Amazon is closing 68 shops across the UK and US so it can focus on its grocery and convenience store chains.
The closures will see the online retail giant shutter all of its bookstores as well as its 4-Star shops and pop-up locations.
Amazon has confirmed 66 shops in the US will close, while two stores in the UK will also be shut down.
The US-based tech giant only opened its first UK Amazon 4-Star store, located in the Bluewater shopping centre, in October 2021.
It was described as a “mini department store” and sells items such as books, technology and toys - all of which are rated 4-stars or higher.
The second UK Amazon 4-Star opened in Westfield shopping centre in London in November 2021.
We've asked Amazon to confirm if its two 4-Star stores in the UK will be turned into another Amazon format such as Amazon Fresh, and we'll update this article when we know more.
Closing dates are expected to vary depending on the location of each store, according to Reuters, which first published the news. It isn't immediately clear how many workers will be affected.
Amazon said in a statement: “We’ve decided to close our Amazon 4-star, Books and Pop Up stores, and focus more on our Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Go and Amazon Style stores.
“We remain committed to building great, long-term physical retail experiences and technologies and we’re working closely with our affected employees to help them find new roles within Amazon.”
Closing these shops will allow it to focus on expanding its physical Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores, alongside its Whole Foods Market chain.
Amazon Fresh is the grocery arm of the tech giant, while Amazon Go is its convenience store concept.
There are currently 16 Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, the first of which opened in March 2021.
These stores are described as “checkout-free” as they use special “just walk out” technology to track what customers are buying.
Shoppers enter the stores through a QR code that is linked up to their Amazon account, and then cameras monitor what is being picked up from the shelves.
You’re then automatically charged through your Amazon account when you leave the Amazon Fresh store.
Amazon is also set to open its first Amazon Style clothing store in Los Angeles, California, later this year.
There will be QR codes on the clothes inside the shop, which shoppers will have to scan using the Amazon shopping app to see what other sizes and colours are available to try on.
Once scanned, customers will then be able to send the clothes they like through to the fitting room - ready for them to sample.
