Amazon is opening its first Scottish Clicks and Mortar concept store in Waverley Mall, Edinburgh.

The tech giant will capitalise on increased festival footfall in the Scottish capital with its latest pop-up store, as part of the year-long, UK-wide pilot launched in conjunction with business support organisation Enterprise Nation.

It will offer smaller e-commerce platforms a two-week opportunity to meet customers and promote their brand.

Amazon aims to incorporate 100 small online businesses across its 10 Clicks and Mortar stores, the first of which opened in St Mary’s Gate in central Manchester in early June, with the second opening in St David’s shopping centre in Cardiff, Wales in July.

Earlier in the summer, the company also launched a £1 million fund to train over 150 full-time apprentices to help small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increase their productivity and boost their online sales, along with providing free digital training at Amazon Academy events across the UK to help small businesses boost export sales.

Patrick Clover, founder and chief executive of Scottish startup BLACKBX, argued that Amazon is no friend of the British High Street and a setting up some of pop-up shops doesn't make it so.

“At best, this stunt is a sign of a guilty conscience - maybe Amazon has finally woken up to the damage it has caused to the retail sector, the jobs lost and businesses bankrupted, and it is trying to repair a problem of its own making.

"At worst, it’s trying to make moves into the physical sales channel, further encroaching on traditional retailers and adding to their woes," he added.

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