Madewell debuts mobile app

Dive Brief:

Madewell on Tuesday introduced its debut mobile app to the public. It was first made available to Madewell Insiders on Monday, the company stated in an email to Retail Dive. The app is free on both Android and iOS.
Using the app, customers can place orders, track their loyalty status and points, and "heart" and add their favorite items to their wish list. Madewell Insiders have access to additional in-app perks, including the ability to view seasonal collections early, learn about upcoming local events and access exclusive offers.
The brand plans to release more features such as inventory tracking by store location, saving preferred sizes, and providing product recommendations and digital product information while shopping in-store, per the announcement.

Dive Insight:

Madewell noticed a surge in mobile traffic and sales during the COVID-19 pandemic and in response began working on the app last October. Mobile traffic accounted for about 60% of site traffic, so the company developed the app to give shoppers a more seamless experience.

The rollout of Madewell's app comes after the company revamped its loyalty incentives last August to better cater to the sizable number of shoppers that are members. As part of the update, customers receive one point per dollar spent and get a $10 reward for every 250 points earned. Madewell's Insider program has grown to 62% of its customer base since the initiative launched in 2016. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed customers to browse a variety of retailers for their desired products, loyalty programs have become especially critical to retain customers.

Meanwhile, the company has also undergone corporate changes. Last September, parent company J. Crew exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Earlier this month, J. Crew expanded the roles of Madewell's chief marketing officer and CIO to include the J. Crew brand, too. The company also tapped Liz Hershfield for the newly created role of senior vice president of sustainability after she oversaw sourcing and sustainability for the Madewell banner.