Amazon Unveils Amazon Go, a Grocery Store With No Lines or Checkout
Posted on December 5, 2016
Amazon has unveiled a new grocery store concept called Amazon Go. The technologically advanced store has no lines, cashiers or checkout. An array of sensors and cameras tracks buyers and products. Shoppers use the Amazon Go app to shop at the store. They take the products they want and leave. Later they receive a charge on their Amazon account.
The store is located at 2131 7th Ave, Seattle, WA. It is currently in beta mode and open only to Amazon employees. Amazon plans to open it up to the public in early 2017. The store carries ready-to-eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack items from on-site chefs and local bakeries and kitchens. It also carries grocery items such as breads, milk, artisan cheeses and chocolate.This is how Amazon says Amazon Go works: "Our checkout-free shopping experience is made possible by the same types of technologies used in self-driving cars: computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning. Our Just Walk Out technology automatically detects when products are taken from or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in a virtual cart. When you're done shopping, you can just leave the store. Shortly after, we'll charge your Amazon account and send you a receipt."
This type of store format with no cashiers, line or checkout could become the norm in years to come. The store concept requires customers to use an app for them to be able to check out virtually. Amazon may have a head start on rivals in this new format thanks to its large Amazon Prime member base.
Amazon is very serious about the new concept store. A Wall Street Journal story says Amazon is developing several grocery-store formats and could open over 2,000 locations in the years to come.
A promotional video for the new store shows people picking up items inside the store, placing them in a bag and walking out with them. Take a look: