Dick’s Sporting Goods is gearing up for a fruitful sales season with an application update that rewards users with gift cards for logging their fitness activity, showcasing how sporting retailers are competing to be top dog in mobile.

The retailer is rolling out an app update ahead of the holiday shopping frenzy to better connect with fitness fans and incentivize consumers to use its mobile offerings. Users will be able to sync their MapMyRun or Fitbit accounts to the Dick’s Sporting Goods app to accumulate points and rewards for completing activities.

“We are always looking for opportunities to enhance the customer experience across all of our channels,” said Rafeh Masood, vice president of customer innovation technology at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Coraopolis, PA. “Through our mobile app we want to add meaningful value to the lives of our customers, whether through shopping online and in-store, or through simply rewarding them for being active.

“With this update to our app, our hope is to inspire and motivate our customers to stay active and encourage them to reach their personal goals, and rewarding them with real savings for achieving their personal health goals.”

Introducing competitive features
The Dick’s Sporting Goods app now includes the “Move” feature, which enables users to receive ScoreCard points for each 10,000 steps logged via Fitbit or three miles through MapMyRun. The brand is hoping to inspire its customers to be more active as well as drive more app usage, thanks to exclusive incentives.

Consumers who have already downloaded the retailer’s app must follow the “Move” feature’s instructions to sync their MapMyRun or Fitbit accounts to their Dick’s Sporting Goods ScoreCard. The first log-in will award customers a one-time welcome gift of 100 ScoreCard points, which can later be traded in for a Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card.

Individuals that track their fitness goals will receive more loyalty points. For each 300 points saved up, customers will earn a $10 ScoreCard reward. They may use it to purchase merchandise via the retailer’s app, in-store or online.

Users can accumulate three points per day by reaching the specified goals with their Fitbit wearable or MapMyRun app.

“Our new ‘Move’ feature provides an added incentive for consumers to update the app and unlock value by accumulating ScoreCard points for achieving their fitness goals,” Mr. Masood said. “We have also made several other upgrades in this version.

“There is a new and redesigned user interface featuring enhanced navigation, simpler menu options, and refreshed style,” he said. “Customers can now view weekly circular deals for the closest Dick’s location and provide real-time feedback regarding their in-store shopping experience and mobile app experience.

“When a customer visits a store and a particular item isn’t available, shoppers can use the Dick’s mobile app in-store to order the item and receive free shipping.”

Ramping up holiday sales
Dick’s Sporting Goods will likely be able to increase holiday sales, especially if consumers come in to make purchases with their ScoreCard rewards. If they receive a $10 discount, it could prompt them to take a look at the retailer’s inventory and pick out an item they had previously not had their eye on.

Meanwhile, a slew of sporting gear marketers have been taking to mobile to promote customized products and streamlined checkouts ahead of the busy winter shopping period.

Wilson Sporting Goods recently updated its mobile-optimized commerce site, making football gear customizable and underscoring the need for personalization options to attract smartphone shoppers (see story). Additionally, Major League Baseball continued its efforts to provide fans with fully immersive digital experiences through a new app named MLB Fans that acts as a social haven where users can connect with related content.

Engaging in mobile commerce is an optimal move for these brands, especially as so many consumers turn to their smartphones to browse or shop on-the-go.

This past March, Dick’s Sporting Goods saw its ecommerce sales grow to nearly 15 percent of total sales in 2014’s fourth quarter as a result of the retailer’s decision to equip its sales associates with mobile devices for easy ordering in any aisle, enable geo-fencing capabilities for sending weekly ads and launch a stronger in-app loyalty platform (see story).

“We recognized early on that online and mobile shopping would forever change retail and the customer experience, so we made a concerted effort to provide a seamless customer experience across all channels,” Mr. Masood said. “With busy shoppers on-the-go this time of year, we anticipate our mobile app will be used to purchase gifts whenever and wherever is most convenient for them.

“The ‘Move’ feature provides additional incentive and savings for active customers who will shop our stores this holiday season.”

Final Take
Alex Samuely, staff writer on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York