When the Amazon bookstore in Seattle opened last week, I asked my friends whether they planned to go and got mostly angry, “hell no” anti-Amazon reactions. But I couldn’t help being curious about… whatever it is Amazon thinks they’re doing. So I decided to spare you a trip and go check it out!

Amazon bookstore exterior

Inside the Store

The Amazon bookstore is located in the University Village mall, or “outdoor lifestyle shopping center,” which probably tells you everything you need to know. It’s the kind of place that has three Starbucks locations so the Lululemon-wearing ladies don’t have to walk too far for their PSLs. And it hasn’t had a bookstore at all since Barnes & Noble left in 2011.

Amazon bookstore interior

Amazon’s store is medium-small — about the size of an airport bookstore and definitely smaller than, say, an average Barnes & Noble. So as you can imagine, the selection is a lot smaller and more “curated.” The inventory consists of books that are highly rated and/or bestsellers on Amazon.com, and the display tables and hang tags reflect this (“Young Adult Top Sellers, 4 Stars and Above”).

Bestsellers at Amazon bookstore

They make a big deal out of in-store prices being the same as online, but you have to scan the book to see what that price is. While there are a couple of in-store scanners, they strongly steer you towards using the Amazon app on your phone, no doubt to collect even more juicy consumer data. But I didn’t see any in-store computers to assist customers with looking up items and buying them online (since the store selection is limited) — maybe they assume everyone has smartphones now?

Price scanner in Amazon bookstore

You’ll see most of the usual bookstore departments (fiction, YA, nonfiction, reference, children’s), just a much smaller quantity of titles. I liked that they had an endcap promoting Native American voices, though it seemed light on Pacific NW tribal representation. But the prime real estate at the center of the store is devoted to Amazon gadgets: Kindles, Amazon Fire TVs, Echo and more, plus all the cords and adapters that go along with them.

Young adult books in Amazon bookstore

It was very busy on its first weekend and had a line out the door, so while the store was well-staffed, the employees were focused on re-stocking shelves and didn’t greet or engage customers. Amazon attempted to poach experienced staff from Seattle’s existing bookstores for that personal touch, but if they were successful, it didn’t show: I wasn’t even acknowledged during my visit, let alone asked if I needed help.

What’s Amazon’s Plan?

Many of the early reviews and blog posts about Amazon’s bookstore criticized its bland, corporate decor and failure to do something truly original. They were expecting a real sea change for the massive online retailer’s first brick-and-mortar location, and didn’t get it.

Make no mistake: this is a big research lab with a storefront. It’s clear that Amazon intends to harvest all those barcode scans and app searches for massive amounts of consumer data, the better to tailor their inventory and streamline shipping — and if it’s successful, it could be a model for additional stores in other literature-loving cities.

Shelf tag on book in Amazon bookstore

And, as Dustin Kurtz pointed out, Amazon has its own publishing imprint, Amazon Publishing, with imprints dedicated to mysteries and thrillers, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, young adult, nonfiction, literary fiction, and more. In a physical store, Amazon could feature dedicated displays to get more eyeballs on their own titles (though they don’t seem to be doing that yet).

Should You Go?

Well, that depends on whether you want the “bookstore experience” or an Amazon product testing zone. If you want to test out their electronic gadgets in person before buying, this is pretty much your only option. Next-day Amazon Prime shipping is nice, but nothing beats the instant gratification of buying a toy on the spot, especially during the holiday season.

Back to the airport bookstore comparison, it’s also convenient if you’re looking for a popular mainstream book, and their magazine selection is decent, too. If you come in thinking, “I just need a book to read,” you can absolutely find one. If you come in thinking, “I want this particular title/author,” you may be disappointed.

But outside of airports, do we really need a gadget-pushing, bestsellers-only bookstore where the driving principle is convenience? I still prefer the in-depth selection, knowledgeable staff input, and the joy of unexpected discoveries — plus the good karma! — that comes with shopping at indie bookstores.

Stephanie Perry
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