The online retailer is making a big push to expand its presence and be more accessible to shoppers through its first-time mobile app and the addition of bricks-and-mortar store locations. A feature on the app titled Swipe to Hype will allow shoppers to scroll through various looks, purchase items of interest and pass on unwanted products.

“Great retail apps are often either very engaging, like Instagram and Pinterest, or they are super convenient, like Uber and Citymapper,” said Oyvind Henriksen, CEO and founder of Poq Commerce. “Missguided has built a retail app on our platform that combines both of these attributes, it is extremely convenient with Apple Pay for payments and deeply engaging by adding a Tinder-like browsing experience.”

A swipe right strategy
Since the growth of the Tinder dating app, consumers have grown accustomed to the swipe left or right browsing experience and retailers are adopting it for their own. The experience works well with retail as it promotes a streamlined browsing experience for customers shopping on smaller mobile devices, where pages filled with multiple products can be overwhelming.

Missguided’s new app is the latest to focus on the Tinder experience with the new feature. The Swipe to Hype page is available to users interested in the experience, but also provides a traditional shopping experience as well to appeal to all users.

As the retailer’s main demographic is millennial women, the feature is a smart idea in appealing to them. The experience also showcases products in a more intimate way in which users must engage with the product.

Users must interact with each product by swiping right or left to be able to continue scrolling. This means that the user is less likely to overlook a product of interest, and is more likely to make a purchase.

The app also allows users to create a wishlist, saving items of interest for future purchase or for a gift from friends and family. Shoppers can also create a user profile, allowing Missguided to gain insights on its customers and share more meaningful content.

Apparel apps
Another new iOS-based app, The WantList, also mimics the visual interface of dating apps by asking shopping enthusiasts to make a match by swiping left or right on selected clothing items (see more).

Similarly, apparel and accessories retailer Rainbow Shops developed a mobile application to grab a piece of growing mobile commerce sales as users become more comfortable with purchasing on smaller screens (see more).

“We expect the app to gain a lot of active users, who will come back regularly to check out the latest Missguided style suggestions,” Mr. Henriksen said. “And since you can easily buy with just your fingerprint, the app will be a huge revenue driver.”