Amazon is soft-launching a new supermarket Thursday, with a shopping cart that tallies up items as it enters the basket and enables instant checkout, and Alexa stations throughout the store you can ask questions. Amazon’s first Fresh store is a 35,000 square foot traditional supermarket, opening in a strip mall in Woodland Hills, California, next to a See’s Candy. The address: 6245 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Click here to read the story from usatoday.com.
Questions for Classroom Discussion
- What is a product launch?
- What is a “soft” launch?
- Why do companies have soft launches when introducing a new concept?
- Based on information from this story, describe Amazon’s new concept for a supermarket.
- In your opinion, will Amazon’s new supermarket concept change the future of shopping? Be prepared to discuss your answers.
