Amazon heads to the mall with prototype clothing store

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
AP Retail Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — First, Amazon competed with malls. Now, it’s moving inside one. The online retailing giant said Thursday that it plans to open a clothing store in a Southern California mall later this year, just the latest foray into brick-and-mortar for Amazon, which already accounts for more than 10% of all clothes sold in the U.S. Amazon said Thursday that the store, which will sell women’s and men’s clothing as well as shoes and other accessories, will open at the Americana at Brand mall in Glendale, California. Experts say that if Amazon should roll out the concept it would be a fresh challenge to traditional clothing sellers as it would give the online behemoth more data and shopper insights that could bolster its power in fashion selling.