Amazon is working to build its fashion arm in the UK.
In 2015, the online retail giant bought a fashion photography studio in London and has since hired talent from the likes of Marks & Spencer and Primark.
Following the introduction of several own-brand fashion labels in the US last year, Amazon has now launched its first UK fashion brand, Find.
The retailer has the tools and investment needed to become a successful fashion retailer but needs to change its one size fits all approach.
Amazon is lacking destination appeal and must shed its utilitarian image if it wants to meet its target of becoming the “best place to buy fashion online”.
Slimming down
Amazon’s extensive product range is its strength, allowing it to attract a broad range of customers.
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By GlobalDataBut in fashion easy to browse selections are more important.
Though Amazon has started to construct curated areas, featuring a summer holiday edit on its women’s fashion page and editor’s picks across selected categories, additional content and features are not always easy to find.
Amazon must ensure complementary content is highlighted and simple for shoppers to navigate in order to drive product conversion.
Social
Amazon’s functional website is useful, but the retailer should create more editorial fashion features for shoppers looking to browse trends.
As a retailer Amazon doesn’t inspire as its fashion competitors do.
Instagram can help here by featuring blogger-styled outfits and new-in products.
Refine product pages
Amazon needs to benchmark itself against its competitors in fashion and meet their standards.
The retailer has started to mimic the likes of Asos and Boohoo in terms of the products and information it displays – however, Amazon is not yet on par with established online fashion retailers, as the number of images it displays is often limited.
There are very few close-ups of products and there is less investment in product styling in comparison.
Additionally, product information is not currently in an easy-to-view format for customers and is split over different sections on the page, meaning shoppers have to hunt to find this.
Amazon should also use catwalk videos to show products and include additional information such as model sizes and heights where possible so customers can judge how well a product will fit before ordering, helping to reduce returns.
Personalisation and recommendations
Amazon must use its expertise in personalisation to target its wide customer base – both online and via email marketing to increase awareness of its fashion business, drive traffic and convert customers.
This is an area where Amazon can be a step ahead of its competitors.
Amazon currently shows what other customers have viewed, which is a good, but it would be beneficial to show suggested products which the item could be paired with — driving spend.
Fashion is about guiding the customer and Amazon has always allowed the customer to lead. This will be a serious step change for the world’s largest retailer, but one it needs to do if it wants to dominate fashion as it has other sectors.
