E-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc. intends to open brick-and-mortar stores in Germany, Quartz reported Dec. 18, citing an interview of Ralf Kleber, head of Amazon Germany, with German newspaper Berliner Morgenpost.

Asked about the retailer's strategy in the country, Kleber reportedly told the paper that "it's not a question of if, but when" Amazon would set up physical stores, but he did not disclose a launch date. He added that the stores could start on a small scale, similar to how Amazon Fresh, the company's online grocery delivery service, was tested for six years in Seattle before eventually expanding.

In-store sales account for 90% to 95% of Germany's total retail sales, according to Quartz.