Amazon Expected To Open 100 Pop-Up Stores To Demo Echo, Kindle, More

Despite helping to revolutionize online shopping, e-commerce giant Amazon is going to continue its push into the physical retail environment. Shortly after the news that Amazon will be opening more physical bookstores in new cities across the US comes word that the next year will see 100 or so pop-up stores come to shopping malls around the country.

But rather than offering books, these mini-stores will focus on giving customers hands-on time with Amazon's own tech gadgets, including the Echo speakers, Kindle and Fire tablets, Dash buttons, and the Fire TV. This would allow interested buyers to try the devices before they buy, in addition to the opportunity to talk to an expert about any questions they have.

21 Amazon pop-up stores can already be found in 12 states, with their locations already listed on the company's website. There could be as many as 30 stores running before the end of the year, with roughly 100 expected to be in operation by next year. A job listings page has even been found on Amazon's website, indicating that these pop-up stores are more than just a retail experiment/test.

While it's certainly interesting to see Amazon try to play a bigger part in the retail environment, using pop-up shops to highlight their original products can be helpful for customers who want to try out a device before ordering online. It's likely Amazon will also benefit from the chance to introduce more users to their Prime service and original video content.

SOURCE Amazon, Business Insider