MILAN, Italy – Gearing up for Black Friday, Amazon strengthens its position in Italy with a festive pop-up store in Milan. Dubbed ‘Amazon Loft for Xmas’, the 500 square meter space opened its doors on 16 November and will welcome gift hunters until 26 November.
Conveniently located in the central Via Dante, the pop-up features a wide selection from the online giant, including technology products and items from Amazon’s private label, with an entire ‘Bedroom’ area dedicated to fashion and self-care products. The store will also host events such as book presentations, live performances, workshops and meetings with artists.
From the tech side, each product is paired with a ‘Smile Code’ allowing customers to learn more about each item through the Amazon app. During our visit, we saw that customers really engaged with the displays – picking up items and scanning them with their phones.
Despite the lacklustre merchandising, Amazon’s pop-up was packed, enticed perhaps by the e-tailer’s reputation. For those searching for a touch of magic in their Christmas shopping experience, they won’t find it here. But that’s probably less of a concern for Amazon, after all, it’s another opportunity to push Amazon-branded products in front of customers who are ready to spend ahead of the holidays.
After Milan, Amazon will take the Christmas Loft pop-up concept to other major European cities including Paris, Madrid, Berlin and Amsterdam.
