maurices Offers Informed Shopping Experience In the Palm of Their Customers' Hands

DULUTH, Minn. and DALLAS, April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- When customers walk into one of maurices' 800+ stores to check out the latest fashion trends, they can now also check in with their smart phones. The retailer has introduced a new branded mobile app to help them enhance their customer's in-store shopping experience. 

The app, introduced by AT&T* and developed using Digby's Localpoint™ Mobile Platform, allows the retailer to set virtual perimeters around their stores. Once a customer has the app on their smartphone, and accepts the use of location information, maurices can send the shopper timely messages and offers via a push notification, alerting the user to noteworthy news about the specific store location as soon as they enter the store. Shoppers can also use the app to scan product barcodes in the store, allowing them to read product descriptions and ratings.

The maurices app is just one way the retail chain is communicating through their customers' smartphones. The company has also introduced a new optimized mobile website, making it easier for customers to search, browse and buy via the retailer's website, on their mobile phones.

"As a mobile marketing solutions provider, we offer our customers flexible, tailor-made solutions to meet their needs and the needs of their customers," said Chris Hill, Vice President, Advanced Mobility Solutions, AT&T Business and Home Solutions. "It's our job to help them stay ahead of communication trends and allow them to better connect and engage with customers."

"We know our customers are relying more and more on their smartphones for communication and information, and that their time is valuable," said Brett Trent, Vice President of Ecommerce for dressbarn.com and maurices.com. "With the new app and new mobile website, not only can we better communicate directly with our loyal shoppers, but we can also provide detailed, relevant information right at their fingertips, helping them to make informed purchasing decisions."

Digby Localpoint™ from AT&T

Expanding on its relationship with Digby for mobile marketing solutions, AT&T now offers businesses the power to know where their customers are – not just what they bought at the register. The Localpoint Platform gives brands the power to interact with consumers in a way that really matters to them. Through web-style analytics into shopping activities at a brand's physical locations and targeted location-aware mobile messaging tools, Digby Localpoint from AT&T enables brands to attract, influence, understand and own the relationship with their loyal customers across all channels through their own branded mobile experience.

Digby Localpoint from AT&T helps brands:

• Effectively engage with consumers through their own branded app, based on their preferences and buying habits
• Understand when their most loyal customers visit their locations
• Uncover conversion rates for products purchased in retail stores
• Drive traffic to their places of business with location-sensitive marketing programs
• Enable consumers to search, browse and buy products from their smartphones whether they are at home, on the go or in the store

"The shopping experience is evolving as technology becomes more and more ingrained in our everyday lives," said Dave Sikora, Founder and CEO of Digby. "It's important for retailers like maurices to have the capability to connect with loyal customers on a personal level, deliver the information they need and provide a complete shopping experience, whether they choose to shop in-store or online."

To learn more about Digby Localpoint™ from AT&T, visit www.att.com/digby.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About maurices

maurices, a brand of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NASDAQ - ASNA), is the leading hometown specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude. Today, maurices operates over 800 stores in 44 states and most recently has expanded into Canada. maurices stands for fashion, quality, value and customer service. Offering sizes 1-26, our styles are inspired by the girl in everyone, in every size. For store information and to shop online, visit www.maurices.com.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T │DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. 

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.  This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

© 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other AT&T marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.  This document is not an offer, commitment, representation or warranty by AT&T and is subject to change.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.