The online retailer is going to break the fourth wall. Amazon is reportedly getting ready to open a pop-up store in New York to handle same day delivery, returns, exchanges and to act as a giant Amazon Locker for customers to pick up online orders.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the store will be located on across from the Empire State Building at 7 West 34th St., the physical store is a first for Amazon. The store itself has a limited inventory, but according to the The Wall Street Journal it could also be used to showcase the retailer’s growing hardware line of tablets, ereaders, and the Fire Phone.
While this seems extremely out character for a company that only has an online retail presence, the store could be a way for Amazon to make a human connection with customers. The company realized that face-to-face interactions are key to working with some AWS customers.
The same thought process could be at work here as Amazon attempts to get more customers to purchase its Kindle line and Fire Phone in an environment it can control. Apple opened its retail stores with the same idea and so far that seems to be working pretty well for the iPhone-making company.
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➤ Amazon to Open First Brick-and-Mortar Location [WSJ]
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