Salmon have developed iPhone and Android apps for Halfords, extending their current mobile and multi-channel proposition.  The apps allow customers to shop, scan products and find their nearest store.

Mobile phone shoppers will receive a better online experience with the ability to research, locate and purchase products via the apps. The apps combine both web and app capabilities, providing Halfords with a cost effective solution and customers with a better online experience.

Jon Asbury, Halfords Channel Development Manager said: “We aim to give customers an even better online shopping experience through cutting edge technology. The apps are a natural progression from our successful mobile site. Customers will find the apps versatile, functional and easy to navigate.”

The apps use Halfords’ existing mobile site and are a key addition to their overall multi-channel proposition.  The “Shop” feature that is automatically launched when customers scan a code is an embedded view of the existing mobile store front within a separate tab.  Each app is optimised to take advantage of native features of iPhone and Android technologies.

Sue Pratt, Account Director at Salmon said.  “There are a number of advantages to Halfords’ combining web and app capabilities.  The fact that the shopping part of the app comes from the current mobile site means that the Halfords business team can easily add new features without having to roll out new versions of each app.  This means that customers don’t have to keep downloading new versions of the apps time and time again.  The Halfords business team can also change promotional content easily and use IBM WebSphere Commerce features such as precision marketing, that wouldn’t easily be available in a native app.”

Sue continued, “Halfords are a great example of how retailers should strive to have a “customer interaction platform” in place that will support their business now and in the future.  Halfords are now benefitting from being able to reuse user generated content like “Ratings and Reviews” on the mobile optimised site within the app and at the same time take advantage of smartphone technology like location awareness and cameras to support a great cross-channel customer experience.”

Customers can download the apps free of charge from iTunes, Marketplace or Halfords.com.

More information here.