Dive Brief:
- Outdoor Voices now operates on NewStore's omnichannel OMS platform, bringing its technology to all nine locations across the country, according to a June 13 NewStore blog post.
- On the back end, Outdoor Voices can manage store fulfillment and inventory. Customers can buy their merchandise online and pick up in-store or ship their goods from the store, according to a company statement.
- In stores, Outdoor Voices employees will now be able to process purchases using Apple Pay, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to pay with their device. Store associates will also be able to view customers' shopper profile, including their previous purchases and shopping preferences, per the company's blog post.
Dive Insight:
Outdoor Voices' decision to adopt NewStore's technology comes after the company has opened locations and raised $34 million in funding. As the activewear brand continues to grow, using NewStore's technology appears to be a step toward modernizing its back-end and customer-facing inventory, fulfillment and payment options.
Other retailers such as Decathlon have adopted iPhones and iPads rather than traditional registers. The adoption of iPhones for checkout and displaying customer preferences appears to be an attempt to not only offer seamless digital payments, but also merge the offline and online shopping experiences.
As an athleisure startup centered on a younger demographic, having mobile payment options is a smart move for Outdoor Voices, as many Gen Z and millennial shoppers are turning toward Venmo, Apple Pay and other convenient mobile services to make purchases.
Indeed, Venmo told Retail Dive in February that the number of merchants now accepting the payment service has surpassed two million, as retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch partner with the company and test it out in stores.
