The world’s largest online retailer, Amazon, is reportedly considering building brick-and-mortar retail spaces in Ohio and California.
While Amazon has not officially announced it will open large retail spaces, several news outlets have reported the company is seriously considering it.
Ohio State University Associate Professor Terry Esper, who studies marketing and business logistics, said the move would be a no-brainer for Amazon, mirroring Walmart, or Target, where people can buy online and then pick up in-store.
“The reality is that consumers really do prefer to go to stores, especially for certain product categories,” Esper said. “I think it's interesting that Amazon is looking to use these stores, particularly for clothing and technology products. These are the kind of products that consumers still prefer to try on, to tinker around with.
Esper thinks it makes sense that Ohio would be among the first places for Amazon to build retail stores.
The state already employs thousands of Amazon workers at fulfillment and data centers.
He said Ohio’s central location could allow Amazon’s retail spaces to ship products directly from the store to customers, cutting down wait times for people who do buy something online.
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