Amazon In Talks to Purchase Net-a-Porter

LONDON — Could Amazon be the latest e-commerce giant to court Net-a-porter? WWD has learned that Amazon is engaged in “ongoing talks” to buy Net-a-porter, which could command a valuation of up to 2 billion euros, or $2.19 billion at current exchange. Details of the talks could not be learned, and an Amazon spokeswoman declined comment Wednesday. As in any discussion, the talks may or may not lead to an actual deal. Amazon has been looking to buy a luxury e-commerce company, and the financial community is abuzz with the prospect of Compagnie Financière Richemont spinning off Net-a-porter, which it purchased in 2010 and is not a core part of its hard luxury business. A Richemont spokesman also declined comment. Asked generally about Net-a-porter’s future at Richemont, Luca Solca, managing director at Exane BNP Paribas, said a possible scenario is for the luxury group to monetize the value of the fashion e-tailer, and sell it to a company willing to invest in pure-play luxury retail in the long term. “One ideal candidate for that could potentially be Amazon,” Solca told WWD. “Amazon needs a separate mall to engage in luxury credibly, sort of what Tao Bao does with Tmall.” Earlier this year, Solca floated the

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