So we all know Amazon pretty much owns e-commerce retail in the IT service industry. But now, they want to take over traditional retail too. Amazon’s Counter goes after retailers.
Amazon’s new service, they call it Counter. With counter, you can pick up your Amazon purchases at a retailer near you, instead of waiting on home delivery. Furthermore, they already found a retail partner: drug store chain Rite Aid. They will soon and very soon partner with 100 Rite Aids across the country to launch counter. But by the end of 2019, they want this in over 1,500 stores. This means involvement with other retailers. They tried it already in United Kingdom and Italy. So far, it’s a success.
I can see Amazon’s logic here. Believe it or not, more people shop in physical retail than they do online. In fact, some statistics say only 10% of all US sales are done online. And let’s face it. Waiting for that home delivery isn’t always convenient, or even safe. In our computer repair business, there were many times I had to stay after hours just to wait for a computer part to come through. Then, say nobody is home. Who and what is there to stop a thief from stealing your packages? It’s getting dangerous for delivery employees, too. Remember that confrontation between actor/rapper Ice-T and an Amazon delivery man?
But there is a reason why I title this Amazon’s Counter goes after retailers. Because that’s exactly what they’re doing. They already have Whole Foods, mass media, and just about everything else. Now they want to go after retailers. I’m sorry, but I think I will stick with the retailers I already shop at, especially the small and local retailers. I’d rather not fuel Amazon’s quest for world domination if I can help it. When is it ever going to end?