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Amazon reverses tack with plans to open up to 400 book shops

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By John Glenday, Reporter

February 3, 2016 | 1 min read

Having killed off book shops in many areas Amazon is readying itself to mount a surprising change in tack by opening hundreds of new bricks and mortar book shops of its own.

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The role reversal was revealed indirectly by Sandeep Mathrani, CEO of shopping mall operator General Growth Properties, giving the rumour some provenance despite Amazon having spent years building a formidable online presence backed by an extensive distribution network which has driven prices into the ground.

During an earnings call Mathrani said: “Even Amazon [is] opening bricks-and-mortar bookstores, and their goal is to open, as I understand, 300 to 400 bookstores.”

Despite the apparent contradiction to its own growth model the move wouldn’t be entirely unexpected, with Amazon opening its first real world book store in its home town of Seattle back in November.

Amazon has not yet commented on the story.

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