Why is Amazon opening a brick and mortar bookstore?

Amazon.com has long been in the business of putting brick and mortar bookstores out of business. So why would the e-tailing giant now decide to open its own store inside a mall?

Amazon Books, the name of the store, will open at 9:30 a.m. Pacific this morning at University Village in Seattle. The new store will stock between 5,000 and 6,000 titles selected, according to a letter by Jennifer Cast, VP, Amazon Books, "based on Amazon.com customer ratings, pre-orders, sales, popularity on Goodreads, and our curators' assessments." Most of the books have received a rating of four stars or higher on the site.

While rumors that Amazon would open a brick and mortar bookstore have been around for years, now that it has finally done so, it begs the question, why? According to a Seattle Times article, Amazon believes the data insights it has developed from selling books online can help the retailer avoid stocking titles that will sit on the shelf collecting dust.

Prices at Amazon Books will be the same as those online. Books will face forward and under each will be a card that provides its Amazon.com rating along with a review. Being Amazon, customers have the option of buying a book in the store and leaving with it or ordering it online and having it shipped.

Photo: Amazon

Amazon Books will also serve as a showcase for Amazon devices, including Kindle, Echo, Fire TV and Fire Tablet.

Now that Amazon has opened its first bookstore, another next question is, will there be more?

"We're completely focused on this bookstore," Ms. Cast told The Seattle Times. "We hope this is not our only one. But we'll see."

• Introducing Amazon Books at University Village - Amazon.com
• Amazon opens its first real bookstore — at U-Village - The Seattle Times