Amazon will add more than 1,500 package pickup locations in a partnership with the national pharmacy chain Rite Aid. The online retailer said the service has no extra fees for consumers.

Starting Thursday, customers will be able to pick up orders at more than 100 Rite Aid stores and that will jump to more than 1,500 by the end of the year. The service, called "Counter," was designed and built by Amazon but first debuted in Europe, the company said in a statement.

Major retailers broadsided by the rapid ascent of Amazon.com have discovered one advantage: physical locations where customers can pick up their items if they choose.

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Amazon is trying to offset that advantage through partnerships and said Thursday that in addition to Rite Aid, it's looking for more small to midsized businesses as well as other large chains to ally itself with the new service.

Customers shopping on Amazon can select a Counter pickup site in their area. When the package arrives at the Rite Aid location, Amazon sends an email notification with a barcode that the customers can show to store staff members. The Rite Aid worker will then scan the barcode and retrieve the package.

Consumers have 14 days to pick up their deliveries, Amazon said.