Amazon is growing its counter network of staffed pickup points, which gives customers the ability to retrieve online-purchased packages at partner locations.
With the expansion, customers now have access to thousands more Amazon Hub Counter locations with new store partners Stage Stores, GNC and Health Mart. Delivery to a counter location is available for the tens of millions of items sold on Amazon.com and works with same-day, one-day, two-day and standard shipping at no extra cost.
“The response we’ve heard from our customers and partners after the launch of Counter earlier this year has been tremendous,” Patrick Supanc, worldwide director of Amazon Hub, said. “This new network of pickup points gives customers a pickup experience that is fast, flexible and convenient, and partners are thrilled with the strong engagement and additional foot traffic Counter is driving to their stores.”
The company has been running trials of Amazon Hub Counter with Stage Stores, GNC and Health Mart for the past few months. Stage Stores offers name-brand apparel and soft goods through its Gordmans off-price stores, and Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage department stores.
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Global health and wellness brand GNC is focused on quality performance and nutritional supplements. Health Mart is a network of independently owned and operated pharmacies in the U.S.
Since its U.S. launch in June, Amazon Hub Counter has brought in tens of thousands of Amazon customers to partner locations. Customers have ordered everything from kitchen utensils to power tools and even bags of dog food for delivery to a Counter location, with Thursday being the most popular day to pick up packages, Amazon noted.
After shopping on Amazon, customers proceed to checkout and select one of the Counter pickup points available in their zip code. When their package arrives at the store, customers receive an e-mail notification with a unique barcode, as well as a reminder of the address and the business hours of their selected store. At the store, customers provide the barcode to store staff, who scan it, retrieve the package and hand it to the customer. Customers have 14 days to collect their package.
Counter is part of the Amazon Hub family, which includes Locker, Locker+ and Apartment Locker, designed to bring convenience to customers through pickup and return points. Locker is available in more than 900 cities and towns across the U.S., offering an alternative, secure and convenient delivery option at no additional cost. Locker+ locations are secure and convenient locations in neighborhoods, cities and university campuses across the U.S. Apartment Locker gives apartment building residents an opportunity to receive all their packages, from Amazon and elsewhere, safely, securely and at a time of their choosing.
The company said many retailers, convenience stores and small businesses have expressed interest in becoming a Counter partner, and it plans to continue to expand the network.
Editor’s Note: This story was reported by FN sister magazine Sourcing Journal. For more, visit Sourcingjournal.com.
