“See what happens after you click buy,” teases a new web page at Amazon. At six different fulfillment centers across the United States, you can now take a tour!
tinyurl.com/AmazonTours
The tours happen on the first and third Tuesday of every month, between 10 a.m and 2 p.m. (“Come see the magic…” urges Amazon on web page.) On Thursday, Amazon surprised the world by announcing the new tours during their standard quarterly earnings call. You can now visit Amazon facilities in California, Virginia, Arizona, Tennessee, Delaware, and Indiana…
The tours take approximately 60 minutes (though spots are limited, and you’re required to claim your spot with an online form). And if you’re thinking of arranging a field trip, Amazon suggests that the “optimal” size for a tour group is 30, though “we can accommodate larger groups, if needed.” If you’re bringing your children, Amazon requires all visitors to be over the age of 6. And if you’re wondering what to wear, here’s Amazon’s official response. “We ask guests to wear closed-toe shoes without heels…”
Imagine tromping around the warehouse where Amazon ships out all their goodies. (It’s almost like visiting Santa’s workshop, since this is where most Christmas gifts really come from…!) But it’s also a strong push by Amazon to win the hearts of America’s consumers. They’re transforming themselves from a giant, faceless corporation into a good neighbor in your community who employs folks just like you!
“Our fulfillment network hired more than 20,000 full-time employees last year,” reads the headline on Amazon’s tours page, “creating jobs and opportunities across the United States.” Another infographic points out that working in one of their fulfillment centers is “Safer than a department store.” (The number of illnesses and injuries reported at Amazon’s warehouses is 51% lower than at a general warehouse, and 33% lower than at a department store.) And Amazon wants you to know that they actively recruit U.S. veterans, and give grants to community organizations…
Amazon may become the most powerful company in the world, conquering the supply chains for virtually every single consumer product, and displacing every store in your local community. Not just retail stores, but also grocery stores, and even pet food stores, movie theaters, and of course, bookstores. “We continue to create jobs across the country,” Amazon says cheerily — and a little defensively — on their tours page. But whether you love them or hate them, either way it’s now possible to at least take a peek behind the curtain and see what’s happening for yourself.
The tours are already proving to be very popular. “An attempt Thursday to book a visit resulted in initial slots in September,” notes one reporter in San Bernardino, “and a follow-up e-mail indicated the dates requested were no longer available.” He then contacted a spokesperson at AMazon who told him that “We’ve had a great response from the community in San Bernardino.
“We’re excited for customers to be able to come see firsthand what happens after they click buy on Amazon…”
tinyurl.com/AmazonTours
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