Hobbycraft, a UK arts and crafts retailer with over 90 stores nationwide, has launched a new mobile site which works like an app to provide ‘a frictionless shopping journey’ for its customers.

The Progressive Web App (PWA) has been built on the platform provided by mobile shopping experience provider Mobify. The Vancouver, Canada-based firm has previously worked with UK department store chain Debenhams to build its PWA, which launched in October 2017.

“Our customers are project-based and motivated to get the supplies they need as fast as possible to get started on their next projects,” said Daniel Collier, multi-channel development manager at Hobbycraft. “We raised a challenge to find the best possible way to communicate with shoppers as well as deliver a best-in-retail purchasing journey.

“We now have a very fast site with far easier navigation, as well as app-like features such as add-to-homescreen and the ability to send push notifications.”

According to Mobify, retailers using its PWA platform see, on average, a 51 per cent increase in mobile sessions with 50 per cent more conversions and a 23 per cent increase in revenues.

“Beyond engagement, retailers using Mobify PWAs are seeing impressive results, not just in mobile sessions and conversions, but in revenues. We cant wait to see what Hobbycraft delivers with its impressive new mobile commerce approach,” said Igot Faletski, CEO at Mobify.