Amazon announces plans to open its first clothing store in the US this year

Amazon has announced plans to open its first physical clothing store, which will use advanced technology to give customers a personalised experience as they shop.

Amazon Style will open later this year in Glendale, California, in the tech giant’s first step into traditional fashion retailing.

But, the experience for shoppers will be different from other stores.

Amazon revealed customers will be able to scan QR codes on the clothes to read the opinion of other buyers, and to see what other sizes and colours are available.

Using the Amazon shopping app, customers can send the clothes, shoes and accessories they like through to the fitting room to be ready for them to try on when they arrive.

Similar styles of clothes will also be recommended to them, picked out by algorithms that analyse shoppers’ preferences.

Amazon said fitting rooms will have touch screens on the wall to allow customers to ask for clothes in different sizes and styles to be delivered to them.

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Managing director of Amazon Style, Simoina Vasen, said: “We’re so excited to offer a shopping experience that inspires discovery and combines the best of shopping on Amazon.com with the benefit of touching and trying on items to ensure a great fit.”

In a similar style to their warehouses, most of the products in the flagship Los Angeles store will be kept in a store room out back, in a bid to create a less “cluttered” look.

Palm recognition technology at the checkout will also be used to speed up purchases.

There are limited details about what brands will be available, but Amazon said it will include “customer favorites and Amazon exclusives” as well as “new and noteworthy” designers.

Despite the heavy emphasis on algorithms and technology, human employees will be seen in the store in customer service roles and to deliver products to changing rooms.

Prices in the store are set to be the same as online, and shoppers will get recommendations that fit their personal budgets.

CEO of analysts Retail Economics, Richard Lim, said Amazon’s move into physical retailing was “a big statement” and “a clear signal that the retailer is eager to test, measure and learn more about how they can leverage their tech expertise in a physical environment”.

“This ‘experiment’ is driven by the thirst for more data… whether or not this sacrifices the ‘magic’ of the moment remains to be seen,” he added.

“Inevitably, it won’t win over all customers, especially those that value a hands-on personalised service and the softer human traits that can’t be measured by algorithms.”

It comes as the online retailer opened a grocery store in London last year as part of its move into ‘in-store’ experiences.

Amazon Fresh allows customers to “just walk out” as their shop is automatically billed to their account using an app.

While some campaigners raised concerns about privacy, others welcomed the “frictionless” style of shopping.

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