Amazon just unveiled its new Luxury Stores. Though currently limited to offerings from Oscar de la Renta, it is to grow into the destination for exclusive items from designer fashion and beauty brands.
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To mark the launch of the luxury line from Oscar de La Renta, Amazon collaborated with the designers to produce a video, “celebrating the imaginative intersection of fashion and technology.”
“Exclusive Access” is one of its selling points for this demographic. It is available “by invitation only to eligible Prime members and available through the Amazon mobile app.” As you may recall from The Man in the Range Rover Suit, exclusivity lies at the heart of luxury marketing.
While that is perennial value for those whose purchases for outfits start at four figures, there is a new impetus for the convenience of ordering such items through an app rather than at a store.
Possibly the move was sparked by the general avoidance of shopping in bricks-and-mortar stores under lockdown conditions. A Pursuitist article on the news suggested that possibility and the safety combined with assurance of the authenticity of the products deliver “peace of mind” to the shopper.
The article quoted Alex Bolen, CEO of Oscar de la Renta:
“As a global leader in retail, Amazon has a relentless focus on improving the customer experience through constant innovation, utilizing technology and customer feedback.
We admire Amazon’s customer-centric focus and look forward to telling our brand’s story in compelling and engaging ways to even more customers through the Luxury Stores experience.”
While any shopper may use Amazon for its convenience, it has to go up a notch to win the luxury shopper.