Amazon has stated that it has no plans to open any stores in the UK in response to reports that it was planning a physical presence on the high street. It’s remaining resolutely online for the foreseeable future.
The rumour sprang to life in the Sunday Times at the weekend, which claimed to know of Amazon’s “secret plan to open high street shops”. The tip off, apparently, came from property landlords which said that the online shopping giant had been scouting out locations across the British Isles.
The supposed rational was to provide a click and collect service, so punters could buy items online and pick them up in person – negating the need to wait in for home deliveries. Not a bad idea, but apparently totally wrong.
An Amazon spokerperson told Reuters that it had no plans for such scheme and abruptly ended the chat there and then, refusing to comment on whether it would consider partnering with retailers to provide such a service or what its future plans were.
So there you have it, if you want to get your Amazon orders in before Christmas, you better start hitting the web pretty soon.
Out TBC | £TBC | Amazon (via Sunday Times, Reuters)
