Amazon.com Looks For Sales Boost In Circuit CityAmazon.com Looks For Sales Boost In Circuit City

Amazon.com Inc. is teaming with brick-and-mortar store Circuit City Stores Inc. in a move many expect to be Amazon's only path to profitability.

The alliance means that Amazon's inventory of consumer electronics will increase by several thousand items. Where both Amazon.com and Circuit City offer the same merchandise, customers can use Amazon.com's traditional shipping options or pick up their orders at one of 600 Circuit City stores beginning in November. For now, items that are only available from Circuit City must be picked up at a store, but Amazon expects to add a home-delivery option for those orders by early next year, a spokeswoman says.

"It will be very clear to the customer who they're buying from so they'll know what their options are," she says. "It will be just as if they're ordering from [Circuit City's] site, but you'll have the Amazon.com online experience--the look and feel that makes Amazon so popular."

Under the terms of the multiyear deal revealed Monday, Amazon.com will be paid a percentage of the revenue from sales of Circuit City electronics merchandise purchased through Amazon.com's electronics store. No other financial details were released. Circuit City will continue to operate its own Web site, CircuitCity.com, and will accept returns of merchandise picked up at its stores.