It's been reported that Net-a-Porter is starting to sell luxury goods via WhatsApp.
The e-tailer's personal stylists are now able to chat one-on-one with it's top customers who are referred to by the company as "Extremely Important People". According to CEO Federico Marchetti, some of Net-a-Porter's biggest sales have been made through conversations with customers on WhatsApp, and customers who shop via their mobile also place double the orders than those on desktop.
The WhatsApp strategy has worked well for Net-a-Porter due to the fact that a high volume of their customers are already making purchases on their mobiles, so it makes sense to strike up a direct conversation right there. However, experts have revealed that this isn't a one-size-fits-all approach and brands whose mobile apps aren't widely used should look at other channels. Take for example Coach, who pulled its native app in favour of using iMessage and Everlane who tested but then abandoned Facebook Messenger.
Although many brands think about mobile retail in terms of apps, experts believe that other mobile platforms are likely to become a common language for customers across the globe.
