Amazon to open pop-ups in San Francisco, Sacramento

New York --Amazon has confirmed that it will open holiday pop-ups in downtown San Francisco, at Westfield San Francisco Centre, and Sacramento, Calif.



“While customers can already see our products online and at retailers like Best Buy and Staples, we wanted to provide another option to try out our full lineup leading into the holidays," the online giant told Fast Company.



The pop-ups will be set up as kiosks where shoppers can check out and play with such Amazon products as the Fire phone, Fire TV, and Kindle e-readers, according to reports. The company has not disclosed the opening and closing dates of the pop-ups, although some reports have the San Francisco one opening on Oct. 22.



The news follows reports that Amazon is opening a space near the Empire State Building in mid-down Manhattan. According to reports, the Big Apple space will function more as a mini-warehouse and pick-up depot for shoppers, but also allow for showcasing of Amazon products. To date, Amazon has not released any statements on the Manhattan location.



It remains to be seen whether the holiday pop-ups will translate into a more permanent commitment on Amazon’s part with regards to physical retail. Many companies open temporary spaces during the holidays.