Amazon is planning to close dozens of bookstores and other retail locations it had opened in recent years as part of the changes it has been making in its physical store strategy.
With the closings, the e-commerce giant plans to focus more on its grocery stores and technology that powers them at other retail sites. Throughout the country, Amazon operates more than 20 bookstores inn “pop up” locations and “4 star” stores.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company remains “committed to building great, long-term physical retail experiences and technologies, and we’re working closely with our affected employees to help them find new roles within Amazon.”
Amazon has expanded heavily into physical retail since its first store opened in 2015. The company purchased Whole Foods Market in 2017 and has since added cashierless stores named “Amazon Go,” as well as its more conventional Amazon Fresh grocery stores.
The company recently began studying the potential of retail locations like department stores with its “Amazon Style” store. The stores will focus on apparel and deploy technologies, such as the ability to use QR codes and other tech to make real-time recommendations for customers.