Fashion retailer French Connection enters m-commerce market

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - 09:44 by Sarah Collinson

A new app from fashion outlet French Connection has represented the firm's first foray into the world of m-commerce, allowing customers to buy products from their mobile phones in a dedicated software platform.

The app is currently available only for the Apple iPhone, but given the large userbase of affluent consumers which this encompasses, this is hardly going to be an issue in the early days.

The French Connection m-commerce app may be the first which allows consumers to enjoy safe shopping online but it is a very comprehensive piece of kit, letting people browse the entire catalogue of clothing and accessories offered by the retailer and buy whichever option takes their fancy.

French Connection is taking advantage of the power of social networking, allowing Facebook and Twitter users to update their mates and followers about their latest purchases via the application. They can even start a discussion about different items before they buy, so that their friends give their own opinions and a fashion disaster can be nipped in the bud before it occurs.

French Connection spokesperson, Jennifer Roebuck, said that m-commerce was just one aspect of the company's new multi-platform approach to digital retail, which is certainly true when you look at its innovative track record.

In February this year, French Connection took a big step and launched an e-commerce site on Facebook, making it one of the first retailers in the UK to make this move.

Facebook users can buy goods from within Mark Zuckerberg's social network without having to visit a third party site, ensuring safe shopping online.

French Connection has also been able to harness the power of YouTube, creating its YouTique interactive video series and associated store last year and showing that by using tools of social media, there is a lot more business to be done.