Amazon [rumoured to be] opening first brick-and-mortar store

cHex · 02-09-2012, 05:46 PM

Link to Washington Post/Bloomberg article from February 6.

This seems to be a boutique store, an answer to Apple's stores (where customers are snatching up iPads) and Barnes and Noble's (where customers may try out Nooks, and where they they may browse pBooks and sample books on their Nook).

I'm wondering if Amazon will have any special advantage in stocking their stores with books, having as they do so much data on which books (including thousands not available in brick-and-mortar stores) sell in which markets and when.

tubemonkey · 02-09-2012, 06:01 PM

Interesting. I wonder where they'll locate them - large malls, strip malls, or standalones?

Kali Yuga · 02-09-2012, 06:37 PM

It's just a rumor.

As the article points out, this isn't the first time this rumor floated around.

RainingLemur · 02-12-2012, 09:10 PM

I could see them being in BIG traffic areas, like maybe The Mall of America, or in some of the big international Airports.

What would be funny is if Amazon started putting up their own retail locations directly across from some of the Apple stores. I'd go set up a lawn chair on a grand opening and watch the fireworks.

petermillard · 02-13-2012, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

What would be funny is if Amazon started putting up their own retail locations directly across from some of the Apple stores...

Sounds like a great idea; mum and dad could go to the Apple store for iPads and Airs, then pop across the road to pick up Kindles and Fires for the kids

Can't see it happening though - Amazon operates on such wafer-thin margins ($177m on ~$13bn turnover last quarter) I just don't think they have enough spare to run actual stores. Then again, Bezos did warn Amazon may slip into the red next quarter, so perhaps this is the reason??

carpetmojo · 02-13-2012, 03:59 AM

I have a suspicion this might be a publicity thing - pictures of insane identities camping out on freezing sidewalks, to be the first one to have their pic in the paper/on TV clutching some piece of "groundbreaking" kit. As long as they didn't cost a fortune, it might be cheap advertising .........

[ Don't know whether the profit margin thing will bother Amazon, they cross budget anyway - but it would lower the tax bill if they did lose a bit. ]

murraypaul · 02-13-2012, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

What would be funny is if Amazon started putting up their own retail locations directly across from some of the Apple stores. I'd go set up a lawn chair on a grand opening and watch the fireworks.

Do Amazon really want to go head-to-head with Apple?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14340470

Quote:

Apple now has more cash to spend than the United States government.

Latest figures from the US Treasury Department show that the country has an operating cash balance of $73.7bn (£45.3bn).

Apple's most recent financial results put its reserves at $76.4bn.

(A difference is that Apple is profitable, the US government isn't.)

Kumabjorn · 02-13-2012, 05:10 AM

So the next time Tim Cook goes to the Oval Office he can say to Obama: "Need to borrow a couple of billions?"

AlexGrama · 02-13-2012, 05:35 AM

I'm imagining a tall black building with minimalist architecture and up high the amazon logo with that smiley face, a to z and bellow the logo, a huge kindle4 or something. Looks like it has been dragged out from a comic book. Anyway, if it does go through, I wish it will be internationally; hopefully, one in Romania.

carpetmojo · 02-13-2012, 06:53 AM

Cor blimey, they could buy the country......

fjtorres · 02-13-2012, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

So the next time Tim Cook goes to the Oval Office he can say to Obama: "Need to borrow a couple of billions?"

Obama could reply; "You ever hear of a Windfall Profits tax?"

Looking at the attacks at Apple in the east coast media, they seem to have crossed over from "shining example of cool tech company" into "greedy one-percenter" territory, so I wouldn't expect to see Cook with Obama anytime soon. (Unless he's dropping a few million into his Super-PAC.)

Amazon opening B&M stores is a bit more likely but I'd like to see a better source for any rumors. I'll probably remain skeptical until I see the actual Press Release.

One possibility would be an Outlet Store. A local storefront where Amazon Warehouse offloads dinged, dented, or otherwise not traditionally marketable merchandise. Given the volumes of merchandise they handle, accidents happen, and instead of eating the cost, they could recoup something. (Yet another way to lower their operating costs.)

fjtorres · 02-13-2012, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Cor blimey, they could buy the country......

Some countries, yes.
They could, for example, buy out all the residents of Tuvalu, move their HQ there and write up a new constitution proclaiming the CEO as the new President. And since Tuvalu is aready a UN member...
Shortly afterwards, they could unveil the iNuke to discourage further attacks on their business practices.

Rob Lister · 02-13-2012, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

So the next time Tim Cook goes to the Oval Office he can say to Obama: "Need to borrow a couple of billions?"

Won't happen. Bad credit risk.

Kumabjorn · 02-13-2012, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

Won't happen. Bad credit risk.

That is kind of the whole point. Get Obama to default and proclaim TC the iPrez.

02-09-2012, 05:46 PM	#1
cHex Zealot Posts: 127 Karma: 2843950 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Kindle Keyboard (K3)	Amazon [rumoured to be] opening first brick-and-mortar store Link to Washington Post/Bloomberg article from February 6. This seems to be a boutique store, an answer to Apple's stores (where customers are snatching up iPads) and Barnes and Noble's (where customers may try out Nooks, and where they they may browse pBooks and sample books on their Nook). I'm wondering if Amazon will have any special advantage in stocking their stores with books, having as they do so much data on which books (including thousands not available in brick-and-mortar stores) sell in which markets and when.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Where can I get Bebook Neo? Brick and mortar store!	JediEagle	BeBook	8	03-31-2010 11:03 AM
Classic Nook not to be available at all brick and mortar stores.	Alisa	Barnes & Noble NOOK	4	10-28-2009 07:24 PM
Will the Kindle ever be available in brick and mortar stores?	smokedragon	Amazon Kindle	24	02-12-2009 07:49 PM
Brick-and-Mortar Store Thread	Ken Stuart	Sony Reader	331	09-13-2007 05:56 PM
Brick and Mortar	hoodaman	Which one should I buy?	28	07-31-2007 07:44 PM

02-09-2012, 06:01 PM	#2
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,477 Karma: 158151390 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Interesting. I wonder where they'll locate them - large malls, strip malls, or standalones?

02-09-2012, 06:37 PM	#3
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	It's just a rumor. As the article points out, this isn't the first time this rumor floated around.

02-12-2012, 09:10 PM	#4
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	I could see them being in BIG traffic areas, like maybe The Mall of America, or in some of the big international Airports. What would be funny is if Amazon started putting up their own retail locations directly across from some of the Apple stores. I'd go set up a lawn chair on a grand opening and watch the fireworks.

02-13-2012, 03:59 AM	#6
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	I have a suspicion this might be a publicity thing - pictures of insane identities camping out on freezing sidewalks, to be the first one to have their pic in the paper/on TV clutching some piece of "groundbreaking" kit. As long as they didn't cost a fortune, it might be cheap advertising ......... [ Don't know whether the profit margin thing will bother Amazon, they cross budget anyway - but it would lower the tax bill if they did lose a bit. ]

02-13-2012, 05:10 AM	#8
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	So the next time Tim Cook goes to the Oval Office he can say to Obama: "Need to borrow a couple of billions?"

02-13-2012, 05:35 AM	#9
AlexGrama Writer Posts: 275 Karma: 345042 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nexus 7	I'm imagining a tall black building with minimalist architecture and up high the amazon logo with that smiley face, a to z and bellow the logo, a huge kindle4 or something. Looks like it has been dragged out from a comic book. Anyway, if it does go through, I wish it will be internationally; hopefully, one in Romania.

02-13-2012, 06:53 AM	#10
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	Cor blimey, they could buy the country......