Amazon’s focus on specialty stores; to expand its fashion business

Apparel and fashion is not only one of the fastest selling categories on online platforms but also the one that gives high margin. As a result, all ecommerce marketplaces pay extra attention to fashion sales. Amazon, which has been working towards gaining an ‘online fashion destination’ image from the past one year declared its latest plans to expand its fashion business.

Amazon will launch ‘Crafted in India’ online store

This specialty store (individual store within Amazon) is launched with an aim to make Indian handicrafts available to shoppers across the country with ease. Presently, 3,500 handicraft products sourced from 11 regions are listed on the portal.

Susan Saideman, VP- Global Vendor Management at Amazon shared details about this store, “Our aim is to revive the authentic Indian handicrafts market and make every region’s iconic crafts accessible to customer across the country at affordable prices. Looking at the modern-day sensibilities in fashion today, the store is designed to offer a wide array of selection suited to varying tastes and style preferences of our customers. It’s one of our top festive offerings this season and we will continue to introduce more over the next few months.”

Will also expand its designer wear store

Amazon India’s foray in high-fashion products started with it becoming the title sponsor ofIndia Fashion Week. Taking it a step further, earlier this year the etailer created in-house fashion brands and launched its designer store with budding designers and craftsmen. Now they wish to expand its designer store ahead of Amazon India Fashion Week 2015.

Focus on specialty stores

Besides designer store, Amazon also has other specialty stores for wedding items and gift cards. Speaking about this strategy, Mayank Shivam, Fashion Category Leader at Amazon India said, “We think this (having specialty stores) is becoming an important part of our fashion business. It allows us to build depth in a category and present it in the most attractive way to customers. With such stores, we can offer content and the kind of comprehensive experience that customers want.”

After handicrafts store, designer store, in-house brands, fashion week, we wonder what’s next on Amazon India’s mind for its fashion business.