Levi’s is using technology to help store associates keep key information in their back pocket.
The company announced last week it had launched a new app for in-store associates, which it calls BackPocket. The company expects the app will help improve customer experiences, streamline inventory information for associates and foster loyalty among consumers.
The app, with a consumer’s permission, can sync with any Red Tab loyalty account to help associates get “a 360-degree view of the shopper across all channels,” in turn helping them to recommend products and size information.
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For instance, a stylist may be able to see that a consumer recently purchased a pair of pale blue Levi’s 501s and recommend a T-shirt to go along with the jeans.
Nicole Veach, global omnichannel product manager and lead on BackPocket app, said that capability will drive better service and outcomes for customers that have already shopped with the brand.
“The company is focused on becoming a best-in-class omnichannel retailer, and shoppers want a consistent, channel-agnostic experience. It’s up to us to deliver that. BackPocket is one example of how we’re bridging the gap between online and in-store,” Veach told Rivet. “When a shopper walks into a store, this app ensures our fans don’t have to ‘start over’ on their shopping journey and allows our stylists to deliver a personalized interaction.”
Though many of the functionalities at BackPocket seem to be targeted at aiding repeat customers, Veach said it also helps enrich and expedite the in-store experience for first-time customers. That’s because of the piece of the app that offers employees a hyper-specific view into local and digital inventory across the brand’s full catalog.
That can give consumers faster, real-time information about products they may be interested in purchasing and give stylists an additional way to connect with new consumers. Veach said that stylists can also onboard new customers onto the Red Tab loyalty program via BackPocket to make future store visits more personalized and streamlined.
“These app capabilities empower the stylist to create a truly seamless and authentic experience for the consumer, which in turn becomes a key consumer benefit. It’s an experience they can’t get ‘just anywhere,’ and we know that’s a large part of what drives loyalty acquisition,” Veach said.
The company built the technology itself, rather than partnering with a third party, which enables it to change and expand features at its leisure—whether because the team receives additional feedback from in-store associates, because it wants to unlock new capabilities or otherwise.
“The BackPocket app was built in-house, and that was intentional. We wanted a solution that caters to the unique needs of the Levi’s stylist and our fans. Keeping the solution’s design in-house gives us full ability for customization, ensuring it’s designed not just for stylists, but by stylists,” Veach told Rivet.
As the company built BackPocket, Veach said the team started testing with a small group of stores in the U.S., tweaking the app to meet feedback points from in-store stylists. Since then, the team behind the app scaled it up, and the app is now deployed in 14 countries, including the U.S., Canada and various locations around Europe. Levi’s noted it plans to expand BackPocket into Mexico later this year and that it will assess other markets going forward.
In terms of additional features, Veach and her team continue to iterate; Levi’s expects to roll out a way to facilitate digital returns and exchanges in BackPocket, as well as to add further fit and size tools to help stylists see the bigger picture when interacting with consumers.
