Amazon's Next Target for Retail Conquest: the Burbs

Tech giant Amazon is reportedly bringing its cashierless convenience stores to the suburbs. Areas outside of major American cities can soon expect to see “Amazon Go” stores pop up as Amazon continues its assault on the bricks and mortar retail industry.

Breitbart News has previously reported on Amazon’s cashierless convenience store that allows users to simply place items in their shopping cart and walk out of the store with their accounts automatically being charged. Now, the e-commerce giant is reportedly bringing its Amazon Go convenience stores to the suburbs.

Jeff Bezos speaks about his flight on Blue Origin’s New Shepard into space during a press conference on July 20, 2021 in Van Horn, Texas. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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The Verge reports that the new stores will continue to use the Amazon Go branding and will be located in areas further outside major cities. The stores will reportedly carry food, snacks, alcohol, and “a few everyday essentials.”

Moving stores outside the city may be a result of more people working from home, reducing general footfall in urban areas where many of the company’s stores are located. The new locations will still use the company’s “Just Walk Out” technology allowing customers to pick up items and leave without talking to a cashier or using a self-checkout machine.

No exact date has been set for the opening of the first location but Amazon plans to open its first 6,150 square foot convenience store in Mill Creek, Washington in the coming months. Mill Creek is located around 20 miles north of Amazon’s hometown of Seattle where it opened its first store in 2018.

Amazon Go has expanded to dozens of locations across the nation, many of which use the company’s Just Walk Out technology. Amazon also has Amazon Fresh retail stores. The operating costs of Amazon’s retail tech have reportedly plummeted by around 95 percent since 2017, according to a recent report from Business Insider.