Reports: Amazon takes on club retailers with Pantry

NEW YORK — Club retailers like Costco and Sam's Club may have some competition from Amazon.com, according to published reports.

USA Today reported Thursday that the Seattle-based online retailer was creating a new business called Pantry that would allow members of its Amazon Prime premium service to buy consumer packaged goods in large quantities in a box of a pre-set size. Members will be able to put in as many items as the box can fit, up to a certain weight limit, and Amazon will ship the box for a small fee, as long as everything fits and isn't too heavy.

According to the newspaper, senior manager in vendor engagement and consumables Billy Hegeman runs Pantry, which the company plans to launch in 2014.