The future of the grocery store: Amazon Go?

Amazon recently announced its first Amazon Go Store in Seattle, now open for its own staff. Early 2017 the Amazon Go store will open to the general public

December 20, 2016

Source

Amazon

Earlier this month Amazon introduced its new grocery store concept Amazon Go. Amazon Go is a new kind of store with no checkout required.

Amazon created the world’s most advanced shopping technology so you never have to wait in line. The store is pitched as a 'Just Walk Out Shopping experience'.

Simply use the Amazon Go app to enter the store, take the products you want, and go! No lines, no checkout.

The best way to understand how this new grocery store concept will work is to watch the Amazon Go introduction video below.

(Click picture to watch video)

Amazon Introduction video: Introducing Amazon Go and the world’s most advanced shopping technology

Amazon Go FAQ

How does Amazon Go work?

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.

What do I need to get started?

All you need is an Amazon account, a supported smartphone, and the free Amazon Go app.

Why did you build Amazon Go?

Four years ago we asked ourselves: what if we could create a shopping experience with no lines and no checkout? Could we push the boundaries of computer vision and machine learning to create a store where customers could simply take what they want and go? Our answer to those questions is Amazon Go and Just Walk Out Shopping.

What can I buy at Amazon Go?

We offer delicious ready-to-eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options made fresh every day by our on-site chefs and favorite local kitchens and bakeries. Our selection of grocery essentials ranges from staples like bread and milk to artisan cheeses and locally made chocolates.

You’ll find well-known brands we love, plus special finds we’re excited to introduce to customers.

For a quick home-cooked dinner, pick up one of our chef-designed Amazon Meal Kits, with all the ingredients you need to make a meal for two in about 30 minutes.

More FAQ & Subscribe to get notified when the store opens

Source: Amazon

Amazon Go is said to be one of at least three brick-and-mortar formats the company will be testing shortly. Amazon is planning to operate a 20-location pilot program for its grocery stores by the end of 2018, in places like Seattle, Las Vegas, New York, Miami, and the Bay Area.

The company wants to experiment with different versions of stores during the pilot program. Ten of the grocery stores will be "click-and-collect" drive-up spots for Amazon customers to pick up their online orders. The other 10 will be traditional stores where cart-pushing shoppers can stroll the aisles while touching, smelling, and inspecting produce and other goods for themselves.

In the next ten years Amazon sees room for 2000 of its brick-and-mortar stores.

Not everyone is thrilled with the prospect of the Amazon Go format. In the reviews section below we have collected a few opinion pieces (Effect on jobs? Effect on restaurant operators? How easy is it for others to do the same? Spoiler: it is hard) as well as well as additional background (e.g. patent by Amazon).

Either way, retail innovation is going into overdrive...