Amazon Germany adds click-and-collect service

Recently, Amazon Germany launched a "click & collect" option for third-party sellers. Through this service, sellers with physical stores will be able to provide same-day store pickup services for customers within a 48-kilometer radius.

The service page shows that if the buyer chooses to pick up the goods in the store, the seller will receive a notification and when the buyer picks up the goods in the store, the buyer needs to show the relevant information received via email. In addition, the buyer must pick up the goods in the store within 5 days.

Amazon launched its "click and collect" option in the United States a year ago. In 2019, the retail giant launched a "counter" delivery service in Germany, allowing retail stores to use themselves as pickup stations for Amazon packages, similar to DHL's parcel stations. Unlike "click and collect", this service only allows buyers to pick up the goods from the store where they purchased them.

Amazon said that through the "click and collect" service, sellers will get many benefits, including increased store traffic, more new customers, stronger connections with customers, the possibility of selling other products and after-sales service. And, it can also improve the visibility of the store.

It is worth mentioning that Amazon was recently exposed to be shutting down Canvas, a warehouse robot startup acquired for more than $100 million in 2019, highlighting the company's continued cost-cutting. People familiar with the matter said Amazon announced the decision internally on Tuesday. One of the people familiar with the matter said Canvas has more than 100 employees. Employees can choose to transfer to another team within Amazon or leave with severance pay.

There have also been recent market reports that Amazon will no longer publicly use its Scout delivery robots and is "repositioning" the program. Reports indicate that the Scout team has been disbanded and most of its 400 members will be given new positions within the company.