TORONTO – Amazon.ca wants shoppers to say “Yes” to the dress, along with the shoes and the jacket.
The online retailer has launched a new section on its Canadian website devoted to clothing and shoes for both men and women.
It’s the latest move by the Seattle-based retailer to grab a bigger share of the Canadian consumer dollar as it bulks up offerings that already include a wide array of non-perishable grocery items, electronics and housewares.
In the new section, Amazon carries brand names like Levi’s, French Connection, Speedo, Timberland and Puma – with 1.5 million new items stocked altogether.
More fashion lines will be added in the future, said Alexandre Gagnon, country manager of Amazon.ca.
“Ultimately we want to have the biggest offering possible for our customers, so that list, hopefully, will be constantly evolving and growing,” Gagnon said.
Amazon isn’t chasing a particular segment of the market either, he added, unlike the influx of high-end U.S. department store chains like Norstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue, which are setting up shop in Canada.
“It’s less about a specific kind of customer, but rather us having the biggest breadth of selection, the best experience from a delivery standpoint and offering good value for customers.”
Other Canadian fashion retailers have been ramping up their online presence in recent months, including both Hudson’s Bay (TSX:HBC) and Sears Canada (TSX:SCC), which are giving their websites a facelift in hopes of keeping pace with consumer expectations.
Amazon also hopes to vault one of the common hurdles for clothing retailers online: the dreaded hassle of returning clothes through the mail.
The company said it will offer free shipping and free returns on eligible items to ease the worry of trying on clothes that don’t fit.
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