Lady LUX

As the flash-sale phenomenon continues, it seems no one is immune. The latest to fall victim is Web giant Amazon.com, which – after a year in the making – has unveiled its very own flash-sale site, Myhabit.com.

The offerings will be “head to heel”: men’s, women’s, children’s, footwear, accessories, jewelry and outerwear. And in continuance with usual flash-sale sites style, the discounts are remarkable, at up to 60 percent off.

The brands are lining up to participate in the opening day sales, including Doo.Ri, Badgley Mischka, Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry, I.Am.Clothing men’s wear and BedStu shoes. Plus the site reports it is working with more than 800 designers and brands.

With four to six sales each day and about 40 events per week, there will be plenty of opportunities to save a buck. But you will have to act fast: The markdowns will only be available for 72 hours. And you have to sign up, as the site is for members only.

“It’s a superclean, beautiful site,” Maria Renz, president of Myhabit.com, said to WWD.

The site is somewhat a departure from Amazon’s usual style, as it is more glossy and polished. The site’s technology has not been skimped on, with features such as 360-degree rotating models and zoom capabilities. The site also boasts some nice extras: fast delivery (~ four days), original photography, a vertical toolbar for quick browsing and a size filter to limit the items shown to just your size. More welcome news: You can join for free and receive free shipping.

Although flash sales are new for the company, Amazon is no stranger to fashion sales. It sells stylish goods through its entities, such as Endless.com, ShopBop.com and Zappos.com. Renz explained the company’s move by saying, “We are very customer-focused, and we recognize the need to build great experiences that meet the needs of our customers.”

Myhabit will likely face some stiff competition as it joins the ranks of Gilt.com, RueLaLa.com and Ideeli. But with the entire flash-sale market estimated at more than $1 billion, there is room for growth – especially considering the bargain hunting to be found during the recession. Amazon will be capitalizing on its base of 137 million active users to kick start Myhabit.

“It’s clearly one of the fastest-growing ways of shopping. The growth rates are pretty astounding,” Jamie Nordstrom, president of Nordstrom Direct, said last February to WWD.

Tagged in: amazon, flash sale, sample sale, flash sale site, myhabit, amazon.com,