Flash sales retailer Rue La La is capitalizing on the rising demand for complementary television viewing experiences on mobile by enabling fans of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars to purchase similar looks during the show’s live broadcast.

Rue La La is introducing several shoppable boutiques on its digital platforms – which include mobile and desktop sites as well as a mobile application – to coincide with Dancing with the Stars airings. Fans of the show will be able to purchase items such as flirty dresses and leather pants while cheering on their celebrity favorites, showcasing a potentially lucrative opportunity for mobile retailers to tap into new audiences.

“At Rue, we always ensure that the boutiques we create are shoppable not only via desktop, but on mobile as well,” said Trisha Spillane, public relations and brand communications director at Rue La La. “From a shopping experience and creative perspective, we work hard to give our members the best experience possible across all platforms.”

Waltzing into new areas
Rue La La is expanding its offerings by foraying into the world of additive, second-screen viewing experiences. The brand’s commerce-first focus will likely help bring digital sales even higher among Dancing with the Stars fans who want to purchase outfits similar to those seen on the television program.

Rue La La’s shoppable boutiques will offer merchandise such as flirty cocktail dresses, heels, evening clutches, formal shirts and leather pants. Outfit options will be available for men and women.

The first boutique went live yesterday, kicking off the season premiere of the new Dancing with the Stars season. The next three boutiques will be accessible during the program’s broadcast on March 28, April 4 and April 11.

The shoppable looks will also coincide with that night’s theme.

Yesterday’s first Dancing with the Stars boutique featured classic clothing

The partnership is a smart move for Rue La La, which has been bolstering its mobile offerings to better accommodate the large volume of smartphone-enabled traffic it receives.

“We see 70 percent of our traffic, and the majority of our sales, coming from mobile and our members are frequenting the Rue app while on-the-go throughout their day,” Ms. Spillane said. “While they are tuning into the premiere, members have the ability to access the boutique and see all the showstopping looks inspired by the glitz and glam of the show.

“Therefore, it’s imperative that we give our members the best user experience across all devices. We use member feedback constantly and this drives every initiative we embark on.”

A Rue La La executive at eTail West 2016 affirmed that the flash sales retailer prefers giving its app users access to exclusive features, such as the ability to shop limited-time sale items before they are available on desktop, to boost loyalty and mobile sales (see story).

The contest component
The brand is also driving membership sign-ups by enabling customers to enter a sweepstakes, which offers a grand prize of two tickets to the live Dancing with the Stars season finale, as well as $2500 for transportation fees.

The sweepstakes will be open from March 21 to March 30.

Additionally, Rue La La will showcase exclusive content on its new, mobile-optimized fashion feed.

The company paired content with commerce for its latest platform, entitled Rue Now, which brings lifestyle and fashion-related news to its site and application visitors, highlighting a desire to cater to on-the-go millennials (see story).

Rue La La is poised to experience a surge in interest from new customers as a result of this collaboration. Dancing with the Stars fans who may not have heard of the retailer before could easily be inspired to download its app, participate in the sweepstakes and browse shoppable outfits during commercial breaks.

“We certainly hope it will spark interest and introduce Rue La La to potential new members,” Ms. Spillane said. “In addition, the alignment with the hit show gives our existing members a bit of theater and a little something different.

“It allows them to engage with exciting content such as an upcoming interview with the head costume designers of Dancing with the Stars and even a chance to win a prize package presented by Rue La La that includes 2 tickets to the live finale and $2500 to help them get there. Over the next several weeks, we have exciting content that we truly feel our members will love.”