Amazon is opening its first ever 4-star mini-department store outside of the US in Dartford’s Bluewater shopping centre as it continues its blitz of the UK’s highstreets.
Amazon 4-star will open its doors to the public at 10am today, offering an array of around 2000 top selling items from Amazon.co.uk which have user ratings of four stars or above.
Everything from toys to games, consumer electronics, home and kitchen products, books and a raft of Amazon devices like Fire Tablets, Kindle e-readers and Echo Dots will be available to purchase in store.
The 3500sq ft store, just like its six Amazon Fresh stores which have opened across London this year, will also feature a parcel-free, label-free returns service and collection point for any online Amazon orders.
Often referred to as a ‘mini-department store’, though a different format from its new widely rumoured department store format, the 4-star store will be split into sections including ‘Most Wished For’, ‘Trending in Bluewater’, and ‘Most Gifted’, with the items collectively amassing over 3.9 million four-star reviews or above.
READ MORE: Amazon opens 6th Fresh store in Dalston as raid on British high streets continues
Just like the rapid roll out of its Amazon Fresh stores this year, Amazon has kept the launch of the store incredibly close to its chest.
However, the retail giant is understood to have secured around 30 sites across the UK, suggesting that its 4-star format, which was launched in the US in 2018, could be a major part of its ongoing rollout.
While Amazon has not confirmed that more 4-star stores are in the works, it says it “look(s) forward to hearing what customers think”.
The format will not include the “Just Walk Out” cashierless shopping technology its Amazon Fresh stores do, and is therefore able to be rolled out much more quickly and cheaply than its grocery counterpart.
“The Amazon 4-star store is a great place for customers to discover hot new releases, guaranteed page-turners, top-selling electronics, and more,” Amazon 4-star director Andy Jones said.
“Every part of the store is designed with our customers in mind and we think they will be delighted by the curated selection of the most-loved products at great prices, opportunity to test drive Amazon’s latest devices, and the convenience of pickup and returns.”
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1 Comment. Leave new
Amazon continue to accurately identify what customers will like (even though we may not know it). 3, 500 square feet is quite small though.