Technology at the service of beauty: Amazon becomes a hair styler
Augmented reality consultations and point-and-learn technology: with Amazon, the world of beauty is also changing. After its first grocery store, the web giant invests in a new sector
What if we told you that Amazon has entered the world of hair styling? Yes, after opening Amazon Fresh, its first grocery store in London that has about 10,000 food products including brands such as Heinz and Kelloggs, the Seattle giant is dedicated to the beauty of hair.
“Alexa, what’s the best look for me?”
It’s called Amazon Salon and it’s located on Brushfield Street in Spitalfields, a stone’s throw from Amazon’s central hub. The beauty saloon is on two floors and is about 140 square meters in size. The real news, however, is that Amazon will put its technological expertise at the service of hair care through the latest technologies in the industry, from augmented reality consultations to point-and-learn technology.
But what kind of experience can you have at the Amazon Saloon? Well, simple: customers will be able to experiment with different virtual hair colors using augmented reality technology, enjoy entertainment on tablets at each styling station, and capture their new look in a dedicated creative area. And that’s not all. There is another novelty that is literally sending the women of the smoky and elegant capital of the United Kingdom into raptures.
The show will also test the new point-and-learn technology, where customers can simply point their smartphone camera at the product they are interested in that sits on a display shelf, and relevant information, such as videos or in-depth texts, will appear on the mobile phone display. In this way, you can also buy the product you are interested in directly online.
Amazon Salon’s hair care and styling services are in the hands of an Italian: Elena Lavagni. She is a true certainty of international cinema and fashion as well as being the founder and director of Neville Hair & Beauty Salon in Belgravia and the Bulgari Hotel in London.
“I’m happy to be part of this project,” said the famous hair stylist -. The salon combines classic hairdressing services with technology to provide a completely unique experience for clients. Our creative team, whose nose for hair is as intrinsic as their love of technology, will put the customer at the center of everything they do. I feel proud to use our 40 years of experience in the industry to help bring this show to life.”.
The show, at this time, is only open for employees only, but in the coming weeks it will also be open to the public, by reservation. You will be able to go to the Amazon Salon every day, the price is not known at the moment but the top management of Amazon promise that they will not be prohibitive.
John Boumphrey, Amazon’s UK Country Manager, said: “We designed this salon to allow customers to come and try out some of the best technology, hair care products and stylists in the industry. We want this unique location to bring us one step closer to customers and will be a place where we can collaborate with the industry and test new technologies.”
This is not the first time that Amazon has tried to navigate unknown waters, such as the Amazon Fresh initiative, its first grocery store in London. No queue at the checkout, no payments at the end of the shopping. Everything is done through a single scan when you enter the store thanks to the patented “Just Walk Out” technology. The only pre-requisite is to download the Amazon Go app on your smartphone and sign up; Then, you just need to use it to enter the store.