In a reflection of the need for apparel retailers to continuously refresh their shoppable content on digital channels, New York & Company experienced a 44 percent increase in mobile conversions over the past year after implementing a self-service content marketing platform into its mobile site.

The specialty apparel brand leveraged Zmags’ Creator platform, which enables clients to create and publish new content experiences with drag and drop tools, giving retailers added flexibility in maximizing their mobile sites’ efficiency. New York and Company’s decision to invest more heavily in mobile highlights its dedication to reaching target consumers on their omnipresent personal devices.

“New York and Company saw an increase in mobile conversions by 44 percent from 2015 to 2016 due to the rich, shoppable content that New York and Company has launched using Zmags Creator,” said Brian Rigney, CEO of Zmags. “New York and Company has a mobile-only site, and uses Creator to upload content to that site, as it also does for its desktop site.”

Ramping up mobile offerings
New York and Company sought to revamp its mobile channels in a way that would appeal to its core audience, which consists of millennial-aged working women. The retailer turned to Zmags and opted to use its Creator platform in a bid to make its shoppable content stand out even more.

The Creator platform allows users to leverage drag and drop tools to rearrange site layouts and product imagery without having to implement separate code.

By placing a larger focus on enticing item images and a streamlined user interface, New York and Company was able to significantly boost the effectiveness of its mobile site.

New York and Company has increased flexibility in changing up its mobile site

From 2015 to 2016, the brand saw a 15 percent uptick in site visits, proving that consumers responded well to the change in layout.

Additionally, New York and Company experienced a 44 percent lift in mobile conversions.

The statistics suggest that smartphone shoppers are increasingly searching for streamlined experiences on their favorite retailers’ sites, meaning that brands must adapt to consumer demand for mobile features that make it simpler to complete a transaction.

For example, honing in on the checkout process can offer brands invaluable insight into what touchpoints of friction their consumers may encounter.

A slew of other retailers are also optimizing their mobile checkouts with a variety of transaction-simplifying tools.

Two Overstock.com executives at Mobile Marketer’s Mobile FirstLook: Strategy 2016 discussed how the online retailer leverages one-hand ergonomics to modernize checkout experiences with larger forms, swiping gestures and contextual keyboards (see story).

Putting content first
New York and Company’s positive results following the Creator integration underscore the importance of placing content at the forefront of any marketing strategy. The omnipresence of smartphones has resulted in the sharp rise of bite-sized, snackable content, which has prompted brands to maximize the reach and effectiveness of their material in order to capture users’ attention within several seconds.

New York and Company has also worked on updating its mobile app with additional options to make the shopping experience more enticing.

The mobile site also features product recommendations for shoppers

The brand set its sights on integrating its private label rewards card into a revamped mobile app to better meet the needs of how customers are shopping (see story).

Ultimately, implementing mobile platforms that enhance user engagement and make the browsing process simpler on smartphones can only translate into a sales win for any brand.

“For New York and Company, user engagement has been driven by its change in content,” Mr. Rigney said. “We are delivering richer, more engaging content and more of it than before with Creator.

“This comment is consistent with what we hear from other retailers as well.”