Are Amazon’s bookstores headed for the same future as struggling chains like Barnes & Noble? It’s possible, according to the company’s latest financials, which suggest the company’s physical bookstores aren’t doing so hot. [More]
amazon
Amazon Has Obtained Pharmaceutical Wholesaler Licenses In 12 States
By 10.26.17
There are a few things left that Amazon.com doesn’t sell, and one of them is prescription drugs. Yet for most of the last year, analysts and retail-watchers have speculated that Amazon may be looking to get into the prescription drug business. Now there’s proof that the retailer has taken more official steps toward becoming a mail-order pharmacy. [More]
Amazon Selling Discounted LG Phones, But You Have To See Ads All Day
By 10.26.17
Is a $50 discount on a new LG phone enough to offset having to look at ads everytime the device locks? That’s the question some Amazon customer are debating, as the company is offering to knock $50 off LG smartphones that show ads on the phone’s lock screen. [More]
Amazon Launching Service That Lets Delivery Drivers Drop Off Packages Inside Your Home
By 10.25.17
As it was predicted, so it has come to pass: In an effort to combat “porch pirates” who love swiping any boxes left outside, Amazon is launching a new service that allows delivery people to walk into customers’ homes to drop off packages. [More]
How Malls & Big Box Stores Are Using Real Estate Contracts To Stall Amazon’s Whole Foods Expansion
By 10.24.17
While many Americans know the Whole Foods brand, there are only about 450 locations nationwide, a fraction of the number of stores held by national retailers like Walmart, Kroger, or Target. Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods is expected to help grow the supermarket chain’s footprint — which would help Amazon’s food delivery business — but some competitors have realized they can use the fine print in their real estate contracts to undercut Amazon’s Whole Foods hopes. [More]
Amazon Wine Marketplace Closing Dec. 31
By 10.24.17
If you buy wine through the Amazon Wine marketplace, you might want to stock up: The e-commerce giant will close its online wine store Dec. 31. [More]
Amazon App Will Soon Let You Place Takeout Orders At Some Restaurants
By 10.23.17
In its never-ending quest to stick its fingers into as many pies as possible, Amazon will soon allow customers in some areas to place orders for takeout food with local restaurants from inside the Amazon app. [More]
238 Places Are Officially Trying To Become Home To Amazon’s Second Headquarters
By 10.23.17
Even though offering massive tax cuts and other benefits to attract corporate headquarters doesn’t always work out, that hasn’t stopped a lot of cities and regions from officially filing requests with Amazon to be considered for the company’s planned second headquarters. If you’re anywhere near any sort of population center, there’s a good chance your city council has put its name into the Amazon HQ hat. [More]
Amazon Customers Surprised To Receive 65 Pounds Of Marijuana They Did Not Order
By 10.23.17
If you’ve recently misplaced a few bricks of marijuana, you may want to talk to Amazon: Customers who ordered a few storage bins were shocked to find their package arrived with a little extra something tucked in — 65 pounds of pot. [More]
Some Cities Vying For New Amazon HQ Haven’t Learned From Past Mistakes
By 10.20.17
It’s like the Olympics for corporations: Cities all over the country have put themselves into the running to be the home to Amazon’s planned second headquarters, and many of them are offering huge tax breaks and other incentives. But just like the Olympics, cities may regret making such a deal, and several places vying for Amazon’s attention have apparently not learned important lessons from themselves and others that were overly eager to court a new corporate HQ. [More]
Patent Trolls, Big Pharma Try To Use Native Tribes To Skirt Patent Review
By 10.19.17
There are always patent lawsuits and challenges happening around the country. But the new trend in patent suits — from major, established drug companies to fly-by-night outfits alike — seems to be an attempt to get a leg up by using tribal sovereignty to avoid certain parts of the process. [More]
Amazon Takes Over Most Of The Macy’s Building In Seattle
By 10.18.17
What’s even more symbolic than Amazon building a warehouse on the site of what was once the world’s largest enclosed mall? In its hometown of Seattle, Amazon is gobbling up as much office space as it can, and now that includes the top six floors of the Macy’s building downtown. [More]
Kohl’s Launches Amazon Mini-Stores, Return Counters
By 10.18.17
Amazon wants a bigger retail presence in physical stores and for its customers to have an easier time returning things, and Kohl’s wants to shrink its physical stores and rent out some extra space. That sounds like a match, which is probably why Kohl’s and Amazon have teamed up to open their first 10 “Amazon Experience” mini-stores and return counters in Kohl’s stores in Los Angeles and Chicago this week. [More]
Amazon Sells Big Landlords On Package Hubs For Apartment-Dwellers
By 10.17.17
Online retail is very attractive to apartment-dwelling urbanites who may not have a car and whose nearby stores probably charge higher prices than the malls out in the suburbs. But this customer base has always posed a problem for Amazon and its ilk: Where do you leave the packages? [More]
Amazon Reportedly Working With Vendors To Create Its Own Sportswear Line
By 10.16.17
Following a report earlier this year that Amazon was perhaps working on launching its own line of workout apparel, it sounds like Amazon is making more moves toward peddling sportswear: A new report says the company is talking to vendors and suppliers that make workout gear for some of the most popular brands. [More]
Amazon Launches Shopping Portal For Teens, Complete With Spending Allowances
By 10.11.17
Remember the first time your parents trusted you with their credit card after firmly explaining it was solely for emergencies? If you’re like some of us, you might also recall justifying to yourself that paying for Dave Matthews Band tickets constituted an emergency. Your folks likely disagreed, even if they were down with the DMB. So you can probably see why Amazon’s new teen-specific shopping portal lets parents cap how much their kids can spend. [More]
Amazon May Go After “Porch Pirates” By Delivering To Car Trunks, Inside Homes
By 10.10.17
Have you ever come home, expecting to see an Amazon delivery waiting by your door only to find that it had been pilfered by “porch pirates” who will swipe any box with that trademark grin printed on it? But what if that same package could be delivered inside your home? [More]
Target Says It’s Not Trying Compete With Amazon, Just Trying To Be “Best Target”
By 10.10.17
They say that before you can be in a truly happy relationship you have to be happy with yourself. This apparently applies to retail, too: Target executives say the company isn’t trying to compete with Amazon to get customers in the door, instead the retailer is just tying to be the best version of itself for customers. [More]
