High-street retailer Debenhams recently launched their iPhone app to the public.. Late to market, they’ve been incredibly savvy learning from their competitors and listening to their customers through mixture of focus groups and assessing customer feedback from their already very popular website.
Rather than producing a showcase app, which has little interactive functionality, Debenhams have created a full shopping experience, including software which processes promotions via QR codes, breathing life into their advertising and increasing the exclusivity of offers.
The app is totally integrated with their website, pulling real-time stock information into the interface. You can shop by range and size, which is especially good for lingerie, and each product is modelled on a human rather than a mannequin so you can zoom in on product details to make the experience as close to seeing it in person as possible.
Plus, from the comfort of your own sofa you can simply shop, or create a Gift or a Wish List which favourites items and emails them to your lucky partner. (How exciting that this year you won’t have to spend most of January taking things back!) Even better? Not all of the merchandise is full-price as there is a sale section for the bargain hunters among us.
The best bit of the app is the scanning device. Remember when you were young and played shop, running items through the till? This app has a barcode scanner which means that you can go to any item in the store and zap it to see the description, range and price. This is brilliant for when you are in the changing room and need another size and the shop assistant has gone AWOL and there is the biggest ever queue at the till. The app neatly tells you which sizes are available and where. And if you don’t want to go to another store, yup, you can order it too!
If you're unsure about a product, there is also a rating tool on the app so you can check out what others think of an item before purchase. Debenhams believe in the customer first and have team members checking the reviews. If there is negative customer feedback they promise they'll do their utmost to address this through product development or alterations.
The Debenhams shopping app is also useful if you prefer to see things in the flesh, as you can bring the online experience in-store and tag everything you want to buy on the app, make the purchase and them have everything delivered to your door, which is perfect Christmas shopping!
All in all, this is no ordinary app - this is a pocket personal shopper. And even better, it is free. All you need is an iTunes account and an iPhone 4 or 3GS.
I know what I’ll be asking from Santa this year…