Redcats USA’s sporting goods brand The Sportsman’s Guide is providing mobile access to its catalogs via newly launched commerce-enabled iPhone and iPad applications and a mobile Web site.

These tools, which are powered by Digby, give The Sportsman’s Guide customers access to nearly 27,000 items and more than 137,000 SKUs. Customers can “window shop” for that must-have item, review product star ratings and comments, and buy directly from their mobile device.

“Our goal is to support our existing customer base of outdoor enthusiasts who are on the go as well as providing exposure for the tech-savvy shopper to experience The Sportsman’s Guide,” said Jay Berlin, CEO of The Sportsman’s Guide, South St. Paul, MN. “The rapid growth of smartphones combined with mobile industry trends indicates that mobile commerce is rapidly becoming a convenient and preferred shopping choice for anyone with a mobile device.”

Redcats USA, a PPR company, is a multichannel, Web-driven home-shopping retailer specializing in merchandise categories such as men’s and women’s plus-size apparel, home and lifestyle products, and sporting goods/outdoor gear. Brands in its portfolio include Avenue, Woman Within, Jessica London, Roaman’s, KingSize and BrylaneHome.

The company sells these brands on OneStopPlus.com, The Sportsman’s Guide and The Golf Warehouse.

Mobile commerce targeting sportsmen
The new applications are available for users to download for free from Apple’s App Store.

The applications provide complete access to The Sportsman’s Guide’s four most current catalogs featuring its monthly main catalog, hunting catalog, shooters’ catalog and the military surplus catalog.

Catalog browsing with flip-through pages also offers consumers the ability to click-through to the Web site and buy products or shop the entire site, enabling a single checkout.

The payment options are the same as those available through the Sportsman’s Guide’s Web site.

As new catalogs become available, the applications’ technology will update automatically and continue to provide the most up-to-date sporting goods product information and offerings.

The Sportsman’s Guide will be releasing Android and BlackBerry applications in the near future.

The Sportsman’s Guide is also connecting with its customers via social media, with nearly 6.4 million YouTube views, more than 29,000 Facebook friends and an active Twitter page.

Digby featured The Sportsman’s Guide at Shop.org and gave away 10 gift cards.

“We will promote our mobile capabilities to our customers through emails, social media and by providing information on our Web site,” Mr. Berlin said. “We will also test mobile display ads to targeted mobile users to create awareness and drive traffic.

“The Sportsman’s Guide continues to offer their sharp pricing and discounts on all of their product offerings through mobile environments, apps and existing Web environment,” he said.

“Coupons are a component of our marketing approach and can be redeemed in the channel of choice for our customers.”

Final Take
Dan Butcher, associate editor, Mobile Commerce Daily