First Amazon Store Open: Brick And Mortar ‘Amazon@Purdue’ Retail Store Opens In Purdue University

It might sound a little counterintuitive and backwards, but online retailing giant Amazon has opened their first brick-and-mortar retail store. The Amazon “first” store, as reported by CNNMoney,? is a pickup and drop-off location that is located on the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

According to the official press release about the new store from Amazon, the Amazon@Purdue store has a staff and everything inside the Krach Leadership Center at Purdue University. Those blessed Purdue students can now easily grab textbooks and other needs in the same manner they would if availing themselves of the online Amazon store, with excellent prices and the hassle-free return policy Amazon normally employs.

The Amazon Student and Amazon Prime members also get the benefits of one-day shipping of one-day pickup using the new Amazon@Purdue location. China’s Alibaba has beat Amazon in drone delivery, however, reports Time? — following up on the popular YouTube video for “Amazon Prime Air” that went viral when Amazon proposed having packages delivered to their customers in as little as 30 minutes by using drones. Amazon was also looking for drone pilots, reports the Inquisitr.

Neverthess, Amazon has the Internet excited about their Amazon@Purdue store, and says Purdue students, alumni, faculty, and staff can get started by visiting purdue.amazon.com. After buying what they want on Amazon, the students can then select Amazon@Purdue as the ship-to address, instead of where they’d normally have their Amazon items sent. When alerted, they can pick up their goods at Amazon@Purdue.

Paul Ryder, Vice President of Media and Student Programs at Amazon, called the Amazon@Purdue first brick-and-mortar store an exciting new venture.

“We’re excited to open our first-ever staffed pickup location at Purdue, making it more convenient and affordable for students to get everything they need for life on campus. Whether students are ordering textbooks, laptops, or mac and cheese, Amazon and Purdue are now providing a convenient and secure spot for them to pick up their stuff at hours that work with their schedules. We look forward to bringing this experience to more universities soon.”

Purdue President Mitch Daniels echoed those sentiments.

“Our goal in working with Amazon has been to make books and other needed supplies more affordable for our students, as we have with tuition and room and board. The opening of the Amazon@Purdue location adds convenience to the mix.”

Boy, with Amazon@Purdue opening on the university’s campus, times sure have changed.

[Image via Amazon]