Is Amazon planning to become Argos?
Amazon revolutionised retail by taking it online and according to reports… is now planning to do the complete opposite and open up physical stores.
According to ITProPortal, Amazon is planning to open a “mini warehouse” in New York, near famous department store Macy’s. Whilst it will be primarily designed to be a place to pick up your online orders, it could also hold stock of its own – so you’ll be able to order stuff online and go and pick it up the same day.
As bizarre as it sounds, it would actually make a lot of sense for Amazon, which has been trying to close the gap between the speed of ordering online and going to a physical shop. In addition to Amazon Prime for next day delivery, the company has also relatively recently launched Sunday deliveries in some cities (including London).
Presumably the thinking with a Warehouse store is that if they get in a big stock of something they know a lot of people will want – like games consoles, you’ll be able to buy one online and pick it up immediately. The more obscure stuff, one would assume, will stay in Amazon’s larger warehouses and you’ll have to wait for delivery, or for it to be delivered to the store for collection.
Unfortunately Jeff Bezos does not yet appear to have commented on whether the new store will have those little pens like Argos does.
