Amazon Unveils A Personal Shopper Service Offering Fashion Advice

Amazon has not dominated the fashion industry yet but it is trying to change that with the launch of Personal Shopper by Prime Wardrobe. With less than $5 monthly subscription, Prime members can have a stylist curate their clothes and accessories which fit their style profile. When signing up, customers are required to fill out a survey regarding their measurements, trend preferences and budget on which Amazon stylists can base their recommendations. They can keep contact with the styling team via the Amazon shopping app until the final decision.

Shoppers get to preview the items and then select up to eight pieces of clothing to be shipped to them. They will have a seven-day trial period to try on the items and will only be charged for those that they keep.

For now, this service is only available for women with clothes in different sizes, for example, they have women’s shoes in sizes 5–12. It is reported that a men’s service is currently in development and will be launched soon. Although not all famous brands are included in Amazon, this service is useful for those who are too busy to shop or those who do not have a clue about fashion or want to try items from different brands.

It promises to be a success for Amazon. The e-commerce giant has been investing in apparel during the past few years, but it has not become a popular destination when it comes to fashion like other brands- and fashion- specific stores. However, with Personal Shopper, which provides users with a personalized customer experience thanks to its massive data and catalog, Amazon can have an advantage over a lot of stores. Although it does not mean that customers will have their own style advisor, this service offers a pretty close experience.

Personal Shopper service will put Amazon in direct competition with Stitch Fix, a company that also offers personal styling. According to Vogue, what most sets the two companies apart is the ability to preview the items beforehand.

However, it remains unclear whether the e-commerce giant can triumph. Amazon may not have some high fashion brands, yet its considerable resources, as well as its familiarity with shoppers, can make Amazon stay ahead of its competitors.