Besides being one of the internet’s dominating e-commerce sites, Net-A-Porter has mastered the all important bridge between shopping in a store and shopping online: the App. The self-proclaimed first luxury brand to use an app has come along way since it’s first iPhone app debuted in 2009. Besides having all the requisite must-haves for a strong online presence like a blog, a Facebook page, a tumblr, a twitter account, a Pinterest account, and a Youtube channel, Net-A-Porter uses their in-house, specially created apps to set the brand apart from other luxury e-retailers and keep themselves at their consumer’s fingertips!
The Net-A-Porter Magazine App for iPad
A very vaguely concealed catalogue, this app for the iPad brings the Net-A-Porter Magazine to the user and lets them shop the glossy digital pages where, essentially, everything is for sale. Get inspired, look for deals or make a splurge; it’s all possible with this app that lets consumers buy directly from the its pages since there is no redirecting you to another site to make your purchase. From the comfort of your own iPad you can view exclusive video content and editorials, and create wish lists to send to all your loved ones. The incredibly high definition and rich images make mostly everything in the magazine completely covetable!
The Net-A-Porter App for iPhone and Android
Labelled as the “Essential Style App”, this app features the high-res images Net-A-Porter is known for and is specially designed to make shopping on your mobile a breeze. Instead of being redirected to the online site, shoppers can peruse Net-A-Porters digital racks and shop with the tap of a finger. They can also check out exclusive video content, daily fashion news and add to the wishlist they’ve already created using the iPad app.
The Window Shop
Although Net-A-Porter has no actual brick and mortar retail destinations, for last year’s Fashion’s Night Out, they created the closest thing to a street level store they’ve ever had. In partnership with Vogue, they used vinyl graphics displayed on windows in New York City and London to showcase a special selection of merchandise for the evening. Fans were then asked to download an app created for the evening. Using cutting-edge image-recognition technology, shoppers could hold up their iPhone, iPad or Android phone to the windows and see runway shots of the merchandise and be given the option to make a purchase, all without the need to scan a tag or barcode. Even more exciting was the chance for those participating to win what they aimed their phone or iPad at! Not to mention that Net-A-Porter had their own courier service hand deliver all prizes and purchases the next day.
Net-A-Porter Karl
For the premier of the exclusive to Net-A-Porter collection designed by the mastermind behind Chanel, Net-A-Porter rehashed their Window Shop idea and essentially debuted the much anticipated collection without any clothes. Once again, fans were invited to hold up them iPhones, iPads and Androids for their chance to shop the collection before it hit online and win some fantastic prizes. But rather than rest in the success of the Window Shop concept, the app itself was used as a way to garner interest and create a buzz before the collection dropped. Once the app was downloaded, users not only got a sneak peek at the collection and some exclusive interview content with the man himself, they were also treated to some fun and games the Karl Lagerfeld way. Users could play the Find Karl game by tilting their device to move a marble through a maze while looking out for the five Karl heads; finding all five in the fastest time by all the app users meant a $1,000 gift card to spend at Net-A-Porter. Or they could “Karlify” themselves by adding a white wig, sunglasses and Lagerfeld’s iconic collar to a snapped photo of themselves and have the images entered for Mr. Lagerfeld to pick his favorite. Each aspect of the app was effectively used to keep the user connected to the collection and build up excitement.
All images and video via Net-A-Porter
