Amazon is launching the Shazam for fashion, which finds clothes you want simply by analyzing a photo
- Amazon unveiled a new feature in its app where customers can upload a photograph of a fashion look that they like and Amazon will find the closest match on its site.
- Asos, Wayfair, and Target have similar tools in place.
- Amazon is making strides to grow its apparel business. It has rolled out private-label brands and launched Prime Wardrobe, a try-before-you-buy clothing service.
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Amazon wants to become your go-to destination for fashion so it's investing in technology to make it easier to shop there
Amazon unveiled StyleSnap on Wednesday, a new AI feature in its app that allows customers to upload a photograph or a screenshot of a fashion look. Amazon will then search its own site for similar items and make suggestions to the customer.
The technology was launched at re: MARS 2019 conference, where worldwide consumer CEO Jeff Wilke said the "simplicity of the customer experience belies the complexity of the technology behind it," according to The Verge.
Amazon isn't the first retailer to offer a search feature of this kind. Asos, Wayfair, and Target all have similar tools in place but the technology is still in its early days
StyleSnap will use "computer vision" and "deep learning" to identify apparel pieces in a photo, Amazon said in a statement to the press. This technology is inspired by the working of the human brain.
"Neural networks are made up of millions of artificial neurons connected to each other, and can be 'trained' to detect images of outfits by feeding it a series of images. For example, if we feed a network thousands of images of maxi and accordion skirts, it will eventually be able to tell the difference between the two styles," it said.
This means it will be able to detect different styles, shapes, and patterns like fit-and-flair dresses or flannel shirts, it said.
Amazon has been working hard to break into the apparel space, rolling out private-label brands and launching Prime Wardrobe, a try-before-you-buy service. Most recently, it launched The Drop, a new fashion shopping experience that offers on-demand products available for purchase for only 30 hours at a time.