Users of the app can access quizzes, step-by-step instructional videos, instant shopping tools and a store locator. Customers are also eligible to earn instant rewards points towards future purchases by using the platform.

“Carol’s Daughter has a strong online community that has supported the brand for many years,” said Lauren Branché, director of marketing at Carol’s Daughter, New York. “We wanted to figure out a way to thank our fans for their loyalty and reward them for their engagement and purchases – the app allows us to do just that and makes finding our products in stores very easy.

“Mobile is huge,” she said. “More than half of our customers are speaking to us on social via their mobile devices and a good percentage of them are making purchases on our mobile site as well.  

“Beauty is sometimes impulse and we worked hard to be available whenever our customer feels moved.”

A rewarding experience
To reward customers for engaging with the app, points can be earned for downloading the app, watching a video or checking into a store.

After reaching 100 points, the app will provide a $10 promo code, good for redemption at any Carol’s Daughter store or online.

The quiz section of the app helps guide customers to customized product selections based on their responses to a series of questions.

Users can also review tips from the brand’s stylists and watch regular videos to learn how to style and care for their hair with insider advice from top authorities.

“The videos we have are fantastic – we have some with beauty vloggers, some with models, some with our Founder Lisa Price, but they are captivating, quick and educational,” Ms. Branché said. “The user can watch the video, click to buy immediately or click to find a nearest location to purchase – all with one application.”

Path to purchase
The app features a geolocation page that will guide customers to the nearest Carol’s Daughter store or to a nearby Sephora, Ulta, Macy’s or Belk location that carries the brand.

Users who visit one of these retail locations will be able to check-in via the app.

Items are available to purchase directly from the app.

The app is available for iPhone, Android phones and BlackBerry.

Carol’s Daughter operates seven retail locations around the country and is available at many beauty and department store locations. The line of natural hair care, bath, body and skin care products use ingredients such as Monoi Oil, Shea and Cocoa Butters to repair and perfect curls as well as soothe skin.

So far, the app has seen good response rates on offers. The company is taking the revenue generated by the app and investing it in digital advertising to drive more downloads.

The merchant worked with Funmobility on the app.

“Brands are very concerned with engagement and with loyalty and so mobile is a great way to engage the customers both on acquisition type engagements and retention type engagement and to build loyalty through coupons and offers,” said Adam Lavine, cofounder/CEO of Funmobility, Pleasanton, CA.

“An app can help across the whole path to purchase as well as brand engagement and loyalty,” he said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York