Three reasons Amazon is winning

Retailing is combative, success relies on transformation and constant adjustment, there must be innovation and change at every turn. It gets really interesting when channels merge, online goes instore and vice versa. Take the Amazon book store, West 34 St, New York.

Like Amazon Go in Seattle, the proposition is enhanced by in-store messages.  

The copy style is effortless, it draws in the shopper, makes the experience more brand sticky.  Language of the privileged; maybe, certainly New England over Mid-West.  The lexicon of plenty, of Harvard educations and self-assured sophistication. It is on point, simple and easy to read - white text on black, highlighted customer favorites (American English) white on green and orange type tells practical instructions.

Amazon is winning at retail for three reasons.

The first punch; nous, delivered by standing on the shoulders of their very own online giant and the application of smart emotional intelligence, bringing channels together to thrive.

Communicated by signage like “Most-Wished-For Books on Amazon.com”  the physical store borrowing from the success of online, lifting weight to call out credibility - and boy does that work.

Another example” 4,055 Good reads members liked this quote from Irving Stone’s “Clarence Darwin for the Defense” using the power of online customer reviews to spike interest in store.

The second leap towards the moon is content, selling what people want to buy, supported by the successes of online.

‘One of Amazon’s 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime”, another opportunity to lean on the mountain, supported by reference to “4.3 stars, 1710 reviews”. Compelling reasons to buy, familiar language formerly associated with e-tail experiences.

And if you are still finding it hard to decide, look out for “Books with More than 10,000 Reviews on Amazon.Com”

Reason three, and clincher is innovative technology powering new devices; reaching across the experience, introducing the Amazon Virgins to Alexa Smart Home and fire TV, the message is clear, embrace or be gone, this is the ultimate in convergence, there is only one king.

It’s impressive. Channel, content, brand all mashed up in one package with clear sight of the retail prize. Acquiring Wholefoods is likely just the start of the revolution, no doubt there will be more acquisitions and mergers and bloody battles as the king inevitably conquers the kingdom.

With bay headers calling out, “if you like…” they’ve even managed to parody themselves and build on the social capital of online retailing- If you like this , you’ll love this.

As I left a young man in the window seat of the coffee shop adjunct to the main book store, intent on his laptop, wearing a VR headset, smiled to himself.