Can Urban get its cool back?

If you haven’t heard the term “omnichannel retailing”, then you’re missing out. Urban Outfitters is attempting to really integrate its marketing efforts in this way. The brand has been struggling a tad, and now the retailer is trying to get its cool back through mobile marketing.

Urban is putting beacons in 15 stores in Philly, Boston, New York, Atlanta, New Jersey, and Delaware. What are beacons you ask? They are small devices placed around the stores that ping messages to shoppers who have the app on their mobile phones. Swirl, the platform that powers the beacons, says that 2/3 of customers shop in-store with a smartphone so hopefully this will work well. 

Urban won’t be pinging shoppers with offers, but instead will focus on Urban’s loyalty program. The loyalty program is a section in the app that gives customers rewards and access to events. To start, Urban has identified 3 areas to focus on: 1) the entrance, 2) the fitting rooms, and 3) the checkout line. 

When shoppers first come in to the store, they receive a push notification that encourages shoppers to check-in on social media so they can unlock a special offer. Once they are trying clothes on in the fitting room, shoppers are prompted to take selfies and post them on Insta with Urban's popular hashtag #UOonYou and the selfie might even get put on Urban’s website. At payment time, shoppers get another push notification to show the loyalty card on their phone to earn a digital badge.

My concerns are:

1) Will shoppers download the app?

2) Will those who have downloaded the app actually use it?

3) Will the pinging get annoying?

Either way, pretty cool idea!