications are sent through web browsers and can be triggered directly from your BigCommerce site.

Pros:

• Can be implemented directly on your BigCommerce store
• No app development required
• Works across desktop and mobile browsers
• Quick to set up

Cons:

• Limited effectiveness – low opt-in rate for browser notifications
• No 24/7 reach – only work when the browser is running
• Restricted customization – limited design and interactivity
• Lower engagement rates – typically 2-5% click-through rates
• Platform limitations – iOS Safari only recently enabled partial web push support and adoption remains low

Native Mobile Push Notifications

Native push notifications are sent through mobile apps and deliver a superior experience for both you and your customers.

Pros:

• Higher engagement rates – 10-25% click-through rates on average
• Always accessible – notifications work even when the app isn’t running
• Rich media support – add images, videos, and interactive buttons
• Better personalization – deep integration with customer data for targeted messaging
• Full iOS and Android support – no browser limitations

Cons:

• Requires a mobile app
• Slightly more complex initial setup

Bottom line: Web push is quick to implement but limited in reach and engagement, especially on mobile. Native push delivers far better results but has historically required expensive app development – that is, until solutions like Vendrux made it accessible to every BigCommerce store.

(For a detailed breakdown, check out this article.)

How Vendrux Enables Native Mobile Push From Your BigCommerce Store

Traditionally, sending native push notifications meant investing tens of thousands of dollars in custom app development. For most BigCommerce store owners, that wasn’t realistic. Vendrux changes that.

Vendrux turns your existing BigCommerce website into fully branded iOS and Android apps.

Your store’s design, product catalog, and checkout all work seamlessly inside the app. No rebuilding or duplicate management required.

Crucially, though, your app is not just a “website in a box”.

We layer in native features like push notifications, ensuring you can reach your customers instantly and effectively.

Why Vendrux is the Best Way to Send BigCommerce Push Notifications

Here’s why Vendrux is the best option for you to unlock the power of push for your store.

• Native push baked in: Push notification infrastructure (via OneSignal and Klaviyo) is already included. No separate setup or technical work required.
• Automated ecommerce flows: We configure key campaigns like abandoned cart reminders and welcome flows for you from day one.
• Zero code, no double management: Your website powers your app directly. Update your site once, and your app updates automatically.
• Optional Done-For-You service: Want us to handle ongoing push strategy and execution? Our team can manage campaigns, segments, and optimizations every month.
• No revenue share: Vendrux offers transparent pricing and no cut of your sales, unlike some platform-based app builders.
• Strategic partnership: Our success team guides you through best practices and ongoing growth; not just technical setup.

How It Works

In less than a month, you can have your own BigCommerce mobile app live in the App Stores, and in the process, unlock the most cost-effective marketing channel for ecommerce: push notifications.

Here’s how.

1. Kickoff & Setup: We review your BigCommerce site and plan your app build.
2. App Configuration: Your app is customized for your brand and configured for push.
3. Live Testing: You preview your app on your own devices.
4. Quality Assurance: Our team ensures everything is pixel-perfect.
5. App Store Submission: We handle the publishing process with Apple and Google.
6. Final Optimization: Your app is tuned for performance and engagement.
7. Launch & Growth: You start sending high-impact push notifications and growing retention.

Ready to see what your site will look like as an app? Get a free preview now.

Results: Do Push Notifications Really Work?

Are push notifications really that effective? And are Vendrux users having success with push?

In short: yes.

Push notifications are proven to be a cost-effective way to drive sales and reach out to your best customers. Considering the cost (zero cost to send), there’s virtually no downside.

They’re especially powerful for abandoned carts. Just look at the results below from some of our users, over a 30-day period.

Some of our brands generate $200K+ over just one month, through abandoned cart push notifications.

Learn more: All you need to know about Push Notifications for Ecommerce Brands

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to rebuild my BigCommerce site for the app?

No. Vendrux uses your existing BigCommerce site as the foundation, so you don’t need to create a separate theme or manage two versions of your store. Any updates you make on your website automatically reflect in your app.

Will all my BigCommerce apps and integrations work?

Yes. If they work on your website, they will work in your app because the app is essentially your site wrapped in native functionality, with additional features like push notifications and a native tab bar.

How does Vendrux handle App Store and Google Play publishing?

We manage the entire submission process for you, including dealing with Apple and Google requirements. You keep full ownership of your app developer accounts and your published apps.

What KPIs should I track for push notifications?

Key metrics include opt-in rate (what percentage of app users allow notifications), delivery rate, open rate (click-through), and downstream conversion actions like purchases from push-driven sessions.

Is there a limit on push notifications?

No hard limits. You can send as many notifications as you like. With our OneSignal and Klaviyo integrations, you can segment users, automate flows, and schedule campaigns without restrictions.

Can I segment messages for different customer groups?

Yes. Using OneSignal and Klaviyo, you can target by location, purchase history, customer type, and behavior, allowing for highly personalized campaigns.

What happens if I redesign my BigCommerce site?

Your app will instantly reflect any design changes. Because it’s powered by your website, you only maintain one platform. No duplicate development or redesign work.

Getting Started: Next Steps

Launching native push notifications for your BigCommerce store doesn’t need to be complex or expensive. 

With Vendrux, you can go from a standard web store to a fully branded iOS and Android app (with push built in) within 30 days.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Book a free consultation: We’ll review your BigCommerce store, discuss your goals, and provide a live app preview.
2. Kick off your build: Our team configures your app, sets up push integrations, and handles all the technical heavy lifting.
3. Launch and grow: Your app goes live on the App Store and Google Play, ready to drive engagement and repeat sales through push notifications.

If you’re ready to unlock push as a high-performance retention and marketing channel, book a call today and get started. Your app – and your push campaigns – could be live within the month.

The tactics of marketing change all the time but the fundamentals stay the same.

Whether it’s email, digital ads, organic search, or anything else – the holy grail of marketing is still reaching the right person, at the right time, with the right message.  

That’s why push notifications are so valuable in the smartphone era. 

We all have our phones on us pretty much 24/7. The ability for companies to reach our lock screens with tailored messages is huge. It’s a completely new channel native to the smartphone era. 

So, how do you make use of push notifications for your business?

It starts with understanding what they are, and how they work. 

In this article we’re going to cover them in detail. By the end you’ll understand push notifications on a deep level, and you’ll be ready to implement them on your own website, web app or native mobile app. 

Let’s get started with a high level overview of what a push notification is.

What Are Push Notifications?

Push notifications are messages that are sent directly to a user’s device – usually a smartphone – even when they’re not actively using your app or website. 

These notifications appear as alerts, banners, or badges on the user’s screen, and usually contain information, updates, or promotions of some kind. 

Push notifications are arguably more powerful than traditional channels such as email or SMS, since delivery is guaranteed and there’s less reliance on users actively checking for updates. They can help you grab your customers’ attention, increase their engagement, and induce them to take specific actions.

Check out a comparison between SMS, email and push notifications in this breakdown. You can also take a look at some push notification examples for context.

Different Types of Push Notifications

Understand that not all push notifications are the same.

The most notable differences are between web push notifications and native mobile push notifications. These are conceptually similar, but there are important differences.

Web push notifications are sent using a web browser, and work on desktop and mobile devices.

Native, or mobile, push notifications, are sent by a mobile app (this is the kind of push notification you may be more familiar with).

Another important distinction is push notifications on iOS vs Android. There are certain differences in behavior, and things you can and can’t do with push notifications, depending on the operating system.

You can read more in the links provided about the differences in push notifications for each OS, and desktop push notifications vs mobile app push notifications.

For now, let’s look a little deeper at the business benefits of push notifications. 

How Can Push Notifications Help Your Business? 

Push notifications can play an important role in reaching and engaging your users.

They’re effective for almost any type of business, but are especially powerful for eCommerce.

(Check out our full guide on Push Notifications for eCommerce to learn more about this).

Here’s a summary of why many businesses want to leverage push notifications:

• Direct Engagement: push notifications provide a rather immediate route to  contacting users, even if they’re not on your platform
• Real-time Traffic: drives immediate engagement and traffic, which can help to give content an initial boost and expand its reach 
• Timely Alerts: for content/news brands, push can position your app as the primary, instant source of essential information
• Increased Visibility: for eCommerce businesses, push can ensure that new products, offers and services get immediate attention
• Loyalty: push can significantly improve overall UX, fostering loyalty, as seen with New York Times mobile app subscribers
• App stickiness: push notifications can boost daily user engagement on social platforms and other applications – making them more attractive to potential users
• Revenue Boost: For ad-reliant apps and brands, push notifications can increase ad views and thus revenue
• Sales Enhancement: E-commerce platforms can drive sales with targeted push notifications promoting new lines and offers
• Data Insights: your push data can be a treasure trove for understanding audience behavior and help you to make precise strategy adjustments

That’s a few of the key benefits. In other articles’ we go more into depth about how to boost engagement with push notifications. 

How to Send Push Notifications

To send push notifications, you need:

• A server to store necessary data about push notifications, and the people you’re sending them to.
• Software installed on the user’s device to communicate with the server.
• Necessary permissions from the user to send push notifications to their device.

Though you can set all of this up manually, in most cases you’ll use a push notification service, which handles all the technical stuff for you.

With these services, all you need to do is add a little code to your website or mobile app, and then use the service’s interface to set up and send push notifications.

You will still need permission enabled from your users before you can reach them.

For web push notifications, users will receive a popup prompt asking them if they’d like to receive push notifications, which they need to accept.

When sending push messages from an app, Android users will be opted in to receive push notifications by default; on iOS devices, they will need to manually grant permission.

For details on sending push notifications on specific platforms or environments, check out the following articles:

For now, understanding the basics of how push notifications work, how to implement them on your app, and some best practices are all you need to start leveraging them.

We’re going to go into more of the technical aspects now, starting off with a review of the fundamental concepts behind how push notifications function.

How Do Push Notifications Work?

As a business owner, you probably don’t care to go super deep into how things work on a technical level. But, you probably also know that understanding the tools you use on a high level is valuable. 

In this section, we’ll go over a few concepts that it pays to be familiar with, including the client-server relationship and the use of registration and device tokens.

The Basics: Client and Server

Like many things, push notifications rely on a client-server architecture. 

The client is your mobile app, the user’s browser, or your desktop application that receives and displays the push notification. 

Your server determines when and to whom a notification should be sent, and also communicates this to the appropriate platform-specific push notification service. 

This service is then responsible for the actual delivery of the notification to the target client. The service differs depending on platform and type of notification. 

Service Workers for Web Notifications

Web push notifications, for example, depend on service workers and push specific browser APIs. 

A service worker is essentially a JavaScript file that runs separately from the main web page, and acts as a middle “layer” between the client (in this case the browser) and the server. 

Modern browsers typically have “push services” – intermediary infrastructure that enables push notifications like Chrome’s Firebase Cloud Messaging, Windows Push Notification Services, and Mozilla’s Push Service. Along with the browser’s native infrastructure, there’s a lively ecosystem of third party push notification tools and services that add additional features and functionality on top!

The service worker operates in the background, connected to but separate from your actual website or web app, “listening” for push events from the push service.

Native App Notifications

Native app notifications follow the same basic client – server architecture, but are different in several important ways. 

Native apps do not use service workers, but rather rely on push services specific to the operating system.

For iOS, it’s the Apple Push Notification Service (APNs), while Android typically uses Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). 

Each platform’s service has its protocols, message limits, and functionalities. In later sections, we will go further into the differences between web and app push notifications, and how you can make use of both. 

Registration and Device Tokens

When a user installs your native app or opts-in to receive web push notifications, their device is registered with your server. This registration process involves the exchange of device tokens.

Device tokens are unique identifiers for the client, and make sure that each notification is sent securely to the right place. With app or web notifications, device tokens are essential for delivery. 

Again, there are some important differences here between web and mobile app notifications. 

Registration for native app push notifications

On installing a native app, the device is registered through either iOS or Android’s push notification service. These services then create a unique device token, which acts as an address for that specific app on that specific device. This ensures that your notifications always get sent to the correct place. 

To understand the differences between push notifications on each platform, you can refer to our article on push notifications on iOS vs Android.

Registration for web push notifications 

Web push notifications utilize a slightly different approach. Instead of the device-specific tokens found in native apps, web push relies on browser-generated endpoints. 

When a user opts-in to receive notifications from a site or web app, the browser works with the relevant push service to produce a unique URL. 

This URL is functionally similar to the device tokens in native apps, since it is effectively an address for receiving notifications meant for that specific browser. 

Now we’re going to move onto an important topic – sending push notifications. 

Sending Push Notifications

How are push notifications sent? To understand this, we need to look more closely at the all important push notification service providers. 

Push Notification Service Providers

So far we covered push services, but we need to make an important clarification to avoid confusion. 

Push services are like infrastructure:

• Native App push services: APNs (for iOS) and FCM (for Android), are like protocols or infrastructure that define how notifications should be sent, received, and displayed on the platform. These services enable push notifications on a low level. 
• Web push services: provided by the browser – for example Chrome uses Firebase Cloud Messaging, Mozilla Firefox uses its own push service, and Edge uses Windows Push Notification Services. 

These are the base layer infrastructure that major platforms have created to facilitate push notifications. You could compare them to the postal system of a country. 

A layer up we have an entire ecosystem of push notification service providers. If push services are the postal system, these are more like bulk mailing services. 

These services, like OneSignal, Airship and PushCrew, allow developers and business owners to easily send, manage, and analyze push notifications. They often layer on advanced features like segmentation, scheduling, and analytics – while streamlining the entire UX.

In Vendrux apps, we integrate with the top push notification service provider, OneSignal, to give our users the power to send unlimited push notifications through a simple UX. 

There’s a lively industry of push notification tools and services though!

Technically, you don’t need push notification service providers and their tools. 

For both native and web apps, it is possible to cut out the middleman and directly connect to native push services like Apple’s APNs for iOS, Google’s FCM for Android, or the various browser push services for the web. 

But this presents challenges, and unless you really need to, it probably isn’t worth it. 

Each platform has unique requirements, different message payload structures, distinct handling of delivery failures, and individual certification processes. On the web, each browser has its unique nuances and requirements. 

Doing it all yourself is usually unnecessary fiddling when you can have a push notification service provider handle it all for you and give you a ton of useful functionality on top. 

Now, let’s move on to the notification itself. 

Anatomy of a Push Notification

It’s time to move from the infrastructure to the actual notification. Let’s look at each component – payload, customization, and interactivity. 

Payload

The “payload” of a notification is the actual content that is delivered to the user’s device.

For example, with native app push notifications, the payload is what shows up on the lock screen of the user’s mobile device.

This almost always includes text, and depending on the notification can also include accompanying media or data that might enable them to complete some specific actions. 

Typically, payloads include the following elements:

• Title: a main heading of the message providing a summary and description of the topic
• Message: the message itself, the main content of the notification which typically contains some information and/or a call to action
• Images and videos: some notifications contain rich media, which can be a powerful engagement tool for eCommerce stores, games, and other apps 
• Deep links: a deep link is a URL that directs the user to a specific location within your app when they interact with the notification

By carefully crafting the payload of your push notification, you can deliver a concise and compelling message that captures the attention of your users.

The Role of User Permissions

User permissions and consent are also a key part of push notifications. The user must greenlight notifications, and their privacy (and patience) must be respected. 

The pivotal moment happens soon after the app is installed, or while the user visits your web app. Here’s how:

• Mobile Apps: on launch, the app will prompt the user with a dialog, asking if they wish to receive notifications. The design and phrasing of this dialog are often standardized by the platform.
• Web Apps: When visiting a site that supports push notifications, users will see a browser-generated dialog, usually at the top-left or top-right, asking for permission to send notifications.

Timing and context are important. Make sure you give them a good reason to give permissions – such as special offers or breaking news – and fulfill your promise!

Remember that the permissions are not set, and the user can revoke them at any time. You can seek permission again, but this needs to be done delicately without making the user feel pestered. 

Android vs iOS Permissions

There are a few important differences between Android and iOS when it comes to push permissions. 

Android is more forgiving of the developer. Users are automatically opted into notifications on installing the app, while iOS apps require explicit permission. As you can imagine, this leads to generally higher opt in rates for Android. 

Triggers

We’ve gone over the basic elements of a push notification, all the way through to the user giving you their permission to send them. 

The next stage depends on you. 

Though you can just log into a push service provider and send a cheerful message to your users whenever you feel like it, most push notifications are triggered by a specific event or user action. 

Triggers can be broadly categorized into two main types: user-driven and system-driven. 

User-driven triggers are triggered by actions that the user takes. For example if you add an item to your cart on an eCommerce app and then get a notification later reminding you to check out, or perhaps you add an item to a wishlist and a notification is triggered when it goes on sale. 

It isn’t only in eCommerce, take a social media app for example. If you have the Facebook or Twitter apps on your phone, you’ll know that notifications are triggered by a wide variety of user actions – like sending a friend request, receiving a DM, or commenting/liking a post. 

System-driven triggers on the other hand are independent of user actions, and are flipped based on data or certain conditions. 

For example you might have push notifications set up to trigger for breaking news, new app updates, or new special offers and promotions. 

Location and time are also common system triggers, imagine a restaurant app alerting you to good food spots in the neighborhood you’re walking through, or a habit tracker app reminding you that it’s time to work out. 

Regardless of the type, the purpose of these triggers is to drive engagement. How you set them up is up to you, the possibilities are endless. 

It can require a little tinkering and experimentation to get them set up just right.

Push Notification Triggers for Native Apps vs Web Apps

As ever in this article, we have to draw a distinction between the triggers on web vs native app notifications. 

In very broad terms:

• Web notifications triggers are typically tied to a users’ interaction with a website or some event like new content being posted or important updates 
• Native app notification triggers can be more deeply integrated into the device’s capabilities like location based events 

Setting up Push Notification Triggers

Configuring push notifications for either a native app or a web app can be fiddly and somewhat technically challenging to do yourself – although that might give you a higher degree of customization. 

We recommend consulting with a web developer if you decide to go this route, since it is beyond the scope of this article. 

Using a push notification service provider like OneSignal can simplify the process. They’ll provide you with a ready-made interface to set up triggers, audience segments, and other pieces – along with a dashboard to track and measure everything. 

We recommend you go this route. Unless you need something super niche and custom, you can probably set up your push triggers exactly how you want them without needing to touch any code or complex setups. 

Set Up Push Notifications Today

We’ve gone on a quick tour through the push notification world in this article. We covered web notifications, native apps, payloads, permissions – and everything in between.

Now we’ll give you our advice, in a nutshell. 

Use push notifications as one of your main channels. Get them set up through a service provider, for both the web and native mobile. 

You should be using them to connect with your audience and user through any opportunities you get. 

This is easier today than ever before. At Vendrux we can help you to send the most powerful kind of push notifications – those from native mobile apps. 

We take your existing web app, then convert it into high-performance native apps for iOS and Android. Not only do you get to reuse everything from the web – but you also get unlimited push notifications configured exactly how you want them. 

We’ve built thousands of apps for iOS and Android – in just weeks and for

Everything is done for you, the apps are top quality, and you can go live in just weeks.

We give you all the features you need to use push to maximum effect – like abandoned cart notifications, A/B testing, and more.

Get started with a free, personalized demo and get a first-hand look at the platform’s possibilities with one of our app experts.

Now you’ve learned the fundamentals of push notifications, and have a simple path to fully leveraging them for your business, we hope you use this powerful channel to level up and help your business to succeed and grow. 

Push notification A/B testing is the secret weapon that allows brands to derive massive ROI from push.

We absolutely love push notifications around here, and so do our users, who send hundreds of thousands of push notifications every month through their Vendrux apps, to drive engagement, recover abandoned carts, promote hot offers, and much more.

But you can’t just fire off push notifications into the void and hope for the best.

You need to follow a robust strategy, and the best strategies are shaped by data.

That’s where A testing for push notifications is crucial.

In this article, we’re going to teach you the 80/20 of push notification A/B testing. We’ll show you why you need to test, what to test, and how to get the whole thing set up and running on autopilot.

At the end of this article, you’ll have a thorough enough understanding of how to intelligently test your push notifications, to be able to go away and start generating amazing results from your push campaigns.

Native apps with push notifications are the best way to capitalize on the rising number of mobile-first shoppers today. Launching an app for your store is easy with Vendrux. Click here to learn more about why Vendrux is the best way to build your app.

What is A/B Testing?  

A/B testing is a crucial part of the conversion rate optimization toolbox, and is a scientific, experimental process.

Traditionally it means testing two versions of a web page, with one element different in each.

The original page is the control, while the altered page is the variation.

The tester makes a hypothesis predicting that certain changes to the page will affect metrics like dwell time, CTR, or conversions. 

By randomly sending traffic to both versions and measuring how users interact with them, the hypothesis can be tested, and the results used in future, higher performing designs. 

The typical workflow for A/B testing is:

1. Collecting performance data to find optimization opportunities
2. Building a hypothesis to propose changes to elements
3. Creating variations to test against a control 
4. Using A/B testing tools to run the experiment & analyze results
5. Collecting further data during to design the next tests & iterations

Basically, A/B testing allows you to make data-driven decisions. It’s a proven method that produces great results, in almost every aspect of digital marketing – from emails, to landing pages, to ads, and more.

Now let’s move on to push notification A/B testing specifically.

A/B Testing Push Notifications 

So we know what A/B testing is in general, so what about push notifications? 

The overall concept is the same, we form hypotheses about what elements of a notification will improve performance, then we create variations to test whether our assumptions are correct. 

We use tools, typically provided by our push notification platform, to run the experiments and measure the results. Then we implement what we learn into future campaigns and come up with new hypotheses to test.  

The main difference is that there are simply fewer elements we can change for push notifications compared to emails, landing pages, and ads. 

This ultimately makes testing and optimizing easier, and we’ll cover an exhaustive list of what to test shortly. 

But just because push notification A/B testing is simpler, doesn’t mean it isn’t super powerful. 

Push Notification A/B Testing Tools

Generally, you’ll have A/B testing included if you use any well-known push notification service provider like:

So there should be no need for you to use separate tools just for testing push, and almost definitely no need for any kind of custom implementation. 

OneSignal, for example, is the platform we integrate with – allowing you to send unlimited push notifications to your users from your Vendrux iOS and Android apps. 

Whatever features OneSignal supports, you can set up for your Vendrux apps. 

For A/B testing, OneSignal has you covered. 

OneSignal allows you to A/B test up to 10 message variants on the Pro plan and even gives you A/B testing features on their Free plan!

You can conveniently track everything through their native dashboards.

If you use another push notification provider, check out their docs. All the market leaders will have similar A/B testing features with minor variations in functionality and pricing. 

There’s no need to worry about anything too “technical”, as the platform you use already built the necessary infrastructure. 

This is great, as it allows you to focus on designing intelligent tests. Let’s look at how to do this.

Push Notification A/B Testing Process

On a high level, here are the important steps for setting up push notification A/B tests. 

1. Goal Setting 

What does success look like? What metrics are you trying to improve or optimize for?

Typically, with push, we’re looking for higher CTR or conversions.

2. Hypothesis formation

Use your marketing intuition, industry best practices, or previous data to come up with a testable guess about the impact of some change. 

It should be simple, and easy to state in a sentence. Like this:

• Notifications with a clear call-to-action, like ‘Shop Now’, will have a significantly higher click-through rate than notifications with a generic CTA like ‘Learn More’
• Incorporating emojis in push notifications will lead to a 20% increase in open rates compared to notifications without emojis.
• “Push notifications containing discount offers will see a 40% higher conversion rate compared to notifications with new product announcements.”
• “Reducing the frequency of push notifications to once a week will decrease the unsubscribe rate by 15% compared to daily notifications.”

The basic format: “If we change x (element) then y (result) will happen”.

3. Segmentation 

Using the push platform’s tools, you’ll divide users into two or more random, yet statistically similar groups to ensure a fair and unbiased test. 

This is fundamental to ensure that the outcomes of the test are relevant to your hypothesis – and  not due to underlying differences in the audience groups.

4. Variant Design 

Here you’ll actually develop the two (or more) variants with only one key difference – the variable that your hypothesis rests on. 

Examples are the message content, the call to action, or the timing of the notification.

This sole focus on the single variable is crucial for drawing clear conclusions from the test. 

5. Test Duration / Timing 

Finally, decide how long the test will run and when. 

The test must run long enough to gather a meaningful amount of data, but not so long that random events and factors can skew the results.

7 Variables to Test for Push Notifications

One of the most important parts of an effective test is what you test.

You want to test variables that can have a meaningful impact on results, and thus give you valuable insights you can use for future campaigns.

Here are a few suggestions for variables to test: 

• Frequency: push notifications are known for “fatiguing” users if they’re bombarded with them too much. Testing to explore the optimal notification frequency to engage users without annoying them is a good idea!

• CTA: Experiment with different CTAs to see which leads to higher click-through rates. Test the wording of the CTA, its positioning, its style, and anything else that could make an impact.

• Copy Style: test different versions of the notification text to see which hits hardest. Try varying the tone (formal vs. casual), use of emotive language, clarity and conciseness, and use of psychological triggers like scarcity and urgency.

• Media: the classic push notifications are text only but you can also test images, video, and audio to see how they perform versus text only.

• Timing: since push notifications are immediate, the time of day or day of the week that your users receive them can have a huge impact on their engagement, test it out and see how they react!

• Personalization: test the impact of personalized messages by using their name or referencing past behavior versus generic messages to see how the personal touch impacts target metrics.

• Length: Test short versus long notifications to determine the optimal length.

These seven variables should keep you occupied for quite some time, and optimizing all of them will dramatically improve the results of your push campaigns. 

Read more: Learn the Best Time to Send Push Notifications, for a starting point to use when crafting your A/B tests.

Push Notification A/B Test Tips 

Before we wrap up, a summary of the most important points and our top tips. 

Important: focus on testing one thing at a time. 

You should focus on single variables per test to make sure your results are valid.

Once you’ve proven (or disproven) your hypothesis, then you can move onto the next one. 

This makes it simple and manageable for small businesses without large teams of optimizers. 

It’s also crucial to get a large enough sample.

The groups you test on need to be large enough for statistical significance, so that you can be confident that the results are not from mere random chance. 

You can read more about sample size and statistical significance in this primer.

On a practical level, it means don’t worry so much about testing until you have a significant (thousands) number of users receiving your notifications. 

Until then focus on following best practices and acquiring more users!

A/B Testing Push Notifications with Vendrux

We’ve seen that push notification A/B testing is generally as simple as: 

• Reading the docs of your push notification provider
• Making hypotheses to test 
• Running experiments 
• Implementing results and making new hypotheses in an iterative loop 

Vendrux can make this easier for you in several ways. 

Firstly, Vendrux converts your website into native apps for iOS and Android, allowing you to send native push notifications in the first place.

We build you high-end apps, handling the entire development process, and we integrate everything from your existing site. 

We’ve built thousands of apps for countless eCommerce brands – from small startups to multibillion dollar multinationals.

Vendrux apps come pre-integrated with OneSignal, the best push provider on the market.

You can send unlimited push notifications to your customers through OneSignal, and also make use of OneSignal’s push notification A/B testing features. 

We can help you get set up with this as part of our full service where we handle all aspects of the app build for you, including ongoing updates and maintenance. 

We also have our own system for abandoned cart notifications.

These are extremely powerful for eCommerce brands. And we’ve created a system where an abandoned cart sequence is automatically triggered when we detect items in a users’ cart (when the app is closed).

Some of our users have recovered as much as $200,000 in revenue in just 30 days through abandoned cart notifications!

If you’re an eCommerce brand who wants to build mobile apps, abandoned cart notifications are all automated and handled by our team for you, so you can focus on testing and optimizing other kinds of notifications like promotions and welcome sequences. 

Vendrux also integrates everything from your site into your apps. So whatever web tools you use for advanced analytics or landing page A/B testing will work in the apps too. 

You can literally transfer everything great about your web store into the apps!

Push notifications are just one way that a mobile app will drive more revenue for your brand. Get a full estimate of how much you could add to your bottom line with our free eCommerce App Revenue Calculator.

Get Started with Push Notification A/B Testing and Boost Your Push ROI Now

You now know enough to get started with push notification A/B testing, and use data to craft more informed and better performing push campaigns.

You can get started by A/B testing your web push notifications (as well as applying the same techniques to email, and other parts of your business).

But you should definitely start thinking about building your own eCommerce apps for iOS and Android, if you haven’t already.

Apps give you access to native push notifications, one of the most powerful communication channels for modern brands – as well as a host of other benefits, that lead to higher AOV, conversion rate and LTV.

The best part is, Vendrux makes it super easy to launch your app, with push notifications built in and ready to go.

It starts with a quick chat with one of our app experts. 

Just book a free consultation today, and we’ll show you just how easy it is to build and launch your app, and start a major growth curve for your brand.

Push notifications are a game-changer for eCommerce brands.

Push is the best and most direct channel for:

• Promoting offers
• Recovering abandoned carts
• Automated order & shipping updates
• Building deep relationships with customers
• …and any other brand to customer communication

At Vendrux, we’ve seen first hand how push can drive more revenue and higher retention for eCommerce businesses.

But like anything else, push notifications are a tool, that can have great or terrible results, depending on how you use them.

You can’t just spam them with no regard for strategy, and expect to get results.

In this article, we’ll share everything you need to know for using push optimally, in a way that brings value to both your business and your customers. 

Mastering push notifications could potentially mean millions of dollars in revenue, so take the time to absorb these push notification best practices and think about how to apply them to your own business.

Want to dive even deeper? Check out our complete guide to push notifications for Ecommerce, where we share tips on crafting push notifications that convert, plus real examples from successful brands using push.

Push Notification Tactics 101 – Best Practices to Maximize Return

Though some eCommerce brands stumble into success by sending push notifications without a clear and deliberate strategy, you don’t want to be one of these brands who just “spray and pray”.

Every notification you send should have a purpose for your brand, and deliver value to the customer.

These two pillars inform the rest of the push notification best practices we’ll cover in the rest of this article.

If you follow these tips, every message will count, and you’ll reap the benefits of push fully. 

Read on, and this one article will give your eCommerce brands all it needs to crush it with push notifications.

1. Integration with the Funnel

The best eCommerce brands in the world have a deep understanding of the customer journey and map all channels and touchpoints to it – including push.

Different types of push notifications make sense at different stages of the journey, and different stages of the funnel:

This is individual, and you need to think about how it will work for your brand. 

Here’s an example of how you could set it up:

At this initial stage, push notifications should aim to educate and inform. 

Showcase new lines or trending products. Keep messages light and engaging to welcome users to your brand and build that initial connection. 

Here, customers are often weighing up their options. 

It’s a good time to send push notifications that highlight product benefits, reviews and social proof, and comparisons with other products. 

This could also be a good time to promote content from your blog or videos that can influence their decision-making.

Once users are ready to make a purchase, push notifications that include exclusive discounts or limited-time offers can be the decisive factor that nudges them to checkout.

This is the time to hit them with your most powerful messages and conve them. 

This is also the time to send abandoned cart notifications if necessary to close the sale (more on this in the next paragraph). 

• Retention / Loyalty Stage: 

After the purchase, don’t stop there. 

You can use push notifications to improve CX here by notifying them about their order and shipping if appropriate. This will encourage repeat purchases by leaving a positive impression.

You can also use push to solicit feedback, offer post-purchase support, and promote cross sells and upsells. 

All of this sets you up to encourage repeat purchases and drive up that customer LTV. 

2. Use Abandoned Cart Notifications

A super important use case of push notifications is to recover abandoned carts.

This is another great example of mapping notifications to the customer journey. 

Abandoned carts are a huge opportunity for eCommerce businesses. 

According to the Baymard institute, over 70% of carts are abandoned. Think about how many billions of dollars that represents. 

There are various reasons for cart abandonment, like:

• Unexpected costs like high shipping fees or hidden taxes 
• Buggy or complex checkout process 
• Mandatory registration 
• Slow or inconvenient shipping options 
• Lack of trust in data or financial security

You should fix these if they’re a problem but you should also set up abandoned cart notifications. 

‍According to PushEngage, these notifications convert at around 8% – so sending them to every single customer with an abandoned cart is a no brainer!

There are a few best practices when it comes to using push to recover abandoned carts.

• Timeliness: send a notification reminding customers of their abandoned cart within an hour. A second message can follow if the first is ignored, but don’t spam. 
• Personalization: each notification can reference the specific items left behind, making the message as relevant as possible – show them what they’re missing out on!
• Incentivization: occasionally including a special offer or discount with the abandoned cart notification can boost recovery rates. Only use this if it makes sense. 
• Feedback Requests: sometimes, a cart is abandoned due to an issue on the site or during the checkout process. If you can’t recover the cart, at least you might be able to find out why it was abandoned and fix the issue.

Automate abandoned cart recovery

Abandoned cart notifications are so important that we built our own dedicated feature for them. 

With Vendrux apps most notification types are sent from your dashboard via our OneSignal integration (one of the leading push notification services today).

Our abandoned cart notification feature works differently, through local notifications. Everything happens on the users’ device. 

Our systems monitor the in-app carts of your customers continuously.

When we detect pending items, and that the app is closed (in the background), this triggers a timed notification sequence. 

The sequence uses CRO best practices and powerful copywriting to bring them back to the cart page within the app and prompt them to take the final step. Simple but powerful. 

This is all managed and controlled remotely by our team, but you can customize it too, adding your own branding and copy as you wish. 

It’s the best way to send abandoned cart notifications from a mobile app, and the best way to recover abandoned carts in general.

Read more about how Vendrux works and how we can supercharge your mobile eCommerce game. 

3. Clear and Concise Messaging

With all writing clarity and concision is important but it’s even more important with push notifications. 

Think about it. iOS limits characters to around 150, while Android limits them to 450.

There’s no room for fluff for that reason alone.

People also flit around on their mobile devices and lose interest in a fraction of a second – so you need to get your point across instantly. If it’s overly wordy or confusing, your customers will ignore it. 

How is this achieved?

The golden rule is to get straight to the point. 

Keep the language simple and direct, which not only respects the customer’s time but also makes engagement more likely. 

With eCommerce push notifications, every word counts, so choose them carefully to ensure that the core message is front and center.

A compelling call-to-action (CTA)

Part of clarity is telling the customer what they should do, so a strong call-to-action (CTA) is crucial. 

The best eCommerce brands use CTAs that are direct and unambiguous, prompting the customer to take immediate action. 

Whether it’s a discount, an announcement of a flash sale, an invitation for customers to check out a new product, the CTA is the element that drives conversion. 

Try to avoid generic phrases like “Click here,” and instead opt for more action-oriented language such as “Shop Now” or “Grab Your Discount.” 

This will improve CTR, and you should test different wording to see which works best. 

Consistent tone and voice

Make sure that the tone of the push notifications aligns with your brand’s voice. 

Whether the brand is playful, professional, or somewhere in between, maintaining this consistency across all channels, including push, is key. 

Use language, phrases, imagery and even emojis that match your brand’s style.

This approach doesn’t just reinforce brand identity – it helps your notifications to stand out in a crowded lockscreen.

4. Optimizing Timing and Frequency

Another important piece of the puzzle is sending push notifications at the right time.

If you send messages at the wrong time – or at the wrong tempo – you’re leaving money on the table. 

Ideal Times for Engagement

When setting up your push campaigns, think hard about the ideal days of the week (and time of the day) to send them. 

Many of you will have customer bases in the US, but it’s still important to adapt to which timezone they’re in. 

Research shows that retail apps get the best CTR from push notifications during the hours of 8-9am, and 6-8pm.

The most effective days to send push notifications tend to be Monday and Tuesday.

Ultimately, though, you’ll need to rely on your own data and testing to figure out the optimal timing for your brand.

Optimizing frequency to avoid overwhelming users

Push notification frequency is a delicate balancing act. 

Too many notifications can annoy customers and cause opt-outs, but too few might result in missed opportunities for engagement.

More notifications can also increase retention – data shows that retail apps get 2-5x higher retention when sending weekly push notifications, and 3-6x higher retention when sending daily notifications.

We recommend starting with a moderate frequency of promotional notifications (one per day) and monitoring opt-out and engagement rates. 

Of course notifications for abandoned carts and personalized updates are sent as and when appropriate. 

Getting more advanced – you can allow your customers to set their own optimal frequency.

The bottom line: Experimenting with different frequencies and monitoring customer reactions is an ongoing process. By paying close attention to user feedback and interaction data, you can find a sweet spot that works best for your eCommerce business.

5. Personalization 

Personalization can be the difference between an opt out and a welcomed message that is acted upon immediately. 

Segmenting your customers

Not all customers are alike.

By segmenting them you can tailor your messages so that they’re more likely to hit the mark.

Here are a few ways you could segment them. You’ll have to decide which are appropriate for your own business. 

• Demographics: age, gender, and location provide a basic starting structure for segmentation
• Purchase history: grouping users based on their past purchases can lead to highly relevant recommendations
• Behavior: tracking how users interact with your site and apps can help to create segments based on engagement and interests
• Customer lifecycle stage: knowing where each customer stands, from a first time buyer to a loyal customer, allows for messages that cater to that stage

Top eCommerce brands use segments like these to create specialized notifications for different groups, such as exclusive deals for my top spenders or a welcome discount for new users. 

By doing this, you’ll likely boost engagement rates and reduce the likelihood of opt-outs or ignored messages.

Depending on your setup and tech stack, you can get quite granular. 

Leveraging user data to send hyper-relevant notifications

Every interaction a customer has with your site or native app is an opportunity to gather valuable data. 

You can leverage this information to make sure your eCommerce push notifications are not just broadcasted messages but relevant prompts that inspire action. 

Here’s are a few starting points:

• Browsing habits: track what users are looking at and for how long to predict future interests
• User preferences: by allowing users to set preferences, I gather data to curate more personalized recommendations.
• Search queries: depending on your site or app, you can see what a customer searches for and send notifications promoting relevant items 
• Wish lists: whatever a customer adds to their wishlist, you can notify them when those items are back in stock, about to sell out, or go on sale 

One example that several brands use: a customer frequently checks out a particular category on your site, so you use this data to send notifications about new arrivals or sales within that category.

This direct relevance increases the chances of converting notifications into sales. 

There are a few caveats with personalization. 

You should avoid over personalization, which can come off as intrusive and even creepy.

You should comply with all relevant regulations, and also give customers full transparency and control on how their data is used. 

If you do it right, your customers should welcome personalized messages. That’s because the north star should always be to genuinely help the customer (while also helping your business). 

By constantly refining the data you collect and working it into your notification flows, you’ll make sure every message is as impactful as possible.

6. Visual and Interactive Elements

One of the great things about push notifications is the ability to use rich media like images, links, and even audio and video. 

Eye-catching graphics and emojis

Many eCommerce brands have found that incorporating high quality images, graphics and emojis can capture a customer’s attention. 

The key is to make sure that any images you use are not only attractive but also relevant to the high level message.

A few tips:

• Choose high-contrast graphics that pop on various device screens
• Use emojis to express emotions or highlight key deals, but don’t overdo it

With eCommerce we all know how important a good image of the product is, so when you’re promoting items and offers – make sure you show them through push too. 

CTA buttons

Interactive elements like buttons or sliders are great for enticing CTAs, and can even allow customers to take important steps without opening the app. 

There are a few options to test.

Buttons can be used in push notifications for:

• Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons: directing users to specific actions like “Shop Now,” “View Sale,” or “Add to Cart.” 

• Quick Responses: offer options like “Save for Later” or “Remind Me,” which are particularly useful for cart abandonment notifications or for items that are back in stock.

• Feedback Collection: use buttons like “Like” or “Dislike” for users to quickly provide feedback on the relevance of the product recommendations or notification content.

• Navigation Shortcuts: buttons can serve as shortcuts to specific sections of the app or website, like “New Arrivals,” “Wishlist,” or “Order History.”

Your customers want simple, one click options to get stuff done. Push notification buttons give them just that. 

Visual elements (icons, images, colors)

The visual “look” of your notifications helps them to be not only seen but also well-received. 

A few best practices:

• Use brand-consistent icons and images that customers associate with your store
• Use a branded color palette that has enough contrast to ensure legibility
• Make sure visual elements don’t overshadow the message, but rather augment it

Test multiple designs to see which elements resonate best with your customers. 

 7. A/B Testing

As with many things, A/B testing is crucial.

A/B testing—or split testing—allows you to compare two versions of a message to see which performs better. 

Every A/B test should start with a goal for a metric you want to improve, which feeds into a hypothesis of the form “if we change x, then we will get y result”. 

Then, it’s a case of:

• Drafting two distinct messages: there are different things you can test – headlines, body text, calls to action, and visuals
• Testing one segment at a time: to maintain data integrity, test with a specific user segment
• Using a significant sample size: make sure the audience size is large enough to yield statistically significant results
• Timing it right: timing can affect the outcome, so run both versions concurrently 

It’s vital to change only one element at a time to pinpoint what influences the performance.

Ideally you should always have tests running. 

Start small, aiming to optimize the low hanging fruit, and in time you can build up to sophisticated testing systems as needed. 

Most major push notification platforms will give you solid A/B testing options. For example OneSignal, which we integrate with, gives you a ton of testing tools straight out of the box.

Performance metrics

Alongside testing, the next step is a thorough analysis of performance metrics. Here’s are the key metrics that matter when it comes to push:

1. Open Rate: tells you how compelling your notifications are at first glance
2. Click-Through Rate (CTR): a direct measure of immediate interest
3. Conversion Rate: the all-important % of customers who complete the desired action
4. Retention: did the users who clicked on a notification continue to engage?
5. Unsubscribe Rate: high opt-out rates from a message indicate that it could be too pushy or irrelevant

This is an individual choice and possibly a project for one of your analysts or marketing people. 

It is important for them to stay organized with spreadsheets and analytics software. 

More sophisticated still – many brands export push notification data into their own custom analytics platforms, or use tools like Python and Pandas to analyze the data in a more hands-on manner.  

The bottom line: Use data to fine-tune your approach and send notifications that truly resonate with customers and drive results for your business. Each datapoint is a puzzle piece, eventually you’ll put them all together and leverage push to its full potential.

8. Iterative Improvement 

This is similar to the previous best practice, but more from the perspective of mindset. 

It’s crucial to adapt to customer behavior and feedback. 

Customers frequently leave clues, either through direct feedback or interaction with notifications themselves. You should make it a top priority to listen for these patterns and clues. 

Over time, you’ll be able to tailor your eCommerce push notifications to align with what makes your customers tick.  

A few examples we’ve mentioned previously:

• Customizing content for different groups
• Adjusting the timing of notifications 
• Offering incentives tailored to behavior 

The key is to think of it as an ongoing process of improvement and iteration. 

Think of notifications as a personalized touchpoint for each customer, that over time gets better and better at connecting with them. 

Continuous improvement based on analytics

Armed with data, you should adjust tactics and strategy in real-time by tweaking copy, design, and timing. 

Performance metrics are not just numbers; they’re insights into user behavior and campaign effectiveness. They can guide the decisions you make for months and years to come

Through a continuous cycle of testing, analysis, and iteration, your strategy will become more refined and your results will improve incrementally.

9. Legal Compliance and Ethical Considerations

Compliance can be a minefield, and you should consult with an expert for your particular circumstance to know where you stand with push. 

Here are a few things to consider…

‍Privacy Laws (GDPR, CCPA)

Staying on the right side of privacy laws is crucial. 

For eCommerce businesses, this means complying with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). 

Some starting points for solid compliance:

• Understand user consent: Before sending notifications, make sure you have explicit consent from your users. This isn’t just a best practice; it’s a legal requirement under GDPR for individuals within the EU, and similar principles apply under CCPA for California residents.

• Provide clear information: When asking for consent, be transparent about what data you’re collecting and how it will be used. Users should know what they’re signing up for, and this straightforward approach will benefit your brand’s trustworthiness.

• Data protection: Safeguard personal data with robust security measures. Any breach can lead to heavy penalties, especially under GDPR, which can levy fines of up to 4% of annual global turnover or €20 million (whichever is greater).

• Respect user rights: Users have the right to access their data and request its deletion. Ensure you have processes in place to promptly honor these requests.

Opt-in/Opt-out 

Transparency is essential when it comes to opt-in and opt-out processes for push notifications. Here’s how I ensure clarity and give users control:

• Clear opt-in: explain what kind of push notifications they’ll receive and how often
• Easy opt-out: Just as users should be able to easily opt-in, the opt-out process must be straightforward
• Preferences: offer users the option to customize their push notification experience. 

With Vendrux apps, your app users will be able to customize their push preferences. They can explicitly state which notifications they’re interested in, and give you the permissions you need to fire away. 

Following these steps for transparent opt-in and opt-out processes not only ensures compliance with privacy laws but also fosters a positive relationship with customers, who appreciate the respect for their privacy and choices.

10. Urgency and Exclusivity

Using copywriting best practices will help your notifications to succeed. 

In the frenetic, overloaded world of the customer’s lockscreen two psychological principles that can work well are urgency and exclusivity. 

Getting noticed and triggering a quick response can be the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity, so here are some ways to create urgency:

• Countdown timers: tell customers they’ve a limited window to act
• Flash sales notifications: Announce sales that last for a few hours or a day at most
• Last-chance reminders: Send a notification when the offer’s about to end

Crafting these urgent messages is an art form that requires a balance – it’s important not to pressure users to the point where it becomes a turnoff.

Exclusive deals to encourage immediate action

Exclusive deals make customers feel special, like they’re part of an elite group. 

This is an excellent technique for spurring action. Here are some examples:

• Subscriber-only offers: create special discounts only for app users and promote them with push 
• Early access to sales: give your push notification subscribers deals before they’re available to the public
• Personalized discounts: send tailored offers based on the customer’s shopping history 

By blending urgency and exclusivity, you may well see engagement and conversion rates soar. 

Remember, the key to successful push notification best practices is to provide value immediately, not just sell products.

Push notifications are one of the top reasons why a mobile app can be a game-changer for eCommerce brands. Check out how much your business could gain by launching an app, with our eCommerce App Revenue Calculator.

Get Started with Push Notifications Today, with Vendrux

So there you have it: ten crucial push notification best practices for eCommerce brands to follow, if they want to see results.

If you’re not using push notifications yet, and need to get set up fast, we can help.‍

Vendrux converts eCommerce web stores into high-end, conversion-driving eCommerce apps for iOS and Android. 

Our apps preserve everything from your existing web store, combining what already works for the web with the best of native app UX.

That means that your existing team (and ours) can take care of the apps, and there’s no need to spend big bucks hiring native app developers or agencies. 

Plus, we build the apps for you, completely. 

We also handle all ongoing updates and maintenance as part of our full service. The apps will hum along, make you money and grow your brand practically on autopilot. 

We’ve built thousands of apps, including for some massive eCommerce brands with Billions in revenue.

Vendrux apps are as good as Amazon’s, but come at a tiny fraction of the price tag and maintenance overhead!

All our apps also include unlimited push notifications, giving you the ability to print money with the most effective communication tool for modern eCommerce brands.

Get started now – speak to a mobile app expert today and we’ll show you how easy it is to build an app and start harnessing the power of push notifications.