Retailer Gilt Sees iPad App Driving Fashion Sales
Executives at Gilt Groupe, the fashion retailer known for its online-only sales of high-end items, had expected to do well with their iPad app, but they were surprised by some of the results after the device was introduced.
On April 4, a day after the device debuted, 2.4 percent of Gilt’s sales came from the iPad, a higher portion than expected, said Gilt founder and chairman Kevin Ryan and Chief Executive Susan Lyne in an interview. The company also said that although women comprise its core constituency, iPad users seem to be mostly men. Within the first 10 days, sales of men’s products drove 63 percent of iPad-generated revenue, the company said.
The free “Gilt for iPad” app, one of five that were highlighted in Apple’s (AAPL) app store, has high-resolution images of products with “pinch and zoom” technology, quick navigation, and an easy shopping cart drag-and-drop feature.
