Macy's: Online Shopping & Save

What it does

The Macy's app serves as the mobile storefront for the major US department store. It allows users to browse and purchase a wide range of products, including clothing, shoes, home goods, and beauty items. The app also integrates the 'Star Rewards' loyalty program, enabling users to track points, access exclusive deals, and manage their account.

Where it shines

The app excels at integrating its loyalty program into the core experience. Immediately after a brief onboarding, the user is prompted to join 'Star Rewards' (00:39), framing account creation as a benefit. The user's status is then persistently displayed on the home screen (01:35), constantly reinforcing value. Another strong point is its robust filtering system. When browsing sweaters, the user can layer multiple criteria like discount range, several colors, and specific styles (02:25 - 03:28), making it easy to navigate a massive catalog.

UX highlights

The home screen uses a mix of category buttons and curated promotional cards, balancing direct navigation with discovery (00:33).
On product listing pages, a subtle tooltip appears to explain the 'heart' icon for saving items to a list (02:07), which is helpful for new users.
The 'Favorites' section is well-organized, allowing users to view all saved items or filter them by user-created lists (09:06).
When adding an item to the bag, a confirmation modal appears from the bottom, showing the subtotal without navigating away from the product page (04:02).
Product detail pages feature a 'Complete the look' section (04:24), providing contextual cross-selling opportunities.
In the shopping bag, items are clearly separated by shipping and pickup options, which is crucial for a retailer with physical stores (10:17).

Monetization & growth

This app is a direct-to-consumer sales channel, so its primary monetization is through product sales. There is no subscription or paywall visible in the recording. Growth is driven by the 'Star Rewards' loyalty program, which encourages account creation and repeat purchases. The app also heavily promotes the Macy's Credit Card, offering significant discounts as an incentive to apply (01:46). The chatbot assistant for the credit card application (01:50) is a modern touch to streamline what can be a tedious process.

Who it’s for

The app is for existing Macy's customers and new shoppers who value the convenience of a large department store. It caters to users looking for deals, as evidenced by the prominent 'One Day Sale' and various discount callouts. The integration of the loyalty program and credit card offers suggests a focus on retaining and maximizing the value of frequent shoppers.

Notes & opportunities

The onboarding flow is quick but relies heavily on users tapping 'Next'. An auto-advancing carousel might reduce friction further. The password creation screen (01:12) shows validation rules upfront, but the feedback for a correct password is just a small checkmark, which could be more prominent. Finally, when applying filters, the user has to go back and forth between the filter screen and the results; an 'Apply' button that closes the sheet might be more efficient.