Marks & Spencer links with Amazon online
Amazon technology to drive M&S website
Marks & Spencer is to work with Amazon to drive its internet offer.
The deal will also see Amazon sell M&S clothing and homeware to UK customers through the Amazon.co.uk website from next year, the first time M&S has sold it products through another retailer.
Amazon Services Europe is to host the M&S website, as well as provide the technology behind the M&S e-commerce offer as well as in-store and telephone ordering and customer services systems.
Under the deal, M&S will remain responsible for the management of the website, customer service operations, warehousing and distribution.
With the first phase of work due to be completed in early summer 2006, M&S said its customers “will benefit from the development of an integrated ordering service, whether they choose to buy products in-store, online or by telephone”.
Steven Sharp, director, marketing & e-commerce, M&S, said: “Marks & Spencer already has a successful website with over 24m visits every year, but our e-commerce and customer ordering capabilities have yet to reach their full potential. A partnership with Amazon will help us achieve this, while allowing us to concentrate on our core business of retailing.”
Mark Stabingas, senior vice president, worldwide business development and services sales, Amazon Services, said: “We look forward to sharing our e-commerce expertise with Marks & Spencer to enable it to focus on branding and merchandising. Our goal is to provide its customers with a true multi-channel experience, regardless of how they choose to shop for or order merchandise.”
[img r]amazon.jpg[/img]The Amazon.co.uk website will eventually be able to sell exactly the same ranges as the M&S internet site, though Amazon will be able to tailor its offer. Sharp said:
He added: ‘Amazon has around 6m registered users and some of them will be people who don’t shop with us at the moment. This is another way of getting more customers.”
