Amazon has opened its first mini department store in the UK as the online retail giant continues its takeover of the high street.
The company welcomed customers its new 3,500 sq ft site this morning (October 6) at the Bluewater shopping centre, near Dartford in Kent.
Instead of selling food, like its Amazon Fresh outlets, its new store sells items such as books, technology and toys - all of which are rated 4-stars or higher.
Amazon will sell around 2,000 items in total, which will change depending on what is new and trending.
The online retail giant is using customer information such as the items most added to “wish lists” to decide what it sells.
It will also make sure prices are the same in person as they are online through digital price tags, although shoppers won't need to have an Amazon account to shop.
The store also doesn't use the same "just walk out" checkout-free technology as its food stores.
This means customers have to pay for items with cash, credit card or through the Amazon app using the 4-star QR code at checkout.
Shoppers will be able to collect items ordered online and returned unwanted goods as well.
Amazon launched its first 4-star store in the US in 2018 but this is the first of these sites to open in the UK.
There are 30 Amazon 4-star stores in the US.
Andy Jones, director of Amazon 4-star UK, said it is an "exciting" milestone for the retail giant, which started plans for the store prior to the pandemic.
However, the retail boss hasn’t confirmed whether more 4-star stores are already in the works in the UK.
He said: "I've been working on this for the past two years so we are obviously just really keen now to get customers in and see what they think.
"The pandemic didn't really change our thinking. We've seen that the model has worked really well in malls in the US, so a location like Bluewater made total sense to us.
"I think the variety in the store is really important and hopefully something customers will see.
"There are the Amazon products they will expect but also local products from small suppliers, because that is a huge part of the Amazon business."
Amazon opened its first UK grocery store last year with its "just walk out" technology that means shoppers can pay for items without going to a checkout.
Instead, their Amazon account is charged as they exit the shop, with cameras keeping an eye on what you've picked up in stores.
Its first ever Amazon Fresh branch opened in Ealing in March, followed by its second opening in Wembley Park.
Amazon now has six of its Fresh sites, including in White City, Chalk Farm, Canary Wharf and Dalston.
The retailer said the model has been "well received" since opening.
