After launching in July, Charlotte Russe Inc.‘s native app reached a milestone: It now has more than one million downloads.
The specialty retailer teamed with PredictSpring to create the app, which was designed to leverage a consumer desire for seamless shopping experiences online or in-store. The companies made the announcement at the ShopTalk event in Las Vegas today.
PredictSpring, a mobile commerce platform provider, said the launch included integration with Salesforce Commerce Cloud. “As part of this effort, the app was specifically designed with three key elements to meet the heightened expectations of today’s Charlotte Russe consumer — speed, flexibility and a smooth blend of the online and offline brand experience,” the companies said today.
Terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
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Carrie Welch, senior vice president of digital experience at Charlotte Russe, said the retailer’s customer “demands instant gratification and the ability to shop with the single touch of a button, anywhere and anytime on their mobile device.”
“Speed is essential to our customer and pivotal to building brand loyalty,” Welch said, adding that PredictSpring’s platform allows the app to perform “20 to 30 times faster than a typical mobile experience. Also, the integration with digital wallet, Apple Pay has proven key to driving increased conversion.”
Nitin Mangtani, founder and chief executive officer of PredictSpring, said the “retail industry has shifted dramatically, with fast-fashion emerging as a leading category. For a brand to succeed, the ability to make real-time changes — such as merchandising and promotions — in a matter of minutes is fundamental to its success.”
Charlotte Russe’s milestone comes at a time when retailers are stepping up efforts to boost conversions. Overall, the industry has been slow to adopt native apps. The most successful native apps have been in the fast-food category from the likes of Starbucks, Domino’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, and others in the restaurant sector are scrambling to catch up. (McDonald’s, which has lagged far behind the leaders, said last week it was rolling out its own app.) As Welch noted, Apply Pay is also helping to boost conversions and analysts have noted that consumers are increasingly embracing digital wallets.
The Charlotte Russe app is available for iPhone in the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Play Store. Key features of the app include a shoppable Instagram feed, where consumers can browse and shop the retailer’s social media feed, “providing fashion inspiration and enabling instant ‘buy’ capabilities,” the company said.
Exclusive offers are also spotlighted where the app pushes offers to users, which provides a “VIP experience to customers with special discounts and coupons.” PredictSpring said this allows “Charlotte Russe to take advantage of ever-changing marketing initiatives and promotions, such as a one-day flash sale.”
Additionally, the app features “real-time in-store inventory,” which enables shoppers to check product availability at any of the retailer’s 550 stores.
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