Under Armour has launched its UA Shop mobile app as part of its Connected Fitness health and fitness network. The custom shopping app integrates data from the brand’s 170 million+ existing users to create a personalized experience based on athlete inspiration, workout history and previous purchase history.
UA Shop will connect consumers to gear through in-app recommendations. For example, a consumer living in a warm climate who has logged several runs through the MapMyRun app might be exposed to UA CoolSwitch apparel and running footwear. A customer in the Northeast who prefers hiking, in contrast, might get a recommendation for baselayer and outerwear.
The app launch is the next step for the retailer in becoming a true “Math House,” said Jason LaRose, SVP of Revenue at Under Armour in a statement, further emphasizing its reliance on customer data going forward in making decisions for the company.
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With such an emphasis on using data to power its health and fitness apps, Under Armour hopes to gain a big leg up on competitors that aren’t as attentive to performance tracking.
The app launch outran Nike’s anticipated Nike+ app, which is also scheduled to launch in June, to the finish line. Nike, Under Armour’s chief competitor in the performance footwear and apparel sector, first announced its app launch back in March.
Riding The Mobile Wave To Reach The Customer Directly
With lifestyle and shopping mobile app usage growing more than 80% in 2015, the decision to create a new app dedicated primarily to shopping may be a savvy move going ahead, especially as the retailer continues to build out new digital strategies. The app also puts more of Under Armour’s product sales in its own hands by establishing another direct-to-consumer sales channel.
“This app was created to maximize our digital platform and complement our existing in-store experiences by bringing consumers a way to find the products they want, when they want it,” LaRose said. “We are now able to provide custom experiences across our various categories specific to our diverse customer base.”
UA Shop will enable users of the other apps in the Connected Fitness Suite — UA Record, MapMyRun and MapMyFitness — to sync their existing account information into a single Under Armour Account. UA Shop also includes one-touch purchasing with Apple Pay, expanded product content and customer reviews, and apparel tag scanners for enhanced in-store experiences. UA Shop is available for download now exclusively on the App Store and will be available on the Google Play store at a later date.
