According to ModCloth, 29 percent of traffic and 18 percent of revenue comes from mobile, showing how consumers are both researching and buying via their handsets. Consumers can download the new app for free from Apple’s App Store in 100 countries.

“Ultimately, we view mobile as just another touch point for our customer,” said Fontaine Foxworth, associate product manager at ModCloth, San Francisco.

“Because of that, we built an experience to make the transition between platforms as smooth as possible,” she said.

“If a girl is browsing New Arrivals on the bus, then she might “Love” something or add it to her cart, she can then come back later on her iPad or laptop when she wants to check-out.”

Shop on mobile
The ModCloth iPhone app is designed with features that focus on pushing deep shopping engagements towards users.

For example, users can “Love” – or favorite – items quickly from the app to access later.

Additionally, products can be added to wish lists and shared via social media.

The check-out process has been streamlined to put speed at the forefront of the app.

The app is merchandised to reflect the same promotions that are available on the retailer’s Web site.

Products are filtered into categories such as new arrivals and top-rated.

Search filters inside broader categories – such as dresses or tops – are also set up to sort products by price, size and designer.

Consumers can also browse through product reviews and information on how specific products fit.

Mobile past
Earlier this year, Modcloth rolled out an iPad app with features including push notifications and high-resolution photos to let consumers shop from their handsets (see story).

Since then, Modcloth has gathered some interesting finds about its iPad users.

Modcloth claims that the iPad app has been downloaded by 60,000 users. Additionally, these users are spending twice as much on their orders than desktop users.

Additionally, mobile conversions and engagement are stronger on the company’s mobile app than on its Web properties. Modcloth app users “Love” items eight times more on the app than the company’s Web site.

IPad app users return to the app twice as much as they access the mobile site.

The company also notices a spike in mobile traffic around 9 p.m., likely when consumers have more time to spend with their tablets.

Given the quick adoption of the iPad app, ModCloth predicts that the iPhone app will produce stronger numbers and fill in the company’s social shopping goals.

The company also plans to roll out other features for the app, such as the ability to post product reviews.

“The release of our latest app builds directly from requests from the ModCloth community,” Ms. Foxworth said.

“Listening to our community is an essential component of our business here at ModCloth,” she said.

“ModCloth is now a mobile-first company, so we really think about what the most important features are for a given platform and build them that way.”

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York