Free Essay Analyzing the Shopping Smartphone Application by Gap Inc. and RAF Simons

Gap Inc. is a San Francisco based retailer of clothes and accessories that was founded in 1969. Gap Inc. has over 3,500 locations worldwide, and it is made up of five primary brands including Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, and Piperlime (Traxler, 2013). Gap has emphasized marketing as the way to stay ahead of the competition in an increasingly dynamic environment. Gap wants to get back its voice by investing in marketing and advertising, and one of the ways they use is via mobile.

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How is your company using mobile?

Gap Inc. is using mobile to improve the shopping experience for customers and boost sales in the long run. The corporation rolled out a smartphone application called Gap+ in 2016 to kick-start its multi-channel strategy as well as developing a highly personalized marketing and discounting approach (Skeldon, 2016). The app allows the user to experience a more individualized image feed that is related to their signup information. The app also serves the customers with product images and blog contents associated with their past purchases. Gap uses the consumers' previous information to determine their likes and preferences. There is an incentive for shopping via the app since customers are given a 5% discount.

Gap is also utilizing the digital space by using mobile apps to compliment the brick and mortar stores. The company decided to equip more stores with mobile devices to emulate the store experience and highlight more inventory for the shoppers. Equipping the brick and mortar stores with IOS devices provides the associates with quick access to additional product information when doing business with the consumers (Samuely, 2018).

Gap Inc. also has a mobile site for every brand to make it easier for customers to shop at their convenience. The high penetration of smartphones has caused mobile marketing to be one of the critical areas for many firms.

How does it relate to their site (responsive, app)?

The response rate of the app can only be gauged by the number of downloads and active users it generates. The app is a stand-alone installation that is separate from the official site. It is easy to use and is gives personalized information and news that is relevant to a unique customer (Traxler, 2013). The in-store devices help the staff in the sales process. The mobile site is simplified and offers quick navigation to all the relevant items. The visual display is designed to fit the smartphone as well as offering efficient search and checkout options that have made the shopping process faster for the customers.

How does it relate to their store?

The apps and devices are complimenting the shopping experience at the store. The IOS devices in every brick and mortar location make the process of serving customers quick and efficient since associates have instant access to any product information. The mobile equipment also optimizes the store manager's duties of workforce management on the floor. It allows them to spend more time engaging in face-to-face interaction with customers than conducting backroom operations. The sales associates feel empowered since they are armed with the tools to answer any customer questions, and thus make sales. Gap is using the digital world to leverage the performance at the stores (Samuely, 2018).

What is the overall shopping experience?

The apps, devices, and sites have allowed Gap to make use of mobile devices to enhance the customer experience and increase sales. The customers are all smartphone owners, and hence the developments had improved the shopping experience by offering the consumers more convenience than when they had to visit the stores physically. At the stores, the associates are also buoyed by the utilization of IOS devices to help in locating products and thus closing a sale. The mobile app has also improved the overall experience for the customers since it has personalized the product information as well as offering a 5% discount to the customers.

What works, what doesn't work?

Works

The app and mobile sites allow customers to make purchases online (Traxler, 2013).

The app offers a personalized display of product information.

The mobile site allows quicker navigation and location of stores.

Gap Inc. can send product information and any other new developments straight to the customer.

Doesn't work

The 'back' button in the Gap+ app returns to the main menu instead of one step back.

The response time in the sites is not fast enough.

What would you suggest to make the experience a more positive one?

The shopping experience has vastly improved with the introduction of the mobile capabilities. Customer convenience has been enhanced, but the company should cut back on the number of notifications sent to the apps and sites since it can frustrate some customers. The apps are quicker than the mobile sites, and hence they allow speedier access to brands (Traxler, 2013). The company should improve the speed of the mobile site to optimize the customer experience.

Raf Simons

https://www.whatdropsnow.com/products/raf-simons-denim-shirt-blue-1Product: All cotton denim jacket for men.

https://www.endclothing.com/row/raf-simons-kimono-bomber-jacket-172706-20020-99.htmlProduct: 100% wool Kimono Bomber jacket by Raf Simons

https://hypebeast.com/2017/5/raf-simons-music-art-youth-culture-obsessionProduct: Kraftwerk covered in patches, and inspired by the Manic Street Preachers.

http://www.thefashionlaw.com/home/a-closer-look-at-raf-simons-springsummer-2015-collectionProduct: Spring/summer 2015 collection with pictures inspired by his life.

https://www.gq.com/story/raf-simons-2003-grail-shirtProduct: Raf Simons printed shirt from the spring/summer 2003 collection

http://stylecaster.com/rihanna-raf-simons/Product: Spring 2014 men's tunic by Raf Simons

References

A Closer Look at Raf Simons' Spring/Summer 2015 Collection. (2014). The Fashion Law. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from http://www.thefashionlaw.com/home/a-closer-look-at-raf-simons-springsummer-2015-collection

Blalock, M. (2014). Fresh Off the Runway: Rihanna Wears Raf Simons Spring 2014 Menswear. StyleCaster. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from http://stylecaster.com/rihanna-raf-simons/

Exploring Raf Simons' Obsession with Youth Culture, Electronic Music & Art. (2017). HYPEBEAST. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from https://hypebeast.com/2017/5/raf-simons-music-art-youth-culture-obsession

Raf Simons Denim Shirt. (2018). Whatdropsnow.com. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from https://www.whatdropsnow.com/products/raf-simons-denim-shirt-blue-1

Raf Simons Kimono Bomber Jacket. (2018). END. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from https://www.endclothing.com/row/raf-simons-kimono-bomber-jacket-172706-20020-99.html

Samuely, A. (2018). Gap ramps up mobile to mimic flagship store experience. Retaildive.com. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from https://www.retaildive.com/ex/mobilecommercedaily/gap-taps-mobile-to-mimic-flagship-store-experience-for-customers

Skeldon, P. (2016). Gap launches loyalty app to deliver more personalized service and kick-start its omnichannel strategy - InternetRetailing. InternetRetailing. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from http://internetretailing.net/2016/06/gap-launches-loyalty-app-deliver-personalised-service-kick-start-omni-channel-strategy/

Traxler, D. (2013). Multichannel Case Study: Gap Inc. Practical Ecommerce. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from https://www.practicalecommerce.com/Multichannel-Case-Study-Gap-Inc

Woolf, J. (2016). This Printed Summer Shirt Will Give You the Ultimate Fashion Cred. GQ. Retrieved 10 March 2018, from https://www.gq.com/story/raf-simons-2003-grail-shirt