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LOS ANGELES - Online retailer Amazon.com said today that it has launched a shoe and handbag website called Endless.com to tap into the growing footwear and accessories market.
The new website will carry over 250 brands for women and men, from Donald J Pliner and Enzo Angiolini to Reebok and Columbia Sportswear. It will compete with a plethora of online rivals, including popular websites Zappos.com, Onlineshoes.com and Shoes.com, which all offer free standard shipping and returns.
Amazon's new site offers free overnight shipping and return shipping.
In November, brick-and-mortar retailer The Gap launched its own online shoe venture, Piperlime.com.
Sales growth in accessories, including footwear, well exceeds apparel growth rates, said CL King analyst Scott Krasik.
Driving growth has been the popularity of boots as well as the proliferation of "it bags," luxury handbags that are photographed on celebrities and circulated in magazines.
"People were scared for a long time that people wouldn't buy shoes online because of fit," Krasik said. "The model is proven that it works. Zappos has proven that."
Also contributing to the wave of online shoe and accessories websites is the fact that most brands don't have significant retail websites, he added.
An Amazon spokeswoman said that the company will continue to feature the same shoes and bags on its main website.
- REUTERS
