- Amazon is reportedly negotiating a deal with the largest mall owner in the US to transform the space left empty by retail and department stores, into Fulfillment Centers
- This is not the first time Amazon is examining the idea of using mall spaces. In 2019, it announced that it will launch 2 new fulfilment centers in Ohio, at the former Rolling Acres Mall.
Simon Property Group and Amazon are working on a deal to make malls the next fulfilment centers. At a first glance, the deal would seem to be favourable to both parties, but only time will tell.
What would this mean for consumers, businesses and for the market:
- Even faster delivery speeds – the central location of the malls, would make for even speedier delivery times.
- Abandoned [and dying] mall spaces would be made useful once again, contributing to the local economy.
- This could create more jobs in the current struggling market.
- On the negative side, we will face losing the concept of mall that we grew up with. Sooner or later, in the online era we live in, malls will be transformed… and now may be a good time for this to happen. Be it fulfillment centers, or display, or entertainment destinations, it may be time for mall owners to take the initiative to reinvent themselves.