What Amazon's Move to Malls Means for Shoppers GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Smart & Connected Life
What Amazon's Move to Malls Means for Shoppers
It’s not all bad, though
By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on August 12, 2020 12:07PM EDT Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
A city-center presence could bring same-day and Prime Now delivery to more towns and cities.Local fulfillment centers could mean fewer emissions from delivery vehicles.Small businesses will be the first to be affected by the move. Emanuele Cremaschi / Getty Images Vacant mall stores could become Amazon distribution centers, allowing Amazon to extend same-day delivery, offer its Prime Now service in more cities, and potentially cut down on emissions from delivery vans working from out-of-town fulfillment centers. There are far too many diesel-powered vans delivering parcels for residents and businesses. If negotiations are successful, Amazon would take over vacant Sears and JC Penney stores and turn them into fulfillment centers. In a way, Amazon has destroyed brick and mortar shopping—and now it will inhabit the corpse. This local presence would let Amazon offer even faster delivery options to downtown areas, but at the cost of yet more delivery traffic. “I would like to see Amazon working with other distributors to set up single shared hubs with shared deliveries by electric vehicles,” University of Westminster Emeritus Professor of Urban Regeneration, and qualified town planner Nicholas Bailey told Lifewire via email. “Amazon going it alone is not a sustainable solution.” Local Storage
According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon has been in talks with the Simon Property Group since before the pandemic, but with COVID-related bankruptcies from JC Penney and others, there’s now a lot more ex-retail real-estate available. These would be fulfillment centers, although the possibility of adding Amazon Lockers or some other kind of pickup service would surely be possible. The main advantage for Amazon here is that it gets to put a warehouse in the heart of a town or city, making deliveries faster and cheaper. Malls are perfect for this because they are already set up for receiving large deliveries, and because they have ample parking. Prime Now
If Amazon adds fulfillment centers closer to downtown, then Prime Now deliveries could potentially be made available in many more cities. Prime Now is Amazon’s fastest delivery tier. Unlike same-day delivery, Prime Now lets subscribers pick short delivery slots for a limited range of goods. The service launched in 2015, and is now available in many, but not all, US states. Orders can arrive unboxed and are just handed over to you. Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images The experience is like getting a delivery from the local bodega, and the order can reach your door within a few hours. To test the service, I once ordered a Kindle from a bus on my way home. An hour or so after I got back, a guy with a cool Amazon-branded electric trike handed it to me. Faster Greener
This all adds up to a win for both Amazon and the customer. Amazon gets to move into perfect, pre-built downtown premises, and offer better service to boot. Even employees would enjoy the advantage of a shorter commute, allowing them to walk, drive, or take the bus to the mall instead of an out-of-town warehouse. Better still, delivery routes will be shorter. Instead of driving in and out of the city with every load, vans and cars will shuttle goods from the mall to offices, and to downtown apartments. Ideally, this would be combined with greener delivery vehicles. I mentioned the electric-powered trikes above, but there are other options. In Dublin, for example, UPS is testing electric-powered handcarts, with drop-in containers full of parcels. Once a fulfillment center is close to the customer, you no longer need gas-powered trucks and vans. Smaller, human-powered vehicles are possible. Currently, deliveries cause major congestion in cities, so anything that might ease that would be welcome. Then again, it could just mean more traffic. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images “There are far too many diesel-powered vans delivering parcels for residents and businesses,” says Professor Bailey, “when consolidation and co-ordinated 'last mile' deliveries by EVs and cargo bikes will reduce congestion and improve air quality for all.” The loser is, as ever, the existing retail industry. First, Amazon competed with department and big-box stores. It also put pressure on specialist retailers like camera stores, and, of course, book stores. Now, with the option of same-day convenience, combined with the current pandemic, who would bother to leave home to go shopping? Pretty much the only time I go to an actual store is if I need something right away. The destruction of local chains and privately-owned stores is the real problem here. “My family owns a small business,“ writes RJ Khalaf on Twitter, “Amazon made everyone used to fast, free two-day shipping.” To compete, RJ’s business ships using USPS, but even that’s in trouble now. The UK high street was decimated by out-of-town supermarkets, which then took over the carcasses of local stores to complete the takeover. Humans will almost always take the most convenient, cheapest options, especially if the consequences don’t immediately affect us. Amazon isn’t the first one to take advantage of that tendency, but it’s certainly the most successful. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Is Amazon Prime? How to Get Free Stuff on Amazon The 8 Best Online Grocery Shopping Sites in 2022 T-Mobile 5G: When & Where You Can Get It What Are Amazon Lockers and Hubs? 17 Pros and Cons of Shopping Online What is Amazon Prime Student? What Is Mobility as a Service? Amazon Prime Now: How to Get a Free Two-Hour Delivery Buying a TV Online Vs. In a Store: Which Is Less Hassle? How to Use the Amazon Prime Whole Foods Discount What Is Uber Eats And How Does It Work? How to Move With Alexa Free Video Streaming for Amazon Prime Members The 6 Best Online Retailers for a TV Purchase in 2022 Amazon Prime Reading: What It Is and How It Works Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies