Amazon enters iFlashfashion market with Myhabit

Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, has bought the small, members-only website Myhabit.com, similar to vente-exclusive.com or vente-privee.com.

App to fight “sold out” notifications

Every morning from 9 to 12, Myhabit sells brands like Doo.ri or Halston with reductions up to 60% until the stock is completely sold out. This need for speed often frustrates members, which is why Amazon plans to build an iPhone app to warn members in time. The app should be launched somewhere in the next three months.

“The Myhabit for iPhone app will allow our customers never to miss another offer, wherever they are. They will have the same user-friendly experience as the one they can find on the normal website, including 360° clips of real models wearing the clothing on offer”, says Maria Renz, Myhabit’s president.

The app will also offer a preview for each session in the next two days, including a reminder function “to reduce the chance that the customer’s favourite articles are already sold out”. Delivery in the US is free, European customers pay 15 dollar.

Competition from the French 

With Myhabit and the earlier acquisition of the Spanish flash fashion site BuyVIP, Amazon is directly entering competition with online shopping communities like Gilt Groupe, HauteLook and Rue La La. The main European competition will come from French Vente-privee, that soon will cross the Atlantic in the other direction. In March 2010, eBay had already entered the flash sales market with the opening of the Fashion Vault.