NewStore said that with the acquisition of Highstreet Mobile, a consumer app solution provider that serves fashion apparel and lifestyle brands, the company is charting a path “for the future of retail with the addition of native consumer apps” to its omnichannel platform. The company added that the acquisition will serve “as the backbone of the offering, giving retailers the ability to create amazing shopping experiences that connect stores, consumers and associates.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a statement, NewStore said the native app solution “will allow retailers to create branded mobile experiences that unify their online channels with their physical stores.” The company described the new offering as an “extension of the company’s existing strategy of turning brick-and-mortar shopping into an app-powered, digitally connected retail experience.”
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The value proposition of NewStore’s expanded platform includes retail brands being able to deepen their connection with consumers. NewStore said the consumer apps “drive three-times higher engagement rates and create a four-times increase in value per customer,” adding that the apps “also see conversion rates two-times higher than the industry standard.”
Other value propositions for retailers include improved integration. NewStore said the native apps “integrate with brands’ physical stores and e-commerce platforms,” which “allows the app experience to adapt to the customer journey — at home, on the go, or in the store.”
Stephan Schambach, founder and chief executive officer of NewStore, said the first time, “there’s going to be a connection between an omnichannel store experience and a consumer app where the shopper can interact with a store, like a remote control for the brand. The future of retail is going to be more connected, and NewStore can now help brands provide amazing shopping experiences, both inside and outside of the store on mobile.”
Thijs van Schadewijk, founder of Highstreet Mobile, said Schambach “has a proven track record of identifying opportunities that others have missed, and this is another example of his vision for the future of retail coming to life. Retail apps are not a new concept, but few brands have gotten this channel right. They aren’t meant to replace the website or mobile web experience. Instead, they should complement those channels and create a powerful new place for consumers to bond with the brands they love.”
Richard Berger, president of NewStore, said the native app offering will allow its current customers to expand upon their existing omnichannel offerings. “They also create a new entry point for other retailers to begin their omnichannel journey with us. We are already seeing traction on both fronts in a very short period of time. This is because shoppers benefit from a more personalized, interactive experience, and retailers benefit from converting one-time purchasers into higher value, lifetime customers.”