NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, April 1, 2019

By Leo Sun

Amazon plans to launch over 100 new kiosks in malls across India by the end of the year, according to The Economic Times. The kiosks will sell its Kindle, Fire TV, and Echo devices, and could possibly pave the way for a broader brick-and-mortar expansion across the country.

Amazon opened its first kiosks in India two years ago and currently operates five kiosks in malls in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Noida. It’s reportedly looking for 70 to 80 square feet of floor space in malls for its new kiosks.

Amazon’s decision to open more kiosks in India was somewhat surprising, since The Wall Street Journal recently reported that it would shutter all 87 of its similar pop-up shops in the U.S. by late April. But it wasn’t unprecedented, since Amazon’s e-commerce plans for India face tough new policies aimed at leveling the playing field. Let’s see how Amazon’s brick-and-mortar push addresses those issues.

Photo courtesy of Jon Russell.