It's funny how quickly shopping habits have changed.
Not that long ago, opening a fashion app meant you had something in mind—a coat, maybe, or a pair of jeans you'd been meaning to replace. Now, more often than not, you open it out of habit rather than purpose. A quick scroll while waiting for something else. A bit of distraction.
And sometimes, unexpectedly, that's when you find something you actually want.
Bershka seems to have leaned into that exact behaviour with its latest update. The brand has introduced a feature called 'Loop' on its app in Spain—and while it might look like just another video feed, it's really about catching people in those in-between moments.
It Doesn't Feel Like Shopping (At First)
The first thing you notice is how familiar it all feels.
You open Loop, and it's instantly recognisable: vertical videos, quick cuts, that endless scroll that makes it very easy to lose track of time. Some clips feel styled, others feel like they've been filmed in a hurry—and oddly, those are often the ones that stick.
What's different is how quietly the shopping part slips in.
You might not even realise it at first. A jacket is tagged. A pair of trainers flashes up. You tap almost absentmindedly, and suddenly it's in your basket.
There's no big moment where you decide, 'Right, I'm shopping now.' It just... happens.
The Way We Actually Discover Clothes
If we're being honest, most of us aren't discovering fashion on retail websites anymore.
It's usually somewhere else—on someone's feed, in a video, half-watched while doing something else. You see an outfit, think 'that's nice', and then either forget about it or spend far too long trying to track it down later.
Bershka's approach feels like an attempt to cut out that middle step.
Instead of hoping you'll come back and search for it, the app keeps everything right there, in the same place you first noticed it. It's a small shift, but it makes the whole experience feel a bit more immediate.
There's Less Time to Overthink
One thing Loop does quite cleverly is remove that pause where doubt usually creeps in. Normally, you'd click through, check details, maybe open a few more tabs—and somewhere along the way, the initial excitement fades. You get distracted, or you decide you don't really need it after all.
Here, that gap is smaller.
You see something, you like it, and before you've had time to talk yourself out of it, it's already saved. Whether that's a good thing or not probably depends on your self-control, but it definitely changes the pace.
@juliadantas SOCORRO Q SONHO @BERSHKA ♬ original sound - Julia dantas
Clothes That Feel More 'Wearable'
There's also something about the way the clothes are shown that feels a bit different.
It's not overly polished. Not everything looks like it's been shot for a campaign. Some clips feel almost casual—slightly imperfect, a bit more real.
And that makes a difference. It's easier to picture how something might actually look in your own wardrobe when it's not presented as something untouchable. There's less distance between the screen and real life.
Everyone's Fighting for the Same Attention
Of course, none of this is happening in a vacuum.
There's just more competition now—not just from other brands, but from everything else people are scrolling through. Messages, videos, news, endless content. It's constant.
So it's not enough to simply have an app that works. It has to hold your attention, even when you didn't open it with any real intention.
Loop feels like Bershka's way of doing that. Giving people something to engage with, even if they're not actively shopping.
A Bigger Shift Behind the Scenes
This kind of feature doesn't just appear out of nowhere.
Inditex has been investing heavily in digital for years now. Back in July 2020, it announced a €2.7 billion (£2.3 billion) push towards improving its tech and online systems—something that's gradually filtered down into how its brands operate day to day.
You don't always notice it in big, obvious ways. Sometimes it shows up in smaller details like this—features that just make things feel a bit smoother, a bit more in tune with how people actually use their phones.
The Numbers Are Strong—But Expectations Are Changing
Bershka's growth suggests it's doing something right.
In 2024, the brand generated €2.93 billion (£2.5 billion) in revenue, up 11.8% on the previous year. Pre-tax profits reached €548 million (£470 million), with online performance playing a big role in that.
But beyond the figures, there's a sense that what people expect from shopping has shifted. It's not just about convenience anymore. It's about experience—or maybe just about not feeling like an effort.
So, Where Does This Leave Us?
It's easy to look at something like Loop and think it's just another attempt to copy social media. But it feels a bit more thoughtful than that.
It's not trying to change how people behave. If anything, it accepts that shopping has become slightly messy, a bit distracted, not always intentional—and builds around that.
You don't have to search. You don't have to decide straight away. You just scroll, notice things, maybe save something for later. And if you happen to buy something along the way, well—that almost feels secondary.
