Nike: Shoes, Apparel, Stories

What it does

The Nike app serves as a central hub for the brand's ecosystem. It's an e-commerce platform for purchasing shoes and apparel, a content portal for stories and films featuring athletes, and a community space for members to connect and attend exclusive events. The app aims to provide a personalized experience tailored to each user's specific sport and style interests.

Where it shines

The app excels at blending content with commerce to create a cohesive brand experience. For example, after signing up and personalizing their interests (01:43), the user is greeted with a feed that includes not just products but also editorial content like a short film about Michael Jordan (09:39). This keeps users engaged beyond simple shopping. The product detail pages are another highlight, featuring interactive 360-degree views (03:07) and an innovative "Complete The Look" module (08:03) that allows users to shop an entire curated outfit.

UX highlights

The sign-up process is thorough, using a multi-step form that verifies the user via an email code (00:34).
The onboarding quiz (01:33) effectively gathers personalization data on product usage, interests, and even shoe size to streamline future browsing.
Product pages offer rich media, including high-quality images and 360-degree interactive views (03:10), giving users a comprehensive look at the item.
The in-app chat support (04:06) seamlessly connects users with a bot for initial triage before handing off to a human expert.
The shopping cart provides clear functionality for adjusting item quantity (12:32) and removing items (13:05), along with transparently showing applied promotions.
Social features, such as the ability to comment on content (10:27) and block other users (10:59), add a layer of community and user control.

Monetization & growth

This version of the app does not feature a subscription paywall. Monetization is driven directly through e-commerce sales. The app focuses on increasing average order value and purchase frequency through several tactics. Member-exclusive rewards, such as a 15% off coupon (17:17), incentivize purchases. Features like "Complete The Look" (08:03) and "You Might Also Like" (04:59) are strategically placed to encourage cross-selling. The app also promotes real-world Nike events (16:01), which can drive both brand loyalty and in-store traffic.

Who it’s for

The app is designed for both loyal Nike customers and new consumers interested in sportswear and athletic culture. Its primary audience includes athletes looking for performance gear, sneaker enthusiasts tracking the latest drops, and fashion-conscious individuals seeking stylish sportswear. The community and event features also cater to users who want to connect with the brand on a deeper, more experiential level.

Notes & opportunities

The onboarding flow, while comprehensive, is quite lengthy and requires account creation upfront. This could be a point of friction for users who want to browse before committing. At 14:18, the app fails to verify a valid address, forcing the user to re-confirm, which interrupts the checkout flow. While the chat support is a good feature, the bot initially mentions that wait times may be longer than usual (04:17), which could deter some users from waiting.