info on the elements(multimedia)

Marketing design elements ofmobile fashion retail apps

Victoria Magrath and Helen McCormickDepartment of Textiles and Paper, School of Materials,

The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

Abstract

Purpose Whilst some may argue that e-commerce design literature can be applied to the designingof mobile commerce channels, it is an assumption that may come at the expense of the retailer. Thepurpose of this paper is to identify which marketing design elements could be integrated within aretailers mobile strategy and suggest the importance of empirical testing. An academic or practitionermust primarily understand the abundance of marketing tools that can be integrated into a mobilestrategy before they can begin to investigate the consumer effects.Design/methodology/approach A literature review of online and mobile design elements isundertaken, in order to develop and illustrate a holistic framework of stimuli for commercial andacademic appreciation. Although literature regarding the variety of marketing design elements onlineis profuse, a holistic framework currently does not exist, an absence that this paper fulfils.Findings The paper collates and identifies 18 individual marketing design stimuli classified withinfour stimulus categories relating to their purpose and form.Originality/value Literature concerning e-commerce design and strategy is currently prevalent;however, due to the immaturity of mobile commerce, literature is deficient concerning the strategicdesign and implications of mobile applications. Although 68.2 billion was spent online in 2011,mobile commerce sales represented less than 5 per cent, highlighting an immediate requirement forresearch into how such sales could be improved.

Keywords Mobile communications, Mobile commerce, Mobile design, Mobile applications, Fashion,Marketing, Visual elements, Stimulus-organism-response, Visual design, Online marketing,Consumer behaviour

Paper type Conceptual paper

1. IntroductionThere are now twice as many mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide than fixedbroadband (ITU World Telecommunication, 2011). That in theory suggests thattwice as many people can potentially access the mobile internet, than utilise theirhome computer to access the World Wide Web. With such a rise in mobile internetacceptance, growing 45 per cent over the last four years (ITU WorldTelecommunication, 2011), retailers are in a position to choose from a variety ofsuccessful retail channels to access and market directly to their consumers.

Of all of the retail marketing outlets, the internet is the most accessible and global.Within the 70 per cent of the global population that have access to the internet, 90 percent are choosing to purchase (Mintel, 2010b). The internet allows consumers topurchase frequently, at any time and unobserved (Kukar-Kinney et al., 2009),characteristics that have enabled the online market to grow by 150 per cent since 2005(Mintel, 2010a). However, it is the expanding growth of the mobile internet that is ofgreatest current concern, with global smartphone sales growth figures of 74 per cent inthe second quarter of 2011 (Gartner, Inc., 2011), and mobile internet users now reaching1.2 billion (ITU World Telecommunication, 2011). It is therefore vital that retailmarketers manage and design a mobile marketing strategy that can successfully takeadvantage of the rapid expansion of the ubiquitous selling channel.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available atwww.emeraldinsight.com/1361-2026.htm

Received 18 May 2012Revised 11 September 2012

Accepted 25 November 2012

Journal of Fashion Marketing andManagement

Vol. 17 No. 1, 2013pp. 115-134

r Emerald Group Publishing Limited1361-2026

DOI 10.1108/13612021311305173

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Marketingdesign elements

However, although many academics have explored the online environment in termsof the effects of marketing, stimuli, design, information, and consumer motivationsand emotions (e.g. Kim et al., 2011; Park and Lennon, 2009), none have yet publishedresearch concerning the effects of mobile application (app) marketing design. It isnecessary for practitioners and academics alike to understand how mobile and onlineconsumers may differ, in order to select and research the most appropriate marketingtools for either channel. Agreeably, Bauer et al. (2005) suggest that the implicationsof mobile commerce (m-commerce) have yet to be comprehended and research intom-commerce is essential as to gain an insight into how to utilise the technology mostsuccessfully. Due to the differences in mobile and laptop screen sizes, internetspeed issues or even location usage, it cannot be assumed that the mobileconsumer will encompass the same motivations, expectations and behaviours asthe online consumer.

This article identifies the marketing design elements or stimuli within the mobileapp environment, offering a holistic framework that can be utilised by practitionersand academics for empirical research or consultation. Literature is gathered primarilyfrom an online perspective for two reasons. First, m-commerce design literature is inits infancy and will therefore not provide enough information to develop a thoroughframework of design elements. Second, a retailers online environment and designelements can be transferred to a mobile format, therefore making the majority ofmarketing design elements exploitable for mobile usage. Yet, which design elementsshould be utilised for mobile and for what reason? In order to answer such an issue, itis paramount to recognise each of the marketing design elements before empiricaltesting can commence (Eroglu et al., 2001). Alike to Ha et al. (2007) whom developed ataxonomy of online visual merchandising display methods for testing, this articledevelops a framework of online/mobile marketing design tools whose effects can bestudied empirically.

2. Relevant literature2.1 Online marketingBusinesses implement online marketing strategies to achieve their marketingobjectives (Chiang, 2012). Generic online marketing strategies could include searchmarketing, display advertising, e-mail marketing and affiliate marketing (TheEconomist Intelligence Unit, 2006). Additionally, it could also include marketing effortswithin web sites such as visual merchandising (Ha and Lennon, 2010), sales promotion(Chiang, 2012) and social media (Mangold and Faulds, 2009).

This article focuses solely on the marketing and visual design of a fashion retailersmobile app (often seen as synonymous with that of online visual merchandising) merchandise presentation, site design and graphics (Ha and Lennon, 2010). The onlineretailer is able to visually portray their brand, personality and identity via these visualdesign stimuli. By doing so, they are able to impact upon the consumers emotionalresponse, behavioural reaction and hedonic experience (Kim and Lennon, 2010).

Literature concerning online visual merchandising stimuli and their effects isbecoming highly saturated. Academics have tested the effects of visual design stimulionline such as the brand name (Shukla, 2009; Ruparelia et al., 2010), layout (Harris andGoode, 2010), personalisation (Da Silva and Alwi, 2008), product information (Ha andLennon, 2010) and product imagery (Ha and Lennon, 2010) as examples. However,m-commerce literature of the same theme is scarce and a comprehensive view of onlineretail design stimuli in a singular research article is also lacking.

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When the brick and mortar retailer began to move online, it was found that theycould not merely transfer their traditional marketing methods, merchandisingtechniques and service to create a parallel online environment (Rafiq and Fulford,2005). Offering a service improvement, extending their product ranges, providingbetter value and increasing promotional activities (Rafiq and Fulford, 2005) were allundertaken in a bid to target a new consumer market. In the same way therefore,it cannot be assumed that the online retailer can merely transfer its environment to amobile format without first evaluating how and why. What services should they beproviding? How should they appear? How can services be improved? What type ofservice does the mobile consumer require and for what purpose? These hypotheticalexamples demonstrate only a handful of queries a mobile developer might enquire.

2.2 M-commerce and the mobile appM-commerce allows consumers to browse and purchase via mobile devices (Yeh and Li,2009). E-commerce takes place on a device that provides access to the internet, mostcommonly a personal computer (Yang, 2012); the consumer is able to purchase via aretailers electronic store. M-commerce alternatively takes places on a mobile device,allowing users access to the internet and information, equivalent to the experienceof a laptop computer (Aldas-Manzano et al., 2009). When mobile technologies improvedto provide mobile phones with broadband capabilities, the vision to take the internetwith you for any time or place became a reality.

The mobile app, otherwise known as the native app, offers a convenient, user-friendly way to browse and purchase from a brand (Grotnes, 2009) and can be accessedvia smartphones and tablet computers. It is one of three mobile channel options for aretailer, alongside the mobile web site (Wong, 2012) (the online web site viewed on themobile browser), and the web app (Goldman, 2010). The web app is the retailers website, accessed via the mobile browser which will have been formatted for mobile usage(Goldman, 2010). Native and web apps can provide one click navigation and anenjoyable shopping experience in comparison to several clicks and textual entry via theunoptimised mobile web site (Wisniewski, 2011; Lu and Su, 2009).

The native app (Wong, 2012) is downloaded from the mobile application store by theuser, offering a condensed and mobile-optimised retail store, which depending on theretailer may be transactional or non-transactional. The application store is a databaseof available apps that allows the user to discover, download and install new apps ontotheir device (Wong, 2012). In March of 2012, there were 500,000 apps available for theiPhone alone, with downloads far outreaching 25 billion ( Jacobs, 2012).

For some retailers, sales via mobile devices have seen a 320 per cent year-on-yearincrease (IMRG, 2011a). With 4.2 million consumers visiting retail mobile web sites andnearly a third of mobile shoppers engaging with retailers via their app (IMRG, 2011b),the growth of m-commerce acceptance is becoming very apparent. Recent figures haveshown that 11 per cent of mobile users have used an app to buy clothing andaccessories (PayPal, 2011). In the last quarter of 2011, UK mobile sales reached 5 percent of online sales, rising from 0.4 per cent two years previous (Whiteaker, 2012).

3. Products and services m-marketing design frameworkThe online environment offers retailers a perfect opportunity to utilise interactiveand personalised marketing tools (Cyr et al., 2008). Businesses utilise marketingprocesses to create and maintain value, expectations and relationships with consumersvia their products and services, in a way that benefits their organisation

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(Boone and Kurtz, 2011). Yet, what product and services marketing processes orelements are available to the organisation to influence their mobile consumer andwhich should be used for mobile?

The visual design and layout of a web site often consists solely of visual imageryand textual content (Cyr and Trevor-Smith, 2004); visual and written information(Mikhailitchenko et al., 2009). In fact, our brains are wired to process visuals, text andaudio: what we see, read or hear simultaneously (Cisco, 2008). Due to this, marketersare able to utilise visuals and text concurrently to design a more persuasive marketingmessage. However, if used individually, it is the purpose of the imagery or text that isof importance to its marketing objective.

Through the acknowledgement of online literature regarding product andservices marketing elements, it became apparent that four areas were of particularsignificance: multimedia product viewing, informative content, product promotionsand consumer-led interactions.

3.1 Multimedia product viewingProduct viewing has been classified as an e-marketing design tool within the work ofMcCormick and Livett (2012). Kim and Lennon (2010, p. 414) similarly refer to thedisplaying of apparel products online as product view presentation methods.It relates to the consumers ability to view the product offerings of the retailersonline store via multimedia features. These can include photography and graphics,multimedia videos or the utilisation of image interactivity functions such aszoom, rotation and catwalk videos on individual product pages (Kim et al., 2007;McCormick and Livett, 2012).

3.2 Product promotionSales promotion is listed as one of the six primary communication elements within thepromotional mix (Chaffey and Smith, 2008). It centres upon the promotion of productsand reduction of product prices in order to encourage purchase intentions and boostsales (Tong et al., 2012). The promotion acts as a persuasive incentive to purchase theproduct (Park and Lennon, 2009), therefore leading to the amendment of salespromotion to product promotion, for the context of fashion retail literature. However,whereas multimedia product viewing is principally visual, product promotions oftenconsist of both visual and textual information in order to create a more persuasiveand powerful message.

3.3 Consumer-led interactionsIn addition to visual elements that either display or promote the products, the retailercan furthermore offer influential visual aids that allow the consumer to interact withthe app. Functional symbol keys and drop down menus, for example, are employed toaid the consumers experience and service, allowing the user to lead their own retailerinteractions. Intuitive personalisation features, either visual or textual such as productrecommendations (Lee et al., 2011; Ranganathan and Ganapathy, 2002) are also guidedby the users interactions with the app and its products. The aids do not necessarilydisplay or promote the products, but allow user control over the app and a personalisedexperience. Due to this, such visual elements are classified within the category ofconsumer-led interactions.

Consumer-led interactions, are defined as the consumers personal interaction withthe web site/mobile apps design stimuli and the retailer (Yoon et al., 2008). If the

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consumer has personal control over how they access the information or content and/orbenefit from an interactive experience with the retailer and the site, then they areengaging in interactivity and consumer-controlled interactions (Lee et al., 2011). Byincorporating interactivity, customer satisfaction is increased (Dholakia and Zhao,2009) and it is suggested that the retailer is able to begin building and enhancing theindividual buyer-seller relationship (Feinberg and Kadam, 2002).

3.4 Informative contentA fourth category takes a textual form. Informative content consists of readable text,written for the purpose of informing the user. The Collins English Dictionary (2009)agreeably states this as the purpose of information. It may simultaneously utilisevisuals to enhance the message, but its primary purpose is to inform the user about theproducts (McCormick and Livett, 2012), services (Huizingh, 2000) or other relevantinformation relating to that fashion brand. Whereas multimedia product viewingcomprises of visual cues, informative content is predominantly textual, yet may alsoinclude some visual aids in conjunction.

Content has been extensively explained by Grandon and Ranganathan (2001) asinformation and services offered on a web site. A profusion of other academics havestated web site content variables including product information (Kim and Lennon,2010b), services information (Huizingh, 2000), company information, frequently askedquestions (Lohse and Spiller, 1999) and fashion information (McCormick and Livett,2012) all of which are informative and textual in nature (Cyr and Trevor-Smith, 2004).Therefore the category title was designed to reflect this.

Table I demonstrates the connection between each marketing category includingtheir purpose, differences and previous online effects.

3.5. Framework developmentThe four areas of products and services m-marketing design each contain individualmarketing elements relating to the category, illustrated within the researchframework (Figure 1) and described in the body of the literature. The frameworkhas been compiled regarding design elements apparent in online and mobileliterature and from a general exploration of online and mobile retailer channels. Itshould be noted that although there is an abundance of marketing design elements,not all will be appropriate for mobile and have therefore been excluded to form aholistic framework entirely applicable to m-marketing. The descriptions of eachdesign element are presented for category justification, academic appreciation andanecdotal evidence of their current usage. The academics are referenced regardingtheir discussion of the particular stimuli in their own work, to provide support to theframework development.

4. Multimedia product viewingMultimedia creates an interactive and sensory experience, transferring information tothe consumer and providing satisfaction, enjoyment, information and entertainment(Gulliver and Ghinea, 2010). It can additionally improve the discovery process, informor persuade consumers and encourage higher levels of web site involvement (Simmons,2007). Three key multimedia elements have been identified: videos, graphics and imageinteractivity technology (IIT).

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4.1 VideoVideo is an interactive web site feature important for the enhancement of the usersshopping experience (Kim and Lennon, 2010). Videos produced for the purpose ofselling and marketing the products shown (Scott, 2010) have been classified as amultimedia product viewing element by previous retail academics (Kim and Forsythe,2007; Rowley, 1996).

Stimuluscategory

Principleform Purpose

Examples from literature: intentions andeffects

Multimediaproduct viewing

Visual Product display (Kimand Lennon, 2010a;Kim et al., 2007)

Confidence (McCormick and Livett, 2012)Repatronage (Fiore and Jin, 2003)Perceived information (Kim and Lennon,2010a)Purchase intentions (McCormick and Livett,2012; Kim and Lennon, 2010b; Kim andLennon, 2010a; Fiore and Jin, 2003)

Informativecontent

Textual Product/service/fashioninformation (Grandonand Ranganathan, 2001;McCormick and Livett,2012)

Decrease perceived risk (Park and Stoel, 2002)Intention to re-visit (Kim and Lennon, 2010b)Purchase intent (McCormick and Livett, 2012;Kim and Lennon, 2010b; Park and Stoel, 2002)Purchase decisions (Szymanski and Hise,2000)Inspiration and entertainment (McCormickand Livett, 2012)

Productpromotions

Visual/textual

Sales promotion (Parkand Lennon, 2009)

Purchase intentions (Park and Lennon, 2009)Impulse purchases (Dawson and Kim, 2010)Consumer retention (Chaffey et al., 2009)

Consumer-ledinteractions

Visual/textual

Consumer-retailerinteraction (Yoon et al.,2008; Evans et al., 2001)

Customer satisfaction (Dholakia andZhao, 2009)Reduction of uncertainty(Weathers et al., 2007)Relationship building(Feinberg and Kadam, 2002)

Table I.Products and servicesm-marketing designcategories

Product andservices m-

marketing design

Multimediaproduct viewing(Cyr and Trevor-

Smith, 2004)

Informative content(Ranganathan andGanapathy, 2002)

Product promotions(Tong et al.,

2012; Solomonet al., 2008)

Video(Cyr and

Trevor-Smith,2004; McCormickand Livett, 2012)

Graphics(Cyr and Trevor

-Smith 2004) Product imagery(ha and lennon,

2010) Promotional

imagery (Ha et al.,2007)

Image interactivitytechnology

(Kim et al.,2007;McCormick

and Livett,2012) Virtual reality

(Lu and Smith, 2007;Fiore and Jin, 2003)

Practical productinformation

(Rowley, 2009;McCormick and

Livett, 2012)

Practical servicesinformation

(Lohse and Spiller,1999;

Rowley, 2009)

Trend information(Rowley, 2009;

McCormickand Livett, 2012)

Style advice(Rowley,

2009; McCormickand Livett, 2012)

Vouchers(Baker, 2003)

Incentives(Kim and

Kim, 2004)

Rewards(Chaffey and Smith,

2008)Discounts

(Park and Lennon,2009)

Competitions(Baker, 2003)

Social media(Ho and Dempsey,

2010; Rowley,2009)

Social media(Rowley, 2009;McCormick and

Livett, 2012)

Consumer-ledinteractions

(Lee et al.,2011; Yoon et al.,2008)

Augmented reality(Lu and

Smith, 2007)

Personalisation(Vesanen, 2007;Kim et al.,2011)

Customisation(Venkatesh et al.,2003;

Wirtz et al.,2010) Merchandisecategorisation(Haet al.,2007)

Figure 1.Product and servicesm-marketing designframework

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Video content is expected to contain, and can also take the form of fashion weekshows (Siddiqui et al., 2003) or entertaining product videos created for productpromotion purposes. Catwalk videos are also classified as a multimedia productviewing element (McCormick and Livett, 2012) as they enhance visualisation (Kimet al., 2011) and product viewing in a video format.

Video media can also now be integrated into mobile services to provide enhancedenjoyment (Lu and Su, 2009). Catwalk and merchandising videos are already beingincorporated into fashion apps (e.g. Very and Warehouse[1]), allowing a thoroughvisualisation of how the garment will look (McCormick and Livett, 2012). Yet, timeand software limitations and the diverse motivations of the mobile consumer maydiscourage the user from viewing such material.

4.2 GraphicsGraphics: pictures, logos or images, can be used for marketing purposes or inconjunction with the retailers branding strategy, as pictures are often a visualrepresentation of the brands values (Rowley, 2004). For example, imagery may bedesigned to illustrate the products for purchase only (product imagery) (Ha et al., 2007)or alternatively to promote the displayed products whilst incorporating and buildingthe brand image (promotional imagery) (Ha et al., 2007).

Product imagery (Ha et al., 2007, p. 479) refers to the images of individual productsfor the purpose of product viewing and purchasing. The imagery offers accurateproduct information to the consumer concerning the appearance of the garment and istherefore of high task relevancy (Ha and Lennon, 2010).

In a mobile context, product images are laid out as small thumbnails due to sizelimitations. Academics have commented on the positive effects of using larger imagesfor product viewing as they enhance the physical product inspection (Kim et al., 2006;Kim and Lennon, 2008; Santos, 2003). Retailers are therefore taking full advantageof smartphone screens sizes, allowing the user to view full screen products when theimage is tapped (e.g. Oasis, Zara see footnote 1).

Promotional imagery differs from product imagery due to its advertising purpose(Ha and Lennon, 2010) yet it is still necessary for product display. The images are alsoa sales promotion tool, often shot in a particular setting and designed to buildconsumer interest and purchase intent (Solomon et al., 2008).

Promotional imagery is often placed within Campaign or Lookbook sectionsof mobile apps (e.g. Zara see footnote 1), utilised to demonstrate the newestcampaign imagery to consumers in order to inspire purchase intentions andenjoyment (Fiore, 2002).

4.3 IITInteractivity is an essential e-marketing design element (Yoo et al., 2010) that enablesboth a hedonic and utilitarian user experience via its provision of entertainment(Kim and Forsythe, 2010) whilst simultaneously saving time (Fiore et al., 2005) andeffort (Broekhuizen and Huizingh, 2009) for the user.

IIT is examined by Kim et al. (2007) as the term to describe the use of productviewing functions such as zoom, 3D virtual models and close-up pictures to enhancethe consumers online shopping experience. Studies have found that web sites of higherinteractivity can lead to increased desires to browse, enhanced attitudes, purchase,repatronage and entertainment (Li et al., 2001; Kim and Forsythe, 2008; Shim andLee, 2011). Virtual reality has additionally been found as an area of IIT (Fiore and Jin,

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2003), a feature that enables the user to try on products and coordinate items on 3Dvirtual models (Ha et al., 2007). The virtual technology enables an improvement ofproduct presentation and encourages consumer acquisition (Shim and Lee, 2011).

Mobile apps that incorporate interactivity design elements may enhance theexperience for the user and lead to satisfaction, directly leading to mobile consumertrust and purchase intentions (Yeh and Li, 2009). The majority of transactional fashionapps have utilised partial IIT, such as an automatic 3601 view (e.g. River Island seefootnote 1), multiple views (e.g. Oasis see footnote 1), enlargement/zoom options(e.g. Mulberry see footnote 1) and 3D virtual models (e.g. Mango see footnote 1).It would be expected that an app that incorporated full IIT functionality, would lead totrust and purchase intentions (Yeh and Li, 2009), therefore highlighting its importanceto mobile shopping.

5. Informative contentInformative content regards any copy found on the app, written for the purpose ofinforming the user. Five design elements have been identified from the literature, allof which are utilised online for the purpose of informing the consumer regardingproducts and services: practical product information, practical services information,trend information, style advice and social media content.

5.1 Practical product informationThe practical information or verbal content (Ha and Lennon, 2010, p. 144) generatedalongside a product informs the consumer about the specific item; essential for theirthorough product understanding (Rowley, 2009). Product-related information includingcolour, price, care instructions, sizing availability, texture and fabric (Kim and Lennon,2010), provides the consumer with an elevated perception of trust and satisfactionwith the site (Simmons et al., 2010). The information is therefore lucrative forproduct purchases.

It is even more essential that within a mobile context the product information isenough to reduce the customers perception of purchasing risk (Kim and Forsythe,2010). However, some retailers have yet to provide more than just a price and colour(e.g. Zara see footnote 1), and may therefore suffer as a consequence.

5.2 Practical services informationAny textual information utilised to inform consumers of practical informationconcerning retail services, are categorised within practical services information.Rowley (2009, p. 358) refers to this category and the usage of careers and storelocation information on certain web sites as company and financial information;regarded by Lohse and Spiller (1999) as a form of service. Other services informationcould include FAQs, contact information, delivery costs, returns information andcompany policies.

Practical services information is often condensed within apps and categorised toinclude the most appropriate and contextual information such as returns, delivery andcare guides (e.g. All Saints; Debenhams see footnote 1). However, some retailers haveadded their entire services information in pdf format (e.g. French Connection seefootnote 1). Higher quality information on online retail stores has been found to affectthe consumers heightened sense of satisfaction (Ha and Lennon, 2010) and empiricaltesting might acknowledge which method is the most appropriate for delivering bothquality and satisfaction.

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5.3 Trend informationTrend information is now an expected trait of fashion retailer web sites (Siddiqui et al.,2003). Retailers create an ideal fashion image in the mind of their consumers throughimagery and suggestive textual information to encourage and persuade consumersto continue buying into the newest seasons collections (Dawson and Kim, 2010).They inform the consumer of the latest fashion trends whilst promoting theirinterpretation and collection of trend-inspired products. It can evoke pleasure andinspiration (McCormick and Livett, 2012) and add value to the consumers experience(Siddiqui et al., 2003).

Mobile retailers offer textual trend information to their users via their integratedblog content (e.g. Oasis, French Connection see footnote 1), and visual information viatheir promotional Lookbook imagery of the newest seasons apparel (e.g. Zara seefootnote 1). The requirements of the mobile consumer may however be different tothe online consumer, and perhaps such information is not as essential for the consumeron the move.

5.4 Style adviceStyle advice differs from trend information, going beyond informing intoassistance and recommendations for consumers (Ranganathan and Ganapathy,2002), helping them to find new product information and encouraging their purchasingdecisions (Hsiao et al., 2010). The consumer is advised on how they can wear and stylethe latest fashion trends, producing a variety of hedonic experiences (McCormickand Livett, 2012) and creating a successful shopping experience (Jayawardhenaand Wright, 2009).

Style advice is often added as textual information within mobile app blogs. Yet someretailers are incorporating innovative features into their apps such as Wear withideas (River Island see footnote 1) and What should I wear occasion inspiration(Mango see footnote 1). Is the mobile consumer looking for advice, however, or havethey arrived at the app already knowing what they will buy?

5.5 Social mediaSocial media content within retailer web sites refers to information that has beencreated by the retailer or its affiliates for the purpose of hedonic entertainment (Shin,2010), added value (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010) and promotion (Mangold and Faulds,2009). The content (textual and visual) is spread via social media platforms and socialareas integrated within the app or web site, delivering short pieces of information tothe user. Although some aspects will encourage great consumer interaction online,its usage within mobile is currently more for the purpose of event, promotion andlatest news information.

With the popularity of social networking, brands have strategised tocommunicate with consumers directly over networks such as Facebook and Twitter(e.g. Topshop, ASOS see footnote 1). Due to such, many apps choose to spreadadditional social news via app newsletters and blogs (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010),offering information and playfulness to the user (Keng and Ting, 2009). The H&M (seefootnote 1) app has incorporated a social media wall, updated with their networkingstatus updates. Oasis (see footnote 1) uses a newsletter feature that can be viewedwithin their app, and Topshop (see footnote 1) utilises an Inbox area where the usercan scroll through small e-mail posts to read the latest news. Yet the mobile consumersmotivation to read such information is currently unknown.

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6. Product promotionsSales promotion has been singled out due to its relevance to e/m-store design andmerchandising. Agreeably, sales promotion has been listed as one of four criticalelements of mobile marketing by Megadadi and Nusair (2011). Six product promotiontechniques have been identified as appropriate for mobile apps: vouchers, incentives,rewards, discounts, competitions and social media promotion.

6.1 Vouchers (coupons)Coupons are the most popular form of sales promotion (Solomon et al., 2008) asconsumers using promotional codes gain an increased positive perception of productvalue (Park and Lennon, 2009). Price promotions are an important tactical tool toincrease purchase intentions (Park and Lennon, 2009), yet it is not yet known whethervoucher promotions will increase the intentions of the mobile consumer.

The H&M (see footnote 1) app has incorporated an interactive method of voucherretrieval, allowing the user to collect vouchers that encourage consumers to not only topatronise online, but in-store (Fiore and Jin, 2003). Debenhams have incorporated a voucherredemption section within their purchasing page, creating a consistent purchasingexperience to their web site (Muller, 2008) and brand image congruity (Hu et al., 2012).

6.2 IncentivesIncentives are initiated as an encouragement tactic, to persuade the consumer to buydue to a convincing motivation. Incentives can include promotions such as Buy oneget one free (Dawson and Kim, 2010) and shipping discounts (Dawson and Kim, 2010)which may be loyalty based (Meyer-Waarden, 2008). The consumer is incentivised topurchase beyond gaining a coupon discount.

Mobile apps can utilise the promotional effects of incentives to persuade consumersto start shopping mobile, similar to how online vouchers initially persuadedconsumers to begin online purchasing. By offering users the latest incentives viapromotional pages within the app (e.g. River Island see footnote 1), the mobileconsumer has more reasons to purchase via the new technology. Incentives are alsoarguably an acquisition technique (Chaffey et al., 2009), yet could incentives within amobile app lead to consumer acquisition also?

6.3 RewardsRewards refer to retailer loyalty rewards (Meyer-Waarden, 2008); the sharing ofdiscount codes, price promotions and gifts to those consumers who purchase often(Park and Lennon, 2009). The rewards are circulated via e-mail or mobile marketing,where the consumer has chosen to join a retailers mailing list due to their fondness ofthe brand (Singh et al., 2008). This type of sales promotion acts as a consumer retentiontechnique (Chaffey et al., 2009) and thanks the consumer for their continued loyalty(Meyer-Waarden, 2008).

App rewards could include offering mobile-only voucher codes (e.g. H&M seefootnote 1) or mobile exclusives (e.g. French Connection see footnote 1) to app users.The fact that the user has downloaded the app voluntarily confirms a certain amountof loyalty (Singh et al., 2008), and apps that offer these users an initial reward may gainincreased loyalty or profits (McMullan and Gilmore, 2008).

6.4 DiscountsOnline discounts have been described as offering a percentage off the original price(Lowe, 2010) without the need of a voucher. Retailers place items into a sale, reducing

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their price by a specific amount in order to promote their sale as such, e.g. 50 per centoff (Lowe, 2010) and to increase impulse purchases (Dawson and Kim, 2010).Alternative types of sales can include clearance, seasonal and limited time only sales,all with the aim of increasing purchases and profit (Dawson and Kim, 2010).

In a mobile and online setting, the most notorious forms of discounts are salesevents. Discount pages can be accessed via home screen banners (e.g. River Island seefootnote 1), via blog posts (e.g. H&M see footnote 1) and via app newsletters(e.g. Oasis see footnote 1), to create increased sale awareness. Discounts are atactical way to boost retail sales, yet the mobile consumers desire for sale products isnot yet known.

6.5 CompetitionsConsumers enter competitions to win brand prizes. As their contact details are theentry requirement, competitions are an immediate and persuasive method of obtainingpersonal consumer details for later direct marketing (Chaffey et al., 2009). They createpublicity for the retailer whilst additionally exciting consumer interest (Solomon et al.,2008) and building brand-consumer relationships (Rowley, 2009).

At the current time, competitions within fashion apps are scarce. On the launchof the Mulberry (see footnote 1) app, the retailer included a competition to win aMulberry iPad case to those who had downloaded the app. These types of competitionsreward the consumers loyalty to the brand (McMullan and Gilmore, 2008) and mightencourage further app usage.

6.6 Social media promotionConsumers are able to share information regarding products and promotions with theirvirtual community (Jayawardhena and Wright, 2009) initiating self-enhancement forthe consumer (Ho and Dempsey, 2010). They are offered an option to voluntarily deliver(Singh et al., 2008) and recommend products to friends via a list of social networks(Rowley, 2009), i.e. Facebook, Twitter (Pitta, 2011), as an encouraging tool to spreadpositive word of mouth (Ho and Dempsey, 2010).

Fashion apps have incorporated the same ability to share, like or e-mail products toparticular networks (e.g. H&M, River Island, French Connection see footnote 1), butwhether this tool is adopted or even liked, is yet to be tested.

7. Consumer-led interactionsThe internet enables direct marketer-direct consumer interactions (Evans et al.,2001). Buyer-seller interactions and relationships comprise of faster and morerelevant exchanges of information (Varadarajan and Yadav, 2002), greater usercontrol (Dholakia and Zhao, 2009) and can additionally create experiences thatutilise virtual and digital imagery (Klein, 2003). Therefore, the design category ofconsumer-led interactions is suggested in this literature to surround three elements:personalisation (relevancy), customisation (user control) and augmented reality(product experiences).

7.1 PersonalisationPersonalisation has been found as an attribute of web site design, affecting consumersatisfaction, loyalty (Kalyanaramanm and Sundar, 2006), increased patronageintentions (Srinivasan et al., 2002), perceived value (Chang and Wang, 2011) andbrand relationships (Nguyen and Mutum, 2012).

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The retailer provides influential and personalised recommendations to theconsumer regarding personal information they have entered. This form ofpersonalised marketing allows the retailer to tailor their interactions for eachindividual consumer (Vesanen, 2007), offering them a targeted solution for their needs(Nguyen and Mutum, 2012).

The ASOS (see footnote 1) app personalises what products to promotionally offerand recommend to the consumer based on their usage of the app. It is imagined in thefuture that apps will be able to know where the user shops and what they buy, toprovide them with information and advice of relevance (Goldman, 2010). This maythen increase the patronage intentions and satisfaction of the mobile consumer.

7.2 CustomisationCustomisation enables the consumer to tailor their settings (Lee and Benbasat, 2003)and modify the format and design of the online environment. Allowing consumers thisopportunity reduces their uncertainty (Weathers et al., 2007) and increases enjoyment.

Customisation features within apps such as altering the number of garmentson a page, have been found to provide higher levels of consumer satisfaction and trust(Yeh and Li, 2009). Merchandise categorisation is another important customisationfeature that affects the browsing convenience and efficiency for the consumer(Mild and Reutterer, 2003). The user is given the option to refine the merchandise byfiltering out those that do not meet their preferences (Manganari et al., 2011). Manyapps have integrated refine tools such as these to aid the users product search.However, whether the consumer perceives convenience and ease of use from the servicewould be an interesting insight.

7.3 Augmented realityAugmented reality involves overlaying digital data over a live camera feed so thatdigital imagery appears within the physical world (Lu and Smith, 2007), as seen withinthe computer-mediated environment (Li et al., 2001). Whereas virtual reality replacesthe real-world scenes, augmented reality becomes a part of the real environment(Lu and Smith, 2007). It enables the enhancement of product viewing (Shim and Lee,2011) yet is primarily led by consumer interaction with the technology.

eBay (see footnote 1) incorporated augmented reality into their fashion mobile appas a tool to try on products such as sunglasses. The products were digitally placedover the cameras output so users could see themselves wearing the sunglasses on themobile screen. Although the app was trying to recreate a real-ife experience, theconsumers perception of such a feature would be interesting to discover.

8. Research implications and future researchIn the same way that Rowley (2004) published her perception of the elements ofbranding design, this paper pieces together a variety of marketing literature to delivera holistic framework of mobile marketing design elements. Eroglu et al. (2001)additionally stated the importance of taxonomy development as the first step of theorybuilding and analysis. With such a framework, academics and practitioners will beequipped to conduct mobile-related studies regarding individual design elements.

Product viewing, informative content, product promotions and consumer-ledinteractions are assigned as four framework categories that contain a number of designelements apparent in the mobile and online retail environments. Academics may utilisethe framework to empirically test the elements as stimuli in either a qualitative or

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quantitative format. A variety of online retailing papers have utilised the S-O-Rparadigm (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974) to examine the consumers emotional andbehavioural reactions towards online environmental cues. Such a framework could beutilised for mobile studies due to the technological similarities of mobile and onlineservices and the robustness of the theoretical paradigm.

Researchers may choose to empirically test one, some or all elements as stimuli oran entire stimulus category to examine the consumers behavioural and emotionalreactions. Analysis might identify the consumer effects of each stimuli, connectionsbetween them or in fact connections between categories, whereby one categorymight produce the same or alternative outcomes as another. By conducting open andexploratory research, insights would be gathered as to whether certain stimuli lead torelationships, repatronage intentions or intent to repatronise the brands brick andmortar stores as examples. Research may also imply the importance or unimportanceof particular stimuli, leading retailers to implement, enhance or dismiss thestimuli from their app. A fashion retailer that employs a mobile app for transactionalpurposes may hope to benefit from increased purchase intentions and trust,whereas an app built as a Lookbook may hope to benefit from browsing intentionsand brand satisfaction. Empirical research would equip the retailer with information asto which stimuli could provoke such responses, leading to the designing of powerfuland influential mobile channels.

Additionally, although the framework has been developed and aided by literature,other academics may justify why they believe particular stimuli should reside inother categories, or indeed that further categories could be added depending on theacademics individual approach. Such implementations would be welcomed andinteresting to examine.

Whether the mobile consumer is in fact different to that of the online consumer willcome to light via empirical data and suggest that any prior assumptions of online andmobile consumer likeness are correct or are in fact false.

9. ConclusionThis article identifies the product and services m-marketing design elements thatretailers and marketers can utilise in order to promote and sell their products viamobile. The research framework contributes to both academic and managerialresearch in the mobile and online field and creates vast opportunities for furtherempirical research into the effects of the individual design stimuli. Mobile apps couldsoon become a retailers most important sales channels, justifying the requirement forimmediate analysis of the consumers perceptions.

Practitioners and academics are invited to utilise the holistic framework to formtheir own studies regarding m-commerce design. Empirical academic knowledge of theconsumers behavioural and emotional responses towards mobile app design wouldfacilitate designers with vital design information. Such knowledge would advise andguide fashion retailers as to which design elements might increase and encourageparticular consumer emotions and behaviours, especially those that will benefit theirbusiness (Boone and Kurtz, 2011).

Note

1. Warehouse, Oasis, Zara, River Island, Mango, H&M and Topshop are high-street retailersselling trend-led fashion items at low to medium price points. All Saints and French

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Connection are premium high-street stores selling trend-led garments at a higher price point(www.warehouse.co.uk; www.oasis-stores.com; www.zara.com; www.riverisland.com; www.mango.com; www.hm.com/gb/; www.topshop.com; www.allsaints.com; www.frenchconnection.com). ASOS is a pure-play fashion retailer selling fashionable ASOS brandedproducts as well as designer and high-street brands. Very is a pure-play department storeand catalogue retailer selling fashion products from an assortment of brands. Debenhams isa department store similar to Very but maintains a physical high-street and online presencefor a more mature target market (www.asos.com; www.very.co.uk; www.debenhams.com).Mulberry is an English luxury brand famous for its leather goods (www.mulberry.com).eBay is an online auction site, allowing consumers to buy and sell their own new or usedproducts to others (www.ebay.co.uk).

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Further reading

Aaker, D.A. (1991), Managing Brand Equity: Capitalizing on the Value of a Brand Name, FreePress, New York, NY.

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Peppers, D. and Rogers, M. (1997), Enterprise One-to-One: Tools for Competing in the InteractiveAge, Doubleday, New York, NY.

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About the authors

Victoria Magrath is a PhD researcher at the University of Manchester, specialising in the designof the mobile commerce and online retail environments. Her research focus is the marketing andbranding design implications of UK-branded fashion retailer apps for the smartphone or tabletcomputer. She intends to discover how the design of a retailers mobile strategy might affect theirconsumers and how they may utilise the most successful design elements to deliver beneficialoutcomes such as brand equity and purchase intentions. Victoria Magrath is the correspondingauthor and can be contacted at: [email protected]

Helen McCormick is a Lecturer in Fashion E-tailing at the University of Manchester. Herresearch specialism is the fashion online shopping environment, with a particular focus oninteractive E-marketing used by Fashion Online Retailers. Her interest is in exploring fashionretails development, with particular interest in technology development, interactivity,entertainment and experience. Her current research is investigating fashion retailers use offashion apps on smartphones and tablets.

To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: [email protected] visit our web site for further details: www.emeraldinsight.com/reprints

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