Enhancing the retail experience through mobile apps
Introduction
Smartphones are changing the way consumers shop and interact with retailers, both online and in stores. Harnessing the mobile moments of retail interaction is the core requirement for a retailer's focus on strategy and investment in the consumer mobile experience.
Brands for Less ("BFL"), a retailer focused on bringing its shoppers the latest and most innovative products, was looking to enhance and harness its customer's mobile moments. Brands for Less has a fast moving product range targeted towards men's, women's and kids fashion as well as a growing range of household products. The requirement for a mobile app was to keep existing customers, as well as new customers, engaged with information on new product releases, fast moving items and offers, enable mobile commerce and built-in notifications for access to deals on the go.
Opportunity
BFL saw that with the ever-increasing usage of smartphones, it was only a matter of time before consumers begin conducting their online purchases through a mobile device. They also saw the necessity in assessing buyer behavior and taking informed decisions on strategically planning their product releases as well as promotional activities.
Among the required features for an engaging mobile app, Brands for Less wanted to offer a new channel for their customers to be able to experience an efficient checkout process with easy redemption of loyalty points.
Managing content for the app in line with the website, which was the primary source of immediate information access and online purchases for customers, would also be a required feature of the mobile solution.
These were seen as the key deliverables to make their retail strategy and customer relationship management a swift and timesaving process.
Solution
Unique Computer Systems delivered custom developed, native mobile applications for both iOS and Android with the required commercial features.
Using web services created by BFL, UCS dynamically communicated content for offers, categories, products to the mobile apps to let the users get quick, real-time access to products, new arrivals, availability and offers.
Near real-time stock updates allowed viewing up-to-date product stock information while making their product selections.
In addition, "wish lists" were built into the mobile app, so users could save desired products for later review and purchase.
Customers can select and add products to their mobile "shopping cart" and checkout by paying directly through the mobile app. They can also track shipment by entering in the tracking ID of their purchase.
Access to loyalty data, store locations, history of past purchases provide additional customer and application wide search made the app fully functional and an immediate choice for customers on the move.
Success
Using the mobile app, BFL is now able to disseminate information on products and offers to their customers by actively updating the content in the app through a web based content management system ("CMS") and sending out push-notifications.
Customers can track new product availability and be notified of specials through push notifications. They can also review available sizes, colors and stock for available products directly from the mobile apps and purchase the desired items with a few clicks.
BFL, on the other hand, are able to assess where their customers are engaging with their content and where purchases are coming from by comparing lifetime value for users of their website and the app. Real-time analytics provided BFL with the required insight on the features and offers to roll out and the timing on when to publish these offers.
There is a lot to learn from the way BFL has implemented their mobile strategy. Integration with the loyalty program was a great decision, which enables customers to follow their rewards and redeem points for future purchases, without the necessity to carry additional plastic in their wallets.
The main lessons here are the value of using mobile apps to offer additional channels for shopping with Brands for Less and to build awareness of their foresight in enhancing customer convenience.
About Brands for Less
Brands for Less, as a franchisee of Tchibo, currently have a presence across the Middle East. Brand for Less owns thirty outlets in countries such as UAE, Bahrain, Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the Qatar. What is it that sets us apart from other retail stores? Their constant endeavor is to bring shoppers the latest and most innovative products. Of course, this is beside the fact that they have always ensured that their customers get what they come for.
About UCS
Unique Computer Systems is an application development and a system integration company specializing in mobile and web technologies. Unique Computer Systems specializes in three primary segments: Mobile and Web Application Development, Systems Integration, Products and Services.
Unique Computer Systems is part of the Unique Maritime Group, a leading provider of specialized IT and engineering solutions worldwide. UCS is ISO 9001:2008 certified and is headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, with partner offices in USA, UK, South Africa, India and Singapore. We offer knowledge and experience that is truly unique in the technology market.
Our Company is known for its outstanding customer service and our financial stability. Our management team is committed to the philosophy that customer satisfaction is the key to growing and maintaining our business.
