Amazon is obviously immensely popular and growing and High Street retail, especially department stores, are floundering. We’ve seen that in the UK with the diminishing fortunes of Debenham’s and House of Fraser and, in the USA, it is even rumoured that Sears is in trouble. And with that in mind, just how big is Amazon’s fashion impact?
Some clue to the scale of Amazon’s fashion and clothing ambitions comes in an analyst’s note from Instinet. They report that Amazon now carries more Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger merchandise than either Macy’s or J.C. Penney. The clothing brands are both produced by PVH.
While SKU counts don’t equal sales, this gives a general idea of the range of choice that selling on Amazon provides. Synching up with brands appears yet another way that Amazon is looking to gain share of mind and wallet as a fashion destination; and for brands, it serves as another, ‘newer’ wholesale avenue of distribution.
– Simeon Siegel, Instinet
What industry insiders call apparel is a huge vertical in retail and naturally Amazon want a hefty chunk of that action. Amazon has always been committed to providing unparalleled choice and it seems it is getting there and doing better even than established organisations.
And, don’t forget that it is also expanding its own private label offering, and that includes fashion, across the board and is additionally recruiting new big brand fashion retailers, as we reported recently: J.Crew Mercantile launches on Amazon Fashion in US.
