Don’t Fall Asleep At The Wheel

Since July 2008, when Apple debuted the App Store, applications have become standard for major organizations as additional engagement with the consumer and as a revenue-driving channel. If a consumer commits to downloading a company’s app, most times it means that the consumer finds a purpose in app usage; whether that’s gamification, making frequent purchases or staying up to date on deals or promotions.

As both an avid online shopper and marketer, it is a major red-flag when large organizations (like Raymour & Flanigan, for example) do not have an app for download. Having an app is an extension of your brand and way to reach your customers, especially amongst younger audiences.

So, takeaway #1 — don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Get your company presence on the App Store and keep your customer front and center, from beginning to end. The average session of duration per customer on a retail app is 4.6 to 5 minutes, so prioritize accessibility and user flow from browsing to point of purchase is prudent.

One of my favorite retail apps from a UX perspective is Crate&Barrel’s. It is so seamless from beginning to end, aesthetically pleasing, and has clear functionalities. From the home screen, it clearly lets customers choose between free-form shopping or gift registry, segmenting the customer base from the beginning.

Looking at the design and aesthetics, the app is aligned with Crate&Barrel’s website and in-store style.

When going into the “Shop” direction from the home-screen, the user has three distinct areas our eyes go to: top, middle, bottom. The top bar is simple: it identifies which section the user is in and allows access to the cart. The bar across the bottom acts as the navigation bar, where users can choose between home, shop & search function, faves, and account where users can update their settings. All in all, the experience is so clear that the user rarely needs to think. In addition to that, there is a purpose — get the customer to purchase as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

One small aspect of the Crate&Barrel app I wanted to highlight is the “Faves” section, which acts as a photo/product collage. As customers are browsing through the website, they have the ability to “fave” items, which in turn creates a medium for customers to mix-and-match products, see how colors work together, and engage with Crate&Barrel’s offerings in a fun way. Gamification is a great way to keep people coming back for more.

As a final point, although it is important that apps are simple and easy to use, they also need to adapt to the changing behaviors of consumers. For example, how is Crate & Barrel thinking about app x in-store usage?

You may have heard recently that retail is “dying.” Many retailers refuse to accept that fate and have done an exceptional job of enhancing the in-store experience to meet the needs of customers. While much of that involves in-store changes, it also includes website and app experiences that tie to in-store. Crate & Barrel does a great job of this, by including a barcode scanner so the customer can scan products in-store to view pricing or give delayed online purchasing options. It’s all about rethinking the consumer and how we as marketers can keep them engaged and coming back for more.

I’m picky about downloading apps and I am very conscious of the storage they take up on my phone. This one is definitely worth the download.’