In response to the increasing trend of mobile shoppers turning away from apps due to poor customer experiences, Airship has announced new platform enhancements aimed at improving app user engagement. The mobile app experience company unveiled these features at the Shoptalk Europe conference, which promise greater personalisation and the ability to gather zero-party data without user disruption.
Airship's new capabilities include Embedded Content, Feature Flags, and a Cross-Platform Wallet Notifications API, each designed to offer marketers more flexible ways to interact with their audiences.
Embedded Content allows companies to seamlessly integrate dynamic, personalised elements throughout their apps. Non-technical teams can leverage customisable content blocks to tailor the user experience, collect feedback, and incentivise high-value actions, all without ongoing developer support. This feature aims to move away from interruptive marketing methods such as pop-ups and prompts, which have significantly driven users to ignore marketing efforts. Notably, recent studies indicate that email open rates and social media engagement have declined by over 30% in the past two years despite increased marketing email volume.
Feature Flags allow marketers to control rollouts of new app features and no-code native experiences, like Scenes and Embedded Content. They allow for phased implementation, enabling companies to refine new features and optimise outcomes before a full-scale launch. This controlled approach helps mitigate risks associated with customer experience while ensuring operational workflows remain unaffected. Additionally, Airship facilitates feedback collection by automatically creating a segment for customers included in the Feature Flag audience.
The newly introduced Wallet Notifications API marks a first in the industry, allowing brands to send messages to mobile wallet pass holders across iOS and Android platforms. This feature makes it easier for companies to keep customers informed about loyalty rewards, coupons, tickets, and more through dynamically updated and personalised wallet passes. Since Apple Wallet and Google Wallet are pre-installed on all smartphones, this solution offers brands unparalleled reach without the need for users to download additional apps or visit specific websites.
Arianne Parisi, EVP Global Chief Digital Officer at JD Sports, expressed confidence in Airship's innovations, stating, "Airship's recent advancements in mobile wallet notifications and no-code app experiences empower our team to deliver elevated customer experiences and enriched personalisation over time." JD Sports, a global sports-fashion retailer, has been leveraging these features to maintain consistent and engaging interactions with its customers across various channels.
The mobile wallet platform is increasingly recognised as a valuable tool for marketers, as it extends their reach beyond their own apps. Julie Ask, a noted expert in mobile app experiences, highlighted its utility, stating, "The mobile wallet offers phenomenal utility to consumers and gives marketers another way to engage their customers." Users frequently store credit cards and identity documents, boarding passes, coupons, and tickets in their mobile wallets, making it a versatile platform for customer engagement.
According to Brett Caine, CEO of Airship, the company's focus remains on enabling marketers to meet customer experience expectations without disruption. "We’re giving marketers the power and control they need to shed developer reliance," he noted. "Now marketers can go beyond messaging and interruptive approaches to seamlessly and precisely engage customers in their moments of attention."
