How the Celebrations Passport App Is Reinventing Mobile Shopping

Online shopping has come a long way since 1-800-Flowers.com pioneered e-commerce in the 1990s. The early digital storefronts on America Online and CompuServe have morphed into sophisticated websites accessible to anyone with a connected PC or laptop. With smartphones, Internet shopping has become a truly mobile experience.

As people turn to their smartphones to browse and buy, they expect experiences tailored to their devices and preferences. That’s why the 1-800-Flowers.com Family of Brands developed the Celebrations Passport app, which combines thousands of gifts with ideas and insights in a native mobile experience.

The app, available now for iPhones and Android devices, integrates deeply with the Celebrations Passport membership program. But non-members can use it to shop across 1-800-Flowers.com’s premier brands and explore a rich collection of stories, tips, and recipes, explicitly curated for on-the-go shopping.

“Our new Celebrations Passport app is a beautiful, native experience that helps consumers in their shopping journey,” says Brian Becker, Vice President of Content & Innovation at 1-800-Flowers.com. “It provides tips and insights in the form of profiles, gift guides, and recipes that softly introduce our products.”

Meeting customer needs

The Celebrations Passport app is based on 1-800-Flowers.com’s experience in digital commerce and its research into how consumers’ expectations have changed. In recent years, the signals have pointed toward improved mobile experiences. In fact, analysts predict its share of the U.S. retail market will nearly double by 2025 to $728 billion.

“As people turn to their smartphones for every aspect of their lives, retailers need to innovate to meet their expectations – and their technology,” Becker says. “Mobile devices force us to think differently and prioritize what we show customers.”

But mobile users demand more than just a smaller copy of what’s available through desktop browsers or even the mobile web. That’s why the Celebrations Passport app has been developed from the ground up as a truly mobile experience, from its curated product collections to its wealth of content designed to help shoppers wherever they may be.

Features of the Celebrations Passport app

The Celebrations Passport app offers consumers frictionless navigation to meet their every gifting need. Gifts are grouped into accessible categories, including birthday, love & romance, get well, thank you, and sympathy, to name just a few. On another screen, shoppers can home in on specific types of gifts, like fruit gifts, flowers, gift baskets, plants, popcorn, and gourmet food.

The app is like a shopping mall in your pocket, except you’ll check out only once, and there are never any lines. You can choose from 1-800-Flowers.com, Harry & David, FruitBouquets.com, Shari’s Berries, The Popcorn Factory, Cheryl’s Cookies, 1-800-Baskets.com, Simply Chocolate, and Wolferman’s Bakery.

But the app isn’t just about easy browsing and checkout. It’s also built to provide timely gift recommendations, expert advice, and engaging profiles relevant to the shopping experience.

“We spent a lot of time on the app beyond just the checkout process,” says Jenna Messer, Vice President of Loyalty Marketing at 1-800-Flowers.com. “Shopping is about more than just buying items. It’s about browsing and collecting ideas – all of which you can do in the Celebrations Passport app.”

Integration with Celebrations Passport membership

Celebrations Passport members who shop with the app will enjoy its integration with the popular rewards program. Besides earning points as they shop, they can manage their accounts on their phones. They’ll also receive 30 bonus points when they make a purchase in the app each quarter – or up to 120 extra points per year.

Customers can purchase a 12-month Passport membership for just $19.99. Benefits include free shipping on most products, no services charges, and member-only access to special offers. The program also rewards members with new perks that grow as they gift.