As a self-professed creature of the online age, a solid 90% of my shopping is done from the comfort of my own home, most often at my office desk, occasionally whilst on the toilet (don't tell me I'm the only one). As such the idea of a brand such as Amazon, one of the names most synonymous with online consumerism, taking a step backwards into the world of physical stores honestly seems laughable to me, at least on paper. This hasn't stopped the online retailer from going ahead with the zany scheme though, with the first official stand-alone physical Amazon store recently opened on the Purdue University campus in Indiana, USA. It didn't just spring up unexpectedly of course, in fact a physical Amazon store has been rumoured for a while. What did come as a surprise though, was the fact that it didn't open in New York, as predicted, but on a university campus in middle America. Reports have suggested that Amazon had been planning to open a store in Manhattan, but the space they had been coveting is now being used as offices.
The store, which has branded itself as Amazon@Purdue, appears to work in a similar manner to Argos in the UK, in so much as the shop itself doesn't actually contain conventional shelves from which customers can choose their products, but instead acts as a pick up and drop off destination. As such, it actually makes sense that the company chose to test the waters at a University, where textbooks and other college supplies are an essential commodity. Paul Ryder, Amazon's vice president of media and student programs, said “Whether students are ordering textbooks, laptops, or mac and cheese, Amazon and Purdue are now providing a convenient and secure spot for them to pick up their stuff at hours that work with their schedules.”
The first official stand-alone physical Amazon store recently opened on the Purdue University campus in Indiana
The look of the store utilises Amazon's token orange, black and white branding, and minimal layout, and the choice for customers to either pick up their goods from a member of staff or from a locker. To order items to the store, customers simply need to order online as they would normally, but choose the store's bespoke name tag as the shipping address at the checkout. Customers will then receive an email and/or text notification when their product has arrived at the store. If they want to further streamline to process, they can generate a barcode, which can be used at one of the store's self-service lockers. There is also a new tailored shipping area for Amazon@Purdue that features Purdue branded clobber, and suggested goods which might be of use to students. Amazon also hopes the store will encourage membership signups to their Amazon Student and Amazon Prime programs, with special incentives such as free one-day shipping.
Whilst it could be argued that customers could simply order the same goods online and have them delivered to their doors, the sheer convenience of being able to pick up your goods as and when you're ready should be apparent. Especially to anyone who has ever been stuck with one of those dreaded “Sorry you were out” Royal Mail cards, which usually necessitate a trip down to the local sorting office.
The look of the store utilises Amazon's token orange, black and white branding, and minimal layout
A second store is set to open on campus this spring, and it's been hinted that campus stores will also be cropping up at the University of California, Davis, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Of course, this isn't the first time Amazon has delved into the real of bricks and mortar, with Amazon self-service lockers already available around the UK. It does mark something of a sea-change for the company though, one which many have suggested could see the company following in Apple's footsteps. Indeed, Amazon's recent forays into smartphone and tablet technology with their “Fire” range, and online streaming with “Amazon Prime,” seems to suggest they fancy themselves as a little more than simply the world's largest online retailer. It transpires they want it all. Whether or not they can have it depends on their consumers.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK. He wonders whether or not Amazon's move into the physical realm will have any impact on their widely derided use of tax avoidance schemes? He certainly hopes so.
