Tired of the same grocery store routine? Are the cashiers getting a little too judgmental at your comfort food selections? Have no fear, Amazon will have you covered as it attempts to modernize the entire grocery shopping experience. According to The New York Post, the massive brand recently debuted “Amazon Go”, a grocery store chain in which you can basically walk out with anything you want. No cashiers, no lines, and all the items you could possibly want, whenever you want.
So this may all sound too good to be true, but there’s actually a very organized system behind this effort. Customers download the Amazon Go app before entering the store. The app allows you through a turn style into the store, where you can pick out really whatever you want. The weirdest part? Numerous scanners built into the ceiling will monitor everything you want to buy, so by the time you’re finished, there’s no need for a cashier. They can even monitor what you pick up and put back on the shelves. In about five minutes, the app will bill the groceries to your Amazon account. And that’s literally it.
When visiting the Amazon Go locations in New York City, The New York Post author Steve Cuozzo remarked how, “None of the locations I visited last week were very busy — not even at lunchtime in the Chrysler Building at teeming Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street. Amazon Go at Liberty Plaza downtown was as hushed as a library.” The stores are shockingly efficient, so customers don’t have to worry about crowded aisles whatsoever. The store contains a wide variety of groceries, prepackaged meals for on-the-go lunches, and snacks from popular brands. The small space definitely packs in a huge amount of options for consumers.
According to The Verge, Amazon is even licensing its sensor technology to other retailers. Marketing it as “Just Walk Out” technology, soon more grocery stores could follow suit and make their sores more efficient. While apparently many offers have already been made, some retailers are reluctant to adopt this effort. While Amazon says only its turn styles would be branded with their logo, it could be strange for a store to prominently feature another business entirely.
While these locations are currently based in a few major cities, it is only a matter of time before they spread out. Pretty soon, your neighborhood grocery store could become a futuristic portal to your favorite snacks.