Amazon is understood to be mulling an expansion into former Toys R Us sites across the US as the toy retailer begins its final wind down.
According to Bloomberg, sources close to the situation said Amazon has taken an interest in Toys R Us’ estate – which will soon be reduced to 885 vacant stores – allowing it to expand its physical presence quickly and cheaply.
The ecommerce giant will reportedly use the new sites for its own purposes, not in an effort to rescue some of the bankrupt brand’s estate.
It is not yet clear whether these could take the form of Amazon’s recently acquired Whole Foods Market grocery offering or be used to expand its Amazon Go cashier-less stores which were launched to the public earlier this year.
The news comes less than a week after Toys R Us announced that it would shut its entire US network, jeopardizing 30,000 jobs.
Its UK counterpart announced the same week that after failing to find a buyer, it would begin closing its 100 stores threatening a further 3000 jobs.
Toys R Us’ collapse is in part due to growing pressure from Amazon, which has disrupted the entire sector by offering many of the same items at significantly lower prices and with the convenience of delivery.
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