(Bloomberg)—Amazon.com Inc., No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2018 Top 500, is ending its experiment with electronics-focused pop-up stores, shuttering 87 kiosks located inside shopping malls, Whole Foods Market locations and Kohl’s stores around the U.S.
“After much review, we came to the decision to discontinue our pop-up kiosk program,” an Amazon spokeswoman said.
The closings are expected to be completed by the end of April, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Wednesday, saying it wasn’t immediately clear if any Amazon pop-ups outside the U.S. would be affected.
On a conference call with analysts on Tuesday, Kohl’s, which says it hosted 30 Amazon kiosks in its retail stores, said it would wind down those store-within-a-store locations. Michelle Gass, the retailer’s CEO, said Kohl’s had decided to stock Amazon-built electronics instead. The roughly 100 Kohl’s stores that accept certain Amazon.com returns will continue to accept returns.
The closings come as Amazon’s portfolio of traditional physical retail stores grows. The company two years ago acquired Whole Foods Market and the organic grocer’s more than 460 locations. The Journal reported last week that Amazon planned to open new grocery stores under a new brand, distinct from Whole Foods.
The company also operates bookstores, cashierless Amazon Go-branded convenience stores and a new franchise that stocks a potpourri of items with positive reviews on Amazon’s online retail site, called Amazon 4-star, and book store Amazon Books.
With this announcement, Amazon also said that it will be expanding Amazon Books and Amazon 4-star locations, which, “provide a more comprehensive customer experience and broader selection,” an Amazon spokesperson tells Internet Retailer.Amazon currently has three 4-star stores, and 19 Amazon Books stores.
April Berthene contributed to this report.
