Amazon continues to fight the good fight this week by announcing the latest in human contact avoidance technology, Amazon Go. Described as "the world's most advanced shopping technology," Amazon Go gives savvy shoppers the unique opportunity of buying various goods while never actually having to endure the pesky checkout process. Instead, Amazon Go shoppers just grab what they need and walk out. No questions asked.
"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," the company explained in a press release Monday. "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 enjoying your checkout-free shopping experience (aka sheer bliss), you'll notice a charge on your Amazon account and a receipt hanging out in your inbox.
The very first Amazon Go shop, comprised of "1,800 square feet of retail space" in Seattle, is currently allowing Amazon employees to give this futuristic shopping experience a try as part of its Beta program. In early 2017, Amazon Go will open its doors to the general public. To join in on the first wave of checkout-free shopping, potential customers will need to possess a working (preferably non-exploding) smartphone and the free Amazon Go app.
The inaugural Amazon Go shop will offer tech-conscious consumers a variety of ready-to-eat meal and snack options, as well as an assortment of creations from an on-site chef and 30-minute Amazon Meal Kits. Though Seattle is the only store location that's been confirmed, we can likely expect additional locations to be announced shortly.
