Amazon Go’s Newest Store Brings Cashierless Tech to Grocery Shopping

Amazon has expanded the selection at its checkout-free Amazon Go concept to include grocery at a new location in Seattle. The store is 10,400 square feet and stocks about 5,000 items, according to CNBC. Amazon confirmed the size, but did not comment on the number of items or how the store compares to other Go locations. According to the store's website, Amazon Go Grocery carries traditional fare by nationwide and local brands, including produce, meat, seafood, bakery items and household essentials, along with ready-made meals and beer, wine and spirits. Amazon Go Grocery also boasts “great low prices” such as 49-cent avocados, 19-cent bananas and a dozen eggs for $2.29. Unlike at a traditional grocery store, however, Amazon promises customers will “never have to wait in line.” [kickout id="1"] Like Amazon Go, shoppers will need an Amazon account, the Amazon Go app and a recent iPhone or Android device. They scan the QR code from the app upon entry and then shop as usual. Amazon says checkout-free shopping uses the same technologies as self-driving cars, including computer vision, sensor fusion and deep learning. “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,” it says. Amazon also notes that human employees remain “an important part of the experience” as they greet shoppers, restock shelves and produce, answer questions and make recommendations. “We’ve simply shifted how our associates spend their time so they can help deliver a great experience for shoppers,” Amazon says. (It’s something we’ve heard before.) Bloomberg reported that another Go Grocery location is coming to Washington, D.C., but Amazon declined comment on expansion plans. Amazon opened its first Go location in Seattle in January 2018. It now has 25 locations in Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. In addition to checkout-free grocery in Seattle, Amazon previously confirmed it will open a traditional grocery store in Los Angeles this year, but it did not comment further on an opening date. A recent preview, however, showcased a window for pickups and returns and a staging area that could help Amazon deliver orders. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Amazon wants to open dozens of grocery stores in U.S. cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia.