Amazon to close all physical bookstores

In the US, Amazon is closing all 24 of its physical bookshops after opening the first in November 2015, reports Publishers Weekly.

First launching in Seattle, the chain spread to 12 states as well as Washington DC. Amazon is also closing all its 4-Star and pop-up shops, which carry a mix of items including some books. In a statement, the company said it will close them to focus on its Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Go and Amazon Style stores, and remains ‘committed to building great, long-term physical retail experiences and technologies’.

According to Publishers Weekly, the impact of the Amazon Books chain on the US physical book retail landscape was ‘negligible’, despite ongoing rumours that the company planned to open hundreds of shops.

Bricks-and-mortar shops are a small part of Amazon’s total business, representing less than 4% of its revenue in 2021.

Category: International news