Peer-to-peer retailer Etsy has redesigned the homepage of its mobile application to better serve its users and drive sales with the introduction of recommendations, picks from Etsy and user history pages.

The mobile space is a very important platform for brands such as Etsy and it is always evolving, meaning brands must constantly develop with these industry changes. This app update serves that purpose, and is providing a more seamless experience for new and old consumers to increase spending for both iOS and Android users.

“We designed and built the new home screen to give shoppers a better and more inspiring experience on Etsy’s mobile apps,” said Bowen Slate-Green, product manager at Etsy, New York. “By providing shoppers with an improved experience, they can better find items and shops that intrigue them.

“This helps sellers thrive,” he said. “Our goal with the new home screen design is to help shoppers browse and explore the marketplace in whatever way they personally enjoy.

“Whether they are new to Etsy or a longtime member, we want help shoppers explore the broad variety of shops and items, browse and discover items and shops that are hand-selected by Etsy editors who know the marketplace best, and understand why items and shops appear in their feeds.”

Over 21.8 million downloads of Etsy’s mobile app have been recorded. This means it has a large mobile reach and it is more than important for Etsy specifically to constantly evolve with changes in technology, trends, the way consumers behave and what they want or need.

Evolving with consumers
The ecommerce retailer is focused more on meeting the needs of its app user with this recent update. The updated homepage is designed for consumers to see a broader selection of items for purchase in an organized fashion.

It gives users of the app a greater understand of why certain items and shops are featured for them.

The three new tabs on the homepage are Recommended, Etsy Picks and Your Activity. The recommended tab features various items and shops based off of the browsing and purchasing history of that individual user.

Personalizing the user experience in this way is very important in mobile, because mobile use in general is extremely personal. The way a consumer operates on his or her phone varies from person to person, as no two smartphone or tablet experiences are the same.

“Today’s always-on, savvy consumers expect a personalized experience at every turn, on every device, at any time,” said Tracy Hansen, chief marketing officer at Tealium. “At the same time, we have entered the age where technology is available to help businesses anticipate the needs of their customers, even before their customers know what they want.

“Innovative, forward-thinking brands like Etsy recognize the imperative to use modern technology to build and maintain a comprehensive, 360-degree digital view of their customers across both web and mobile, and then leverage this data and insights to deliver delightful, relevant, and consistent experiences in real time across devices.”

The recommendations feature is also important because it creates an easier shopping experience for the consumer. It eliminates the process of having to search for products, and provides a list of items that the individual consumer is drawn to on the first page of the app, making it more difficult for him or her to overlook merchandise.

The Etsy Picks tab provides curated lists from experts of types of items that are trending and products that have the possibility to excel the most in that area of merchandise. Keeping track of what is popular in the industry, what its consumers are interested in the most and providing an index of the best artifacts available is something very beneficial to brands such as Etsy.

Consumers will see the best products available and what is most popular at the time immediately upon accessing the app. This means they will be more inclined to spend.

Tools for the trade
Etsy pays attention to its consumer and how he or she behaves while browsing and shopping, meaning it is constantly altering itself to fit these needs. This app update is not the only strides it has been making in the mobile sphere.

Last December, in a reflection of the growth in social commerce, Etsy introduced the option for retailers to sell their products in-stream on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr (see more).

The peer-to-peer Web site is not the only brand operating as such. Other brands are developing new mobile efforts to better serve their consumers.

For instance, The Home Depot supported shoppers’ omnichannel needs with several new interactive tools available across its application and mobile Web site that are designed to simplify finding and buying the right products for the lawn and garden this spring (see more).

“Mobile is a priority for us and the new home screen in the Etsy apps is the latest of our enhanced mobile offerings,” said Mr. Slate-Green. “Going forward, we will continue to develop and roll out new features that improve the overall experience for our mobile-focused community of shoppers and creative entrepreneurs.”