dark stores
Customer-free distribution centers
Dark stores are retail spaces that function as fulfillment centers rather than customer-facing shops.
They stock products for online orders only, with workers picking and packing items for delivery or curbside pickup.
The term emerged with the growth of rapid grocery delivery services: The company converted several locations to dark stores to speed up deliveries.
Called "dark" because they're closed to walk-in shoppers.
- ecommerceInternet-based buying and selling
- groceriesFood bought at stores
- behind closed doorsIn private, unobserved
- warehouseBulk goods storage building
- online shoppingInternet-based retail activity
online orders · supermarket · inventory · parcel lockers · supply chain · zoning regulations · mobile payment · consumer behavior · distribution channels · mobile commerce · rapid delivery · curbside pickup · corner shop · pickings · inventory management · price sensitivity · bodega · blacks
dark storesretail stores
Consumer-facing sales establishments
brick-and-mortar stores · shopping centers · department stores · supermarkets · boutiques
dark, store, darken, darkened, darkening, darkly, darkness, darker, darkest