Report: Amazon Preparing to Offer Kindle-Based Checkout System

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A Kindle, seen here in the hands of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, will reportedly power a new checkout system.

Image: Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

By Jason Abbruzzese2014-01-29 23:28:03 UTC

Amazon is developing an in-store checkout system based on its Kindle tablet that would mark the online retailer's biggest effort yet to break into the burgeoning mobile payment industry as well as brick-and-mortar stores, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The report states that the checkout system could be coupled with website development and data analysis to provide smaller businesses with a suite of tools. For Amazon, the checkout system would provide a new batch of customer data.

See also: Amazon Knows What You Want Before You Buy It

This would bring Amazon into direct competition with Square and Paypal, which currently lead the physical mobile payment space.

Amazon has been linked to no shortage of ambitious projects as of late. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos made a splash with the announcement on 60 Minutes that the company had explored the use of drones for delivery. The company is also developing its media offerings, including original content, streaming video and even reports of a live television service.

Bezos has previously said he would be interested in venturing into the brick-and-mortar market, but would want to have a clear idea of how to do it differently.

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Topics: amazon, Mobile, mobile payments, Tech