**3. Analysis of current m-Commerce apps**

To explore how current m-Commerce apps relate the sectors of the UX Design Paradigm Framework, this section analyses the most prevalent m-Commerce apps on the iOS App store. To provide an insight into the current state of fashion m-Commerce apps and their design ethos, Apple's iOS 11 platform [31] was selected. This is due to its consistent performance as the most profitable m-Commerce platform, being responsible for a 63% share of all m-Commerce revenue [32]. For apps, it is essential to focus on a cross section of brands to uncover the variety of approaches to app design and consumer engagement. Therefore apps were chosen to represent:


The apps which met these criteria are displayed within **Table 1**. It is also important to note that the 22 apps selected bisect each market level from fast fashion to luxury.

Apps were downloaded onto an iPhone X (iOS11 [31]) in December 2017. All apps were extensively used, explored, and tested to uncover features both prominent and discoverable. Thematic analysis of screen shots was conducted with the aid of NVivo 11 [35] to systematically record the brand communication, sales focus, seductive interaction, and passive presentation elements. This was done in line with the guidelines set in **Table 2**. To facilitate open academic discourse, the data freely2 available for use via Mendeley Data [36].

After thematic analysis, cluster analysis (Jaccard Coefficient) was applied to identify how the apps group together based on coding similarity. Once achieved, the visual output of the cluster was applied to the Dimensions of Consumer Interaction (see Section 2), as visualised within **Figure 2**.

> I am sure upon reading the above paragraph that an obvious question arises; why should fashion retailers change their approach to apps when globally fashion m-Commerce experiences increasingly healthy profits of \$225 billion [13]? The answer returns to the words of Arthur C. Clarke [1] that we can only see the future as far as our societal limits allow. So exploring such potential new paradigms, such conditions of both seductive and passive forms of brand communication in apps needs to be explored further. It is the hope of this chapter that in doing so, new concepts of app design and consumer engagement may be drawn in the minds of designers.

*Passive presentation* Non-interactive presentation of images and text to achieve the aims of the app. [37, 38]

**Framework element Category Reference**

[17]

[18]

[28]

*Brand communication* Application of mixed media that supports brand engagement and loyalty over

*Sales focus* Application of mixed media that supports the consumer in finding a specific

*Seductive interaction* Multisensory engagement of the senses to elicit emotional experiences for the

the purchase of specific products.

**Category App names**

*Most popular iPhone Shopping Apps (December 2017)* 1. Amazon 6. Shpock

*Most popular fashion brands* [33] 11. Nike 14. Under Armour

*Global power of luxury goods by sales* [34] 17. Louis Vuitton 20. Gucci

**Table 1.** Selected iPhone apps for this exploratory study (filtered for iPhone app store presence).

2. Wish 7. Gumtree 3. eBay 8. JD Sports 4. Groupon 9. ASOS 5. Joom 10. Depop

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75749

45

Reimagining m-Commerce App Design: The Development of Seductive Marketing through UX

12. ADIDAS 15. H&M 13. American Eagle 16. Gap

18. Cartier 21. Omega

19. Estee Lauder 22. Chow Tai Fook

user.

**Table 2.** Categories of the UX design paradigm framework.

product or items to meet their needs.

In order to explore concept designs for under-exploited sectors of the UX Design Paradigm Framework, design briefs for both seductive and passive brand communication apps are pre-

**4. New concepts in m-Commerce app design**

sented alongside an exploration of how the concepts may be designed.

As **Figure 2** shows, most the apps within this study focus on direct sales rather than brand communication. In short, the app is a replacement for the physical store rather than being a form of advert. At first this may seem obvious. After all, why would a retail company looking to increase profits not seek to sell their products on the interactive device in everyone's pocket? However, in 2016 UK high street retailer Marks & Spencer spent £19 million on advertising alone [39]. Bear in mind that an app costs around £50,000 to create and the scope of the advertising budget is clear. What's more, apps are already encroaching on this territory. Even a cursory study of Facebook (the world's most popular social network and mobile app) reveals a platform dedicated to delivering seductive advertising. Furthermore, while fashion magazines are seen by many to be a source of entertainment, almost all of the content are adverts for products, or articles focused on native advertising. To conclude, society is already paying to engage with advertisements, although they may not consider their engagement as such.

Reimagining m-Commerce App Design: The Development of Seductive Marketing through UX http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75749 45


**Table 1.** Selected iPhone apps for this exploratory study (filtered for iPhone app store presence).


**Table 2.** Categories of the UX design paradigm framework.

**3. Analysis of current m-Commerce apps**

**3.** The most profitable luxury fashion retailers [34].

academic discourse, the data freely2

dividuals [33]

44 Marketing

within **Figure 2**.

2 CC BY 4.0

To explore how current m-Commerce apps relate the sectors of the UX Design Paradigm Framework, this section analyses the most prevalent m-Commerce apps on the iOS App store. To provide an insight into the current state of fashion m-Commerce apps and their design ethos, Apple's iOS 11 platform [31] was selected. This is due to its consistent performance as the most profitable m-Commerce platform, being responsible for a 63% share of all m-Commerce revenue [32]. For apps, it is essential to focus on a cross section of brands to uncover the variety of approaches to app design and consumer engagement. Therefore apps were chosen to represent:

**2.** The most commonly recognised fashion retail brands according to a survey of 15,000 in-

The apps which met these criteria are displayed within **Table 1**. It is also important to note

Apps were downloaded onto an iPhone X (iOS11 [31]) in December 2017. All apps were extensively used, explored, and tested to uncover features both prominent and discoverable. Thematic analysis of screen shots was conducted with the aid of NVivo 11 [35] to systematically record the brand communication, sales focus, seductive interaction, and passive presentation elements. This was done in line with the guidelines set in **Table 2**. To facilitate open

After thematic analysis, cluster analysis (Jaccard Coefficient) was applied to identify how the apps group together based on coding similarity. Once achieved, the visual output of the cluster was applied to the Dimensions of Consumer Interaction (see Section 2), as visualised

As **Figure 2** shows, most the apps within this study focus on direct sales rather than brand communication. In short, the app is a replacement for the physical store rather than being a form of advert. At first this may seem obvious. After all, why would a retail company looking to increase profits not seek to sell their products on the interactive device in everyone's pocket? However, in 2016 UK high street retailer Marks & Spencer spent £19 million on advertising alone [39]. Bear in mind that an app costs around £50,000 to create and the scope of the advertising budget is clear. What's more, apps are already encroaching on this territory. Even a cursory study of Facebook (the world's most popular social network and mobile app) reveals a platform dedicated to delivering seductive advertising. Furthermore, while fashion magazines are seen by many to be a source of entertainment, almost all of the content are adverts for products, or articles focused on native advertising. To conclude, society is already paying to engage with advertisements, although they may not consider their engagement as such.

available for use via Mendeley Data [36].

**1.** The most popular retail apps on the Apple App Store (December 2017)

that the 22 apps selected bisect each market level from fast fashion to luxury.

I am sure upon reading the above paragraph that an obvious question arises; why should fashion retailers change their approach to apps when globally fashion m-Commerce experiences increasingly healthy profits of \$225 billion [13]? The answer returns to the words of Arthur C. Clarke [1] that we can only see the future as far as our societal limits allow. So exploring such potential new paradigms, such conditions of both seductive and passive forms of brand communication in apps needs to be explored further. It is the hope of this chapter that in doing so, new concepts of app design and consumer engagement may be drawn in the minds of designers.
