Amazon continues to expand its e-commerce services, delivering immediate convenience and accessibility to its customers. But the company’s latest service shows just how the company is challenging the retail game in today’s market.
Amazon announced July 11 an agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to open Amazon@Illinois, a staffed pickup location in the Illini Union Bookstore on the UIUC campus.
The first Amazon pick-up location in the state of Illinois, Amazon@Illinois will offer the campus community a convenient location to pick up and return Amazon orders, including virtually everything one needs for university life, from course materials and everyday essentials to tech devices.
Opening in Fall 2016, this approximately 2,200-square-foot space will be conveniently situated for Illinois students, staff and faculty. Additionally, Amazon Prime members will receive Free Same-Day Pickup for orders placed by noon and Free One-Day Pickup for orders placed by 10PM.
“We are excited to partner with Amazon and add this level of service for students, faculty, and staff on campus,” Renée Romano, vice chancellor for Student Affairs at Illinois, said. “The Illini Union Bookstore location is perfect to offer convenience and security in the heart of campus.”
Since 2015, Amazon has opened staffed pickup locations at the following universities: Purdue University; University of Massachusetts Amherst; University of California, Berkeley; University of Pennsylvania; The University of Texas at Austin; and University of California, Davis; as well as in the college communities of University of California, Santa Barbara; University of Cincinnati; and University of Akron.
Amazon will also open more locations in 2016, including: The Georgia Institute of Technology and California State University, Long Beach, and in the college communities of University of Connecticut and Texas Tech University.
