Amazon opened its first physical bookstore in Seattle in the fall, but recent reports suggest its retail ambitions could be much bigger, including stores in other product categories.

Why would Amazon want to get into the space it has been trying to destroy for years?

For one, there's still a huge audience that prefers to shop at retail stores.

But perhaps more important, it's because the retail shopping experience hasn't changed for decades. Amazon is known for trying new things, and it could use its technology and massive amount of user data to come up with a new way of shopping in-store.