Amazon is reportedly planning to open IRL stores.

Amazon is reportedly planning to open IRL stores.The ecommerce giant is planning a physical retail expansion in the U.S. that will mimic department stores (like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s) to help the brand “extend its reach in sales of clothing, household items, electronics, and other areas,” according to people familiar with Amazon’s plans. Ohio and California will house some of the first Amazon department stores, which plan to be around 30,000 square feet and will offer products from its top consumer brands and Amazon’s private-label goods. With Amazon recently surpassing Walmart as the largest seller of clothing in the U.S. according to Wells Fargo, its retail expansion could offer consumers a new way to engage with the brand—although its plans could certainly change as the future of in-person shopping continues to evolve. YPulse’s recent shopping and retail research shows that 50% of young people do prefer to shop in a physical store, and Walmart eclipses Amazon on the ranking of stores they usually shop at, so physical locations could potentially appeal to young shoppers. (WSJ)