Amazon Go: A New Way to Shop
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that most of us agree about the WORST part of grocery shopping: checkout lines. While most stores boast over a dozen lanes, they rarely are all open. And, even with extra staff on weekends, sitting on line for twice the time you spend in the aisles is common. It is with this common frustration in mind that Amazon introduced its new shopping concept: Amazon Go.
Offering customers, no lines, no checkout, (no, seriously), this innovative shopping concept opened to Amazon employees in Seattle last month. The company promises to open the store to the general public early this year.
Life without Checkout: How Amazon Go Works
Take a look at Amazon’s promotional video below which introduces and overviews the Amazon Go process:
In a nutshell, through its new Amazon Go app, users are able to literally walk into the store, take what they want off the shelves and leave. The Amazon Go app works with cameras in the store to monitor what you take off (and put back on) each shelf. The technology is similar to self driving cars. As you shop, the app adds each item into a virtual cart, which you can view on your phone. Finally, it charges the total to your Amazon account once you walk out of the store.
This innovative and tech-savvy process allows customers to cut shopping time in half – or more.
Who Can Use Amazon Go
Currently, the compact 1,800 square foot store offers quick to-go meals as well as grocery essentials and dinner kits. Located in downtown Seattle, it is designed to provide food quickly and conveniently to its target market: busy professionals. Currently, only those working for Amazon have access to Amazon Go through its Beta program.
However, the company promises to open the store to the public in the coming months.
But Will You Use It?
Since most of our LRWC readers are not living in Seattle, the appeal or relevance of the Amazon Go experiment may not resonate. However, it is important to note that if this pilot works, rumors are that Amazon intends to buy up some 2,000 retail spaces across the country by 2018. Like this original location, the plans are to keep each store compact to minimize the time shoppers spend searching for items.
Therefore, seeing an Amazon Go in your city is not unlikely. The question, instead, is whether it has a place outside of the hustle and bustle of the urban professional environment. How likely are the suburban moms and dads of this country or to use such a service? What about retired people and others not pressed for time? One particular concern from our perspective is how much the convenience of Amazon Go will cost in dollars and cents. There doesn’t seem to be a way to negotiate the cost of the items they offer. Instead, prices are set and coupons not available for redemption – just like on real Amazon. So, the question is, will you use Amazon Go?
To learn more about this innovative shopping system, please see Amazon’s FAQs page.