Burberry Delves Into Chat-Based Commerce

LONDON — Burberry is looking to augment its customer relationships beyond the physical store appointments by introducing a new Chat function within its mobile app. The service, dubbed R Message, is by invitation-only and will be made available to the brand’s top-tier customers, allowing store associates to chat directly to their clients to book in-store private appointments, field product requests, as well as make sales on the platform with a seamless payment system created in partnership with Apple Pay. This is an extension of an existing service between top-tier customers and sales associates across the luxury market, who often use messaging platforms like WhatsApp, WeChat and Korea’s KakaoTalk to service client requests. For Mark Morris, Burberry’s vice president of digital commerce, the launch of R Message can elevate this type of communication in a more personalized, luxurious way. “We can offer that luxury concierge experience with this tool. It has all the basic functionality of WhatsApp, but you’re layering on extra elements that are specific to a luxury relationship. You’re also doing it in an environment where you own the relationship and it’s also secure in a way that it isn’t within a generalist chat platform,” said Morris in an interview, adding that the brand

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Read More...

from WWDWWD https://ift.tt/2jTQvGM