Amazon to Shut Down Go and Fresh Stores as It Focuses on Whole Foods and Delivery
In a move aimed at streamlining its retail operations, Amazon has announced that it will be closing all 57 Amazon Fresh locations and 15 Amazon Go stores nationwide. The decision comes after the company reassessed its strategy for physical grocery stores and determined that it needed to focus on more promising avenues, such as grocery delivery and Whole Foods Market.
The closures are expected to take effect by February 1, except for a handful of locations in California that will remain open due to state requirements. However, customers will still be able to shop Amazon Fresh online in available areas for fast and convenient delivery.
Amazon's decision is largely driven by its experience with grocery delivery, which has seen significant growth since the company launched its service. According to Amazon, it now delivers groceries to over 5,000 US cities and towns, including thousands served by same-day delivery. As a result, the company plans to expand its same-day delivery service of fresh groceries to more areas in the coming year.
The shutdown of physical stores also signals that Amazon is shifting its focus towards new retail concepts, such as its "supersized" store format, which aims to provide customers with a broader selection across fresh groceries, household essentials, and general merchandise. Although no specific details have been revealed about this concept, it's clear that Amazon remains committed to experimenting with new physical store formats.
Amazon Go stores, which were launched in 2018, initially allowed customers to pick up products without checkout, but the company has gathered valuable insights from their operations. This expertise will now be applied to more of its own facilities, including breakrooms where employees can grab meals without having to navigate a traditional checkout process.
Meanwhile, Amazon Fresh stores, which were introduced in 2020, have been providing customers with an assortment of national brands and fresh produce. The closure of these locations marks the end of an experiment that has yielded mixed results for the company.
As Amazon moves forward, it's clear that its focus is on delivering groceries efficiently to more areas, particularly through its online platform. With plans to open over 100 new Whole Foods Market stores in the coming years, it remains to be seen how this strategy will play out for the retailer.
In a move aimed at streamlining its retail operations, Amazon has announced that it will be closing all 57 Amazon Fresh locations and 15 Amazon Go stores nationwide. The decision comes after the company reassessed its strategy for physical grocery stores and determined that it needed to focus on more promising avenues, such as grocery delivery and Whole Foods Market.
The closures are expected to take effect by February 1, except for a handful of locations in California that will remain open due to state requirements. However, customers will still be able to shop Amazon Fresh online in available areas for fast and convenient delivery.
Amazon's decision is largely driven by its experience with grocery delivery, which has seen significant growth since the company launched its service. According to Amazon, it now delivers groceries to over 5,000 US cities and towns, including thousands served by same-day delivery. As a result, the company plans to expand its same-day delivery service of fresh groceries to more areas in the coming year.
The shutdown of physical stores also signals that Amazon is shifting its focus towards new retail concepts, such as its "supersized" store format, which aims to provide customers with a broader selection across fresh groceries, household essentials, and general merchandise. Although no specific details have been revealed about this concept, it's clear that Amazon remains committed to experimenting with new physical store formats.
Amazon Go stores, which were launched in 2018, initially allowed customers to pick up products without checkout, but the company has gathered valuable insights from their operations. This expertise will now be applied to more of its own facilities, including breakrooms where employees can grab meals without having to navigate a traditional checkout process.
Meanwhile, Amazon Fresh stores, which were introduced in 2020, have been providing customers with an assortment of national brands and fresh produce. The closure of these locations marks the end of an experiment that has yielded mixed results for the company.
As Amazon moves forward, it's clear that its focus is on delivering groceries efficiently to more areas, particularly through its online platform. With plans to open over 100 new Whole Foods Market stores in the coming years, it remains to be seen how this strategy will play out for the retailer.
i mean i get it amazon's focus on delivery is legit but what about ppl who dont wanna just sit at home and wait 2 days 4 their groceries? we need some brick n mortar stores around here 
still can't believe theyre closing whole foods tho that place had the best avocado toast in the city 
is kinda surprising, especially since they were experimenting with new concepts there. But I guess you can't keep everything open forever 
. With their grocery delivery growing so fast, it makes sense that they'd want to focus on that more 
. And who knows, maybe these closures will help them come up with even better ideas for their stores in the future 
. It's all about streamlining operations and making sure they're using resources effectively 
. And hey, customers can still shop Amazon Fresh online, which is a win-win 
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. On one hand, I get that grocery delivery is on fire right now 
and they need to focus on that. But at the same time, it's like they're just giving up on building out a decent brick-and-mortar experience 
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. And I'm curious to see how the supersized store format thing works out - Amazon's always been good at innovating and experimenting, so fingers crossed it'll be a hit 
and it's getting better every year! I still remember when same-day delivery was a thing... now you can get your fave snacks in 30 minutes or less 
. The supersized store format sounds kinda cool too 
- who doesn't love having everything under one roof? 
And let's be real, those breakrooms where employees grab meals are straight fire 
. I wonder if they'll revamp the Go stores to something new tho... 
maybe its a good move cuz we dont need as many physical stores anymore with the internet lol anyway, i heard they might have some new store concept in the works which sounds kinda interesting...
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. I mean, who doesn't love getting their groceries online and having them delivered to your doorstep? It's so convenient! But at the same time, I can see why Amazon would want to focus on that whole delivery thing... it's just so much easier for customers and all.
. Oh well, progress is progress, right?
about Amazon shutting down their Go and Fresh stores, it's like they're giving up on trying to make grocery shopping more convenient 
, which are so much less convenient. And don't even get me started on the closure of the Go stores, I loved being able to grab a snack without having to wait in line 
what's crazy is that they're gonna keep focusing on whole foods market which is still doing pretty well for them 
now we'll have to wait and see if their new supersized store concept takes off 
gotta wonder how people will feel about buying stuff without checkout lines...i guess it's just another sign of us getting used to cashless transactions 
! But, I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles, right? 
. Like, imagine being able to grab a snack or meal without even having to leave your desk... it sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie! 