Article

Mobile Monday: Champs Sports

The app is built around two primary features, a product selector and a product/store locator.

February 27, 2011

Welcome to Mobile Mondays, a weekly column by customer experience expert Mike Wittenstein, focused on mobile apps in retail. Each Monday, you’ll get a customer’s-eye view of smart phones, tablets, and occasionally behind-the-scenes technology.

Last week, we reviewed the Best Buy app. It reminded all of us that good app design always focuses on the customers’ needs.  

Quick Summary
This week, we review the Champs Sports app. It’s built around two cool features: an innovative product selector and a product/store locator.

Review
When you open the app for the first time, you have to wait for the databases to load. This should happen upon installation, when users are accustomed to waiting, not upon first use.


Click on mySTYLE to get connected with different options.  Just shake the phone (shake-to-adjust is an iPhone feature) to see the next ensemble.


When you see an item you like, touch the lock icon to ‘keep’ it. Shake or swipe to continue the process until you’ve got just what you’re looking for.


From anywhere or in the store, athletes can share their ideas on what the team should wear next season by emailing their coaches and boosters.


Back at school, the coach gets an email with pictures and links. Easy!


The store locator is easy to use and does imply (on the app download screen) that the locator will tell you which stores carry the products you want. One click is all it takes to call that store to check. The app doesn’t specify specific color or size availability, but in a later release it should.


To get directions, users must leave the app (a sin) to get to the map app. The good news is that when the app is restarted, it picks up right where it left off—with all choices intact.


The Promotions screen was empty on several attempts. Wake up, Champ!

Selecting Products offers access to branded or licensed products. Two choices is OK because the app doesn’t promise more—so it doesn’t disappoint.


The copy on the individual items is strong and on-brand. The store finder feature is repeated to satisfy those impulse buying feelings users may have.

What’s Good

• Shake-to-match feature
• Email an outfit with photos and links feature

What’s Not So Good

• App loads on first use instead of during installation
• Too many options to leave the app—and not find your way back

What I Would Do

• Add color, size, and availability to the store locator (adds to functionality and feeds valuable data to market research)
• Let team members sign in to specify their sizes prior to placing a team order (saves everyone admin time and increases downloads)
• Keep the store finder feature inside the Champs app
• Use celebrity endorsements available only in the app (creates more excitement and offers a compelling reason to download the app)