Amazon develops Kindle-based checkout system for SMBs
Amazon may often be considered the scourge of traditional brick-and-mortar outlets due to its lower pricing, but the online retail giant is reportedly planning to try and get these small and medium businesses on their side through a new checkout system.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon plans to offer retailers a checkout system that uses Kindle tablets to process payments, and may be ready as soon as this summer. The system will be offered to SMBs first, and could include a combination of Kindles and card readers, data analysis, stats and website development.
The project could push Amazon in to the realm of physical stores and allow the firm to gather valuable data on consumer spending habits in-store. In addition, retailers may benefit due to Amazon's treasure trove of credit card data on over 230 million users -- far more than that possessed by PayPal. In order to entice retailers to the project, the sources say that Amazon is considering granting discounts through Amazon or through its daily offers.
It is worth noting that while the scheme could broaden the use of the Kindle tablet, Amazon will be entering a crowded space already taken by PayPal and Square -- and the company lacks experience in physical outlets.
However, the publication's sources say nothing is set in stone, and plans could still be radically changed or cancelled.
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com