Last week Amazon opened its first bricks-and-mortar clothing store in California. Focussing on ‘digital bricks’ this is another physical store, with technology at its very core. After the Amazon Fresh till-free grocery chain, & Amazon 4-star concept stores the online giant is moving into the fashion sector with Amazon Style.
Amazon has spent a few years strengthening its position in the lucrative fashion sector. First appearing in the US in 2020, its flagship ‘Luxury Stores’ online concept launched yesterday in Europe offering ready-to-wear collections from a selection of established & emerging luxury brands.
The reputation building is working too. Cosmopolitan refers to Amazon as ‘a go-to for trendy fashion finds & even sustainable brands.’ With initiatives like their limited-edition private label line ‘The Drop’ it’s experienced huge online success with influencer & celebrity collabs of made-to-order collections. Each only available for 30hrs some have sold out in minutes. Specifically tuned to the market this same thinking will also appear in store.
"We're bringing Amazon's advanced technologies & world class operations to shopping for clothes in a physical setting for the first time, making the experience more inspiring, convenient & personalised for each customer," said Simoina Vasen, VP of Amazon Style.
How does it work? Of course, I haven’t managed to visit a store (unless someone fancies flying me to California?) but the premise seems relatively simple. In fact, it reminds me of Argos but with more tech! Much of the store is a warehouse, whilst the shop is more like a showroom, with items on hangars or beautifully merchandised on mannequins.
So where’s the tech? Well, it’s our good friend the QR code & the customer’s mobile phone. That makes it sound very simple, but the reality is its stuff that’s accessible to many brands & many sectors. You see the item or the collection that you like, scan it with the Amazon shopping app, choose your size & it’s delivered to a changing room for you when you're ready. Your phone unlocks the changing room & ta-da!
Now this is the clever bit. As well as your chosen items being conveniently available in your changing room, the algorithm picks out other things you might want to try on based on your selection. Spooky? Maybe. Convenient? Absolutely! This takes the online experience of ‘recommended based on your purchases’ & ‘frequently bought together’ but brings them to life in the real world! Beautiful!
Want another size or colour while you are there? A changing room touchscreen makes that simple & convenient. Looking for a bargain? Try the ‘deals’ feature on the shopping app. Easy. Paying or returning goods it’s equally as simple. You see digital bricks isn’t about changing customer behaviour, it’s about augmenting it. Adding convenience, experience, and magic! Now what other sectors desperately need some of that?
We've some exciting #QRcode projects on right now! If you’d like to talk about adding convenience, experience, and magic to your brand’s local marketing why not schedule a FREE 30-minute assessment today here? It will be well worth your time.
Or alternatively read more about Local Marketing on our blog page "Local Thinking': https://www.weareacuity.com/local-thinking-our-blog