What: Amazon has opened the doors of its first UK non-food store at the giant Bluewater mall in Kent. The store sells around 2,000 of its most popular products and is called Amazon 4-Star, because all of the items have received at least a four-star rating from customers. The location also serves as a click & collect hub for picking up online orders and a returns centre without the need for packaging and labels.

Why it is important: Although not selling fashion or beauty for now, it’s a strong signal of the once-online-only retailer’s ambitions in physical retail outside of the US where 30 such stores are operating.

The categories currently available inside are ranging from books to consumer electronics, toys, games and homewares. It also includes the most popular items from customer wish lists in a Most Wished For section. Using sources such as wish lists and reviews, Amazon is showing how its data-driven business model is ideal for putting the products it knows consumers want in front of shoppers.

Amazon opens first non-food UK store at Bluewater