Update: Amazon has declared the Sunday Times article false in a statement. Read our latest coverage here.
Amazon is on the hunt for store locations in the UK as it looks to take its business into the physical realm - it's an intriguing move for a company that's leapfrogged physical bookstores thanks to the efficiencies of the web.
According to a report in today's Sunday Times, the aim is to replicate the model of Argos, which has seen success with online orders and in-store collection. In short: you'd order your goods online but pick them up at a physical store: this has become increasingly appealing as Amazon expands beyond small items like books, CDs and DVDs. The Sunday Times writes:
Property landlords said that the American company, which has a market value of $59.1 billion (£35.6 billion), had launched a secret search for bricks-and-mortar stores to support its rapidly growing website. It is understood to be scouring the country for high-profile sites just as the Borders book chain is shutting up shop.
Amazon wants to cash in on rising customer demand for click and collect services where shoppers buy online and then pick up their goods from a nearby store. Consumers who are fed up with waiting at home for deliveries are increasingly choosing to buy online and collecting goods at a time that suits them.