Customer Retention: lululemon's New Mobile App Provides Customers a Faster, Easier Way to Shop

lululemon athletica, the yoga-inspired athletic apparel company, released a new mobile shopping application this fall designed to give its users a faster and more convenient way to shop via their iPhone (the app is available for free in the App Store).

Here are some of the app's functionalities: customers can simply and securely authenticate themselves with Touch ID to access their lululemon accounts — fingerprint data is protected and never accessed by iOS or other apps; customized shopping profiles so that each time a user logs in they're delivered product suggestions tailored to their preferences; the ability to scan barcodes on store hangtags to open the product description page on lululemon.com for product ratings and reviews as well as to check online inventory; the option to receive push notifications for special or promotional messaging; stored purchase data (e.g., credit card preferences and delivery address) to streamline checkout; and account synchronization, enabling customers to switch between mobile and desktop while checking out on the same order.

lululemon's mobile app is the latest initiative in the company's omnichannel retail strategy, integrating customers’ access to product and information both online and in-store.

"We know our guests lead busy, active lives and as part of our focus on creating the best guest experience, this app is another channel for them to easily access and shop our gear, regardless of where they are in their day," says Paul Zaengle, lululemon's senior vice president of U.S. retail operations. "As one of the first retailers to launch an app built for iOS 8, which includes Touch ID integration, the lululemon app provides a more personalized, convenient shopping experience and will further integrate our guests’ access to product and information online and in our stores."