- Amazon said Thursday that it will close certain Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores.
- It also said it would cut jobs across this area of the business.
- Critics say the focus on tech rather than retail experience in stores is putting off shoppers.
Amazon said Thursday that it plans to close a number of Amazon Fresh grocery and Amazon Go convenience stores and pause new openings.
The announcement, which was made during its fourth-quarter earnings call, came just weeks after the e-commerce giant said it will cut 18,000 jobs in certain areas of the business.
Amazon confirmed earlier this week that these cuts would impact jobs across its grocery arm, including employees that work on the tech and design of these stores.
The two announcements cast doubt over the success and future of Amazon’s grocery business, which was primed to be a major industry disruptor.
A spokesperson for Amazon did not confirm which locations would be closing when contacted by Insider.