Amazon heads to the mall with prototype clothing store Part 2

Continued from Part 1… Amazon unseated Walmart as the largest clothing seller last year during the pandemic as more people began shopping online. Wells Fargo estimated in March that Amazon’s clothing and footwear sales in the U.S. increased by about 15% in 2020 to more than $41 billion (¥4.6 trillion). That’s about 20% to 25% above Walmart’s sales and an 11% to 12% share of all clothing sold in the U.S. Amazon has been making a big push into fashion in recent years through its own labels. In September 2020, it launched an online shop called Luxury Stores. Shoppers at the Amazon Style store can browse items on display and scan a QR code to see sizes, colors and customer ratings. Shoppers can send items to fitting rooms or directly to the store’s counter. Once in a fitting room, customers can request other items using a touchscreen. “Amazon Style completely reimagines what’s possible in the fitting room, turning it into a personalized space where customers can continue to shop a seemingly endless closet of great styles,” Vasen wrote in an Amazon blog post. Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, said the prototype store could deepen Amazon’s influence in the sector, especially among clothing shoppers who prefer the experience of exploring and browsing physical stores. And it could empower Amazon with more shopping data. But he also cautioned that Amazon’s success depends on execution. “Traditionally, it is not all that good at creating a great in-store experience,” said Saunders. “It tends to be very solid at technology and operations but can fall short on spirit and soul — both of which are particularly important in fashion, where consumers love inspiration, curation and personal services.” (AP) This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.