Amazon.com, king of e-commerce, can’t seem to leave the physical realm alone—first e-readers, then tablets, TV boxes and smartphones. Now, Jeff Bezos wants a genuine brick-and-mortar shop to peddle them all, say the Wall Street Journal.
Citing people familiar with the plans, the paper reported that the online retailer has its sights set on a New York City store, smack dab in the middle of a high-traffic Manhattan shopping district. If true, the new establishment would go up at 7 West 34th Street—just in time for the upcoming holiday shopping season.
A first for the tech giant, an Amazon store would give consumers some hands-on time with products. And, because the company is an expert at delivering the goods, the store may also front a warehouse of sorts.
From this site, Amazon would be able to send out same-day deliveries within the city, and let people pick up or return items they’ve ordered from the Internet.
Amazon has quietly offered same-day delivery in New York and other cities for years. But a physical store would give Amazon an on-the-ground presence—a key advantage that Apple has when selling gadgets.
Photo of 7 West 34th Street via Google Maps Street View
Update: In response to the Journal’s report, Amazon has said it hasn’t announced any plans for a store in Manhattan.
