Amazon Likely To Have Physical Store Locations Soon
Oh Really?
Amazon.com, the go-to online website for discounted products and lazy shoppers (myself included) is about to test out an actual physical store location to sell its products. If successful, you could soon have an Amazon store in your neighborhood.
Amazon “sources” have talked to the website GoodEReader about the potential move into the physical realm. They say the online retailer is planning to open a retail store in Seattle, Washinton in a few months. “This project is a test to gauge the market and see if a chain of stores would be profitable,” according to GoodEReader. “They intend on going with the small boutique route with the main emphasis on books from their growing line of Amazon Exclusives and selling their e-readers and tablets.”
Seattle is already the headquarters of the company so it makes sense they’d start there. “A source has told us that they are not looking to launch a huge store with thousands of square feet,” they write. “Their intention is to mainly hustle their entire line of Kindle e-Readers and the Kindle Fire. They also will be stocking a ton of accessories such as cases, screen protectors, and USB adapters.”
Having recently started their own publishing division (launching officially in the Fall), the store would give them a chance to sell their own titles, titles that other book retailers are purposely boycotting. “Amazon launching their own store will give customers a way to physically buy books and also sample ebooks via WIFI when they are in a physical location.”
“The company has already contracted the design layout of the retail location through a shell company,” according to the source who say it will likely open when they launch their publishing division in the Fall or during the end-of-the-year holidays.
Having brick-and-mortar locations for Amazon would be interesting indeed. I shop with them as often as possible for their prices and convenience but there are times I’m out somewhere and make an impulse buy that ends up costing more. If there were an Amazon store with the same prices as online, I would certainly make shop there if I was already out and about. There’s just one potential hitch so far.
“They are starting out local and small mainly to test the waters with the new store, but also to figure out how they’re going to avoid paying massive taxes,” according to the site. “In the last few years, there has been a huge tax debate because Amazon sells things online and only pays State taxes if they have a distribution center within a particular location. Having a physical store means the company will have to start paying more taxes and they are currently working out the logistics and tax loopholes before they launch.”
What do you think of the idea of an Amazon store near you?
(via Robot 6)
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