We Visited Amazon’s Retail Bookstore and Here’s What We Thought
Book Lovers!
Do you live in CA, CO, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NY, OR, TX, WA, or Washington, D.C.? If so, you may be one of the lucky ones to have an Amazon Books retail brick and mortar bookstore located near you – or onlineing soon (see store locations)!
But is it worth making a special trip to visit an Amazon Books store? We recently had a chance to visit their new bookstore in Austin, TX and here’s what we thought…
1.) Browse thousands of popular book categories.
Although the Amazon Books store I visited is much smaller than a typical Barnes and Noble store, you can still browse thousands of popular books from various categories throughout the store. All book covers face outward, so you can quickly glance titles just by walking around the store. And they have sections that are sorted by fun categories similar to Amazon.online book lists.
Here are just a few categories we found:
- Children’s Graphic Novels
- Children’s Best Sellers/Top Sellers
- Parenting
- Young Adult
- Sports & Fitness
- Most-Wished-For Books on Amazon
- New Hardcover Fiction
- Non-fiction Top-Sellers
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- + MORE!
2.) All books are rated 4.0 stars or higher.
Only the best of the best! From top-sellers to customer favorites, all books on the Amazon Books shelves have been rated 4.0 stars or higher by Amazon customers.
Throughout the store, you’ll conveniently find an Amazon review card under each book with a helpful customer quote, total number of reviewers, current star rating, and more. So fun!
3.) Prime members get Amazon pricing.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, ALL items in the store are the same prices listed on Amazon.online! So if you need a book in a jiffy, head to an Amazon Books store to get Prime pricing without waiting a couple days for your items to show up in the mail. Score!
If you’re not a member, you’ll pay Amazon’s price for devices OR list price for books and all other items. In other words, if you want to buy a couple books and are not a Prime member, you will essentially find around the same prices at Barnes and Noble.
4.) Conveniently pay using the Amazon App.
Although not required, your browsing experience is much simpler with the Amazon App, so consider downloading it before heading to an Amazon Books brick and mortar store. There are no price tags on items, but you can scan them using the app to quickly get current pricing.
If you don’t have the app, you can also scan books at the Price Checker machines found throughout the store. And, if you prefer, you can make a purchase by using cash or any credit card instead of the App.
5.) Easily search for books in the store.
If you’re on the hunt for a certain book, you can quickly find what you’re looking for by using the Amazon App. Just open the Amazon App, tap the camera icon, and scan the QR code found on signs around the store. Then enter the book name, and you’ll find where that book is located in store.
You can also open the app and navigate to Amazon Books under “Programs & Features.” Select your local store to search product availability and see current Prime pricing.
6.) Kids can explore in the children’s area.
Inside each Amazon Books store there’s an inviting children’s area with tables, chairs, Fire 7 Kids Edition tablets, bins of toys, and easy access to all sorts of children’s books and popular toys.
7.) Test Amazon Devices before buying.
Like trying before buying? At Amazon Books, you can test drive Amazon devices, such as the Echo, Kindle, Fire tablet, and Fire TV before making a purchase. Many of the Echo products are connected to smart home devices, so you can also explore how to voice control your home.
You can also easily explore various books on Kindle readers throughout the store, which is a nice feature if you’ve been contemplating purchasing a Kindle and want to see how it works first.
Overall opinion?
If you’re an avid reader and Amazon Prime member, it’s definitely worth making a trip! It’s great to know that all of the books in the store are highly rated by real people and that you are likely getting the best online price. Plus, if you need a book right away, Prime pricing without waiting a couple days for it to arrive in the mail is a nice feature.
However, if you’re not an Amazon Prime member (ummm, why aren’t you already!?), then it’s likely just about the same as picking up a book at Barnes and Noble or placing your order on Amazon.online.
Written by Mary for Hip2Save. Mary is a proud mom to 3 kids in Austin, TX, who thrives off Jesus, running long distance, bargain shopping, warm Texas weather, a yummy latte…and a little Candy Crush from time to time. She also loves quality time with family & friends and sharing great deals with others.
