To mark the launch of its "4-star" physical store concept in the United Kingdom, Amazon has opened a new store in the Bluewater shopping center, where the tech company will offer everything from books to pet toys all under one roof.
On October 6, the online marketplace opened the doors to its first branch outside of the United States, in Kent, England. Amazon has already opened six supermarket convenience stores in the UK, all of which are equipped with checkout-less technology.
The new shop will sell approximately 2,000 products that have received a four-star rating or higher on Amazon's online store. This could be everything from Lego kits, literature, to cooking gadgets, among other things.
For example, there is a "Most Wished For" area that displays the most popular products from customers' wish lists.
Amazon's own gadgets, such as the Kindle e-Readers and Fire tablets, as well as smart speakers, will be featured prominently in a major tech portion of the event.
Digital price tags are used to make sure prices remain the same in-store and on the internet. Customers do not need to have an Amazon account in order to use this service.
Amazon has purchased around 3,500 square feet at the Bluewater shopping center in the UK, marking the company's latest foray into physical stores in the country, following the establishment of a hair salon and till-free food stores in 2021.
It's the first Amazon 4-star store to open outside of US soil, where the company currently has more than 30 branches. The world's first 4-star outlet was launched in New York City in 2018.
Buyers can pay using standard counters or scan a QR code and have their purchase billed later from their account, according to Andy Jones, director of Amazon 4-star UK. Customers can also pay using traditional counters or get their purchase billed later from their account.
Customers will also be able to pick up or return orders placed on Amazon's website at the new store's collection point.
"This is a store that has been created by customers for customers. It's another opportunity for us to innovate on behalf of customers," Jones told the Evening Standard.
