Amazon's latest products go after a new type of customer
Amazon has a bold new plan for growth.
I buy almost everything online from Amazon.
Household staples, weekly groceries, last-minute gifts — you name it, it’s probably arriving in a box with that familiar smile on it.
I even love when a retailer offers Amazon Pay on its own site. Let’s be honest — no one enjoys typing out their shipping address and credit card number for the hundredth time. With a single click, the order is done.
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Convenience is everything. I’ve lost count of how many carts I’ve abandoned just because I couldn’t check out with Amazon Pay, PayPal, or Shop. Probably saved myself thousands, to be honest.
There is one category I’ve never turned to Amazon for: luxury. Designer handbags, premium fashion, high-end accessories? Until now, Amazon wasn’t even on my radar for those purchases.
But it looks like that may change. Image source: Shutterstock/TheStreet
Amazon bets big on luxury with Rebag deal
Amazon (AMZN) has been quietly building out its luxury offerings since launching Amazon Luxury Stores in 2020. But after an initial pandemic-fueled push, the effort largely faded from the spotlight.
Now, the e-commerce giant is making a major new play, and it's doing it with the help of secondhand luxury marketplace Rebag.
According to a June 10 press release, Rebag launched its biggest partnership yet, bringing nearly its entire inventory (about 30,000 designer bags!) to Amazon Luxury Stores.
Shoppers can now browse everything from a $1,000 red Gucci bag to a $3,400 edgy Chanel Flap bag or even a $21,000 gray Hermes Birkin bag — all with the same convenience they expect from Amazon Prime.
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Honestly, this is dangerous news for my credit card.
“With Amazon, we have very wide goals and want to be as broad as possible in the category,” said Rebag CEO Charles Gorra.
It’s a smart move. According to a Vogue Business survey, 37% of luxury consumers are cutting back on spending. With tariffs also driving up costs, Amazon’s massive reach offers brands a way to tap into new customers who may not shop at traditional luxury retailers.
And for Rebag, this isn’t its first experiment with mass-market partners. In January, the company teamed up with Walmart. Now, Amazon’s scale presents an even bigger opportunity.
Amazon's luxury push could reshape the industry
Amazon’s luxury ambitions are clear. With a reported 83% of U.S. households shopping on the platform, the e-commerce giant sees a massive opportunity to bring high-end fashion to a broader audience.
For Rebag, this partnership is about reaching beyond its core markets in New York, California, and Florida. Amazon allows it to target luxury shoppers in less saturated regions, from Texas to the Midwest.
“When there’s such a massive audience, even a small share of that audience is very meaningful user gains for us,” Gorra said.
It’s a calculated bet. While some luxury shoppers still prefer the tactile experience of in-store browsing, many are increasingly comfortable making high-end purchases online.
But Amazon faces hurdles. Its utilitarian interface lacks the aspirational feel of platforms like Mytheresa. And brand perception remains a challenge; not all luxury labels are eager to align with Amazon’s mass-market image.
Still, as companies like Rebag and Saks embrace the platform, Amazon’s luxury experiment is gaining momentum. If it succeeds, the way we shop for designer goods might never be the same.
Looks like even hiding my credit cards might not save me from this one.
