Amazon Is Opening A Hair Salon…Wait, WHAT?
London Amazon Salon Will Feature New Technology
Amazon is opening two-floor, 1,500 square foot salon on Brushfield Street in the Spitalfields area of London, the e-commerce giant announced April 20. Visitors will be able to try “the latest industry technology, from augmented reality (AR) hair consultations to point-and-learn technologies,” Amazon said.
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Here’s what Amazon Salon clients can expect:
- Virtual haircolors, with clients using augmented reality technology to try on new looks
- Amazon Fire tablets at each station for clients to enjoy entertainment
- A dedicated creative area to capture client looks
- Point-and-learn technology, where clients can point at a product they are interested in and a display screen will show info and educational content about the product
- The ability to order products by scanning QR codes on product shelves
Elena Lavagni, longtime owner of Neville Hair & Beauty, an independent salon in London, will provide hair services at the Amazon Salon. Elena and her team of more than 85 people have provided hair services for Paris Fashion Week and the Cannes Film Festival. The team will offer services for adults and kids, including cuts, blow-dries, balayage, texturizer treatments and braids.
“I am delighted to be part of this project—the salon combines classic hairdressing services with technology to deliver a completely unique experience for clients,” said Elena. “I strive to never stop learning, whether it’s the next big treatment, product or style, and Amazon Salon offers new and exciting ways for us to work with our clients. Our creative team of stylists, whose flair for hair is as intrinsic as their love for technology, will put the client at the heart of everything they do. I feel proud to use our 40 years of experience in the industry to help bring this salon to life.”
“Although we are only in our testing stage, already we have used the AR technology to help clients discover a fantastic new hair color, including fringes, different hair and I can’t wait to see what’s next,” adds Elena. “Like every salon, our Amazon Salon stylists drive to make sure every client looks and feels great when walking out the door!”
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Amazon Salon will initially be open to Amazon employees only before bookings are available to the general public in the coming weeks. “This will be an experiential venue where we showcase new products and technology, and there are no current plans to open any other Amazon Salon locations,” Amazon said.
The salon is designed to support the pro beauty industry and follows the launch of Amazon’s Professional Beauty Store, where salon owners and stylists can order product with wholesale pricing and invoicing, no minimum order value and fast delivery. It also follows the company’s push to open brick-and-mortar stores across the U.S. and in the U.K.
Amazon may see this as a way to sell similar technology to more independent salons, a Forrester analyst told the Seattle Times. The company said customers will not have to log into their Amazon accounts to use the virtual haircolor technology.
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