Amazon has unveiled plans to open more bookstores and "4-star" shops selling only the best-rated products - while closing its smaller "pop-up" kiosks in the United States.
"After much review, we came to the decision to discontinue our pop-up kiosk program, and are instead expanding Amazon Books and Amazon 4-star," a spokesperson said on Wednesday. "We look forward to opening additional locations of both stores this year."
According to CNBC, the 87 pop-up stores in the US will close next month. Launched in 2014, the stands - located in shopping centres or in other stores, such as Amazon-owned supermarket Whole Foods - offered the company's services and electronics, such as Kindles and Amazon Echoes.
The announcement confirms Amazon's goal to strengthen its real-world, bricks-and-mortar presence with more, larger physical outlets.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the firm, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, plans to open a supermarket chain separate from Whole Foods - with the first expected in Los Angeles at the end of this year.
The firm opened its first "4-star" shop in New York in September, with stock made up solely of products given a four and five-star rating on its website.
In early 2018, the group also opened its first "Amazon Go" store in Seattle - a grocery outlet without a checkout, where purchases are recorded by cameras and sensors.
