Amazon Goes Brick And Mortar At Kohl’s

Kohl’s is the latest brick-and-mortar retailer partnering with Amazon, with shoppers at designated locations soon being able to purchase some of the online retail giant’s products directly from the store.

CNBC reported that the Kohl’s has unveiled plans to roll out a “smart home experience” in 10 stores in Los Angeles and Chicago. Starting in October, shoppers can purchase Amazon devices, accessories and smart home products — just in time for the holidays. The department store chain’s stock was trading about 1.5 percent higher in premarket hours Wednesday after the news.

“We believe in the power of our store portfolio and know that our future as a best-in-class omnichannel retailer will be driven by how inventive, compelling and unique we can make our store experience,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief merchandising and customer officer. “Kohl’s and Amazon share a customer obsession.”

Kohl’s will feature 1,000-square-foot “zones” within its stores for Amazon products, including the Echo, Echo Dot, Fire TV and Fire tablets. Customers can then schedule an Amazon expert to come to their home and install smart home devices. In addition, Kohl’s will be promoting Amazon Home Services, where customers can get assistance finding professionals for services such as lawn care and home improvement.

“We are thrilled to offer a unique new way for customers to try out our lineup of Alexa-enabled Amazon devices, learn more about our smart home services from Amazon experts and then buy those items directly from Amazon — all within Kohl’s stores,” said Dave Zimmer, vice president of sales and marketing for Amazon Devices.

Earlier this year, Amazon partnered with Sears to sell Alexa-enabled appliances on Amazon.com, while Best Buy also sells some Amazon products in its stores. And after Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, Echo devices are now available in many of the supermarket’s locations across the country.