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Amazon jumps on time-limited sales
Next big thing, or late to the 'alternative' online retail party?
Amazon is getting into time-limited sales of men's, women's and kids' clothes with the launch of a stand-alone website called MyHabit.com.
The site is US-only for now and requires users to sign up before using it – or to sign in using their Amazon IDs.
It promises to offer discounted big name brands. So far it has i.am.clothing (from Black Eyed Peas fella Will.i.am), Doo.ri and Badgley Mischka.
The deals will be available to members for 72 hours. MyHabit has promised grander brands than similar sites such as Groupon.
MyHabit's chief executive Maria Renz told the FT that the launch had been a response to Amazon customers' interest in private sales.
Renz declined to give financial targets for the site but said it would be different from other sites because of the confidence in delivery that Amazon provides. The bookseller is providing logistics, and free delivery, to MyHabit.
Amazon has bought a number of weirdo retailers including whacky one-a-day gadget site Woot last year.
Alternative retail sites are not to be sneezed at: Asos.com sold more than £223m of clothes last year and made a profit of £20.3m – up 44 per cent on 2009.
The site is here if you wish to sign up.
Amazon's release on the clothes site is here. ®
Biting the hand that feeds IT
