Dive Brief:

• The “Shopping Decisions App” from photo sharing app and scanning developer ThisThat allows customers to tap their friends for advice by sending photos of products they’re thinking of buying.

• The app works through social media, text, email, or app to app. Clothing retailer Downeast promoted it in dressing rooms and at jewelry mirrors, and ThisThat trained store staff in helping customers with the app.

• ThisThat says that 58% of indecisive shoppers who used the app decided in favor of buying a product after getting friends' feedback.

Dive Insight:

Getting a friend’s impression of something you want to buy, especially clothing, is nothing new. Online reviews have become a staple of online shopping, but this app enables shoppers to get that old-fashioned feedback from trusted friends. It’s more fun and probably more helpful, so it’s no wonder that Downeast, in the 10 stores where they tested the app, has found that people using it are more likely to walk out of the dressing room ready to buy the piece they’ve tried on. This is a prime example of mobile’s potential to enhance a shopper’s experience in a way that translates to sales.