Amazon opened its first brick-and-mortar fashion store yesterday at The Americana at Brand, a shopping complex in Glendale, California. Announced earlier this year, the physical retail experience is described as a mix of Amazon Style app-based interactions, in-store styling-and-fitting services, online-to-IRL try-ons, and Amazon One palm-recognition-based checkouts—a blend of data-driven technology that makes the customer journey unique in the fashion space.
According to early reports, shoppers at the 30,000-square-foot store have the option to browse through the Amazon Style app and try their selections on in one of many fitting rooms—each equipped with touchscreens to instantly summon more styles, SKUs, and size options.
Alternatively, guests can browse the rails, where they’ll scan item QR codes to have select sizes and colorways delivered directly to the fitting rooms—which are assigned and unlocked with the app. When the customer arrives at the room to try on clothes, their selections, along with additional Amazon algorithm-selected suggestions, will be ready and waiting.
“Our three goals for Amazon Style are to make shopping more inspiring, personalized, and convenient for each customer,” said Simoina Vasen, managing director of Amazon Style, in a statement. “While trying on clothes in-store, customers no longer need to get dressed and go out on the floor to see if their size is available. Instead, shoppers can keep ordering, trying things on and continue their shopping experience from the dressing room.”
In addition to trying on in-stock items, customers can request to have their online fashion purchases delivered directly to the Amazon Style store to try on in one of the company’s high-tech fitting rooms. Returns can also be processed directly in store, saving shoppers a trip to the post office.