Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) wants to open several physical retail locations that’ll act somewhat like huge department stores. These initial retail locations will be in the United States. This step is to help the technology giant expand its reach in the electronics, household items, and clothing markets. In addition, the company’s plan to open physical retail locations will help turn one of the online shopping pioneers into a brick-and-mortar establishment, a space the company has disrupted for a very long time.
The first Amazon retail locations are most likely going to be in California and Ohio, people close to the company said. The spaces will measure about 30,000 sq feet, a little smaller than most retail department stores in the country, which typically measure around 100,000 sq feet. The stores will stock all the top consumer brands as well. The department stores will be much bigger than the other retail spaces Amazon already currently operates.
What will they be offering?
It’s still not clear what the company is planning to sell in these stores. Although the private-label goods on the company’s catalog are most likely to feature prominently on the shelves, sources close to the company said. Amazon has many things they sell, from electronic devices and batteries to furniture, household items, and clothes. Many of these items are sold through the company’s own label. However, nothing is set in stone just yet, according to sources, and plans could still change.
This plan shows the company’s effort to evolve and take a piece of the brick-and-mortar retail market share by directly competing with the major players already involved in the game. However, this doesn’t mean they haven’t been getting the fair share of the cake already, even though it has been predominantly an online business operation. Amazon’s rapid growth online has caused the death of many mall operators since its inception to the marketplace.
