Amazon Fresh stores now installing self-checkout after years of promoting Just Walk Out tech

Amazon Fresh stores now installing self-checkout after years of promoting Just Walk Out tech

Amazon Fresh Introduces Self-Checkout to Enhance the Shopping Experience

Amazon Fresh is known for its innovative approaches to grocery shopping, and now they are planning to introduce self-checkout kiosks in some of their stores. This move comes as part of Amazon’s efforts to continue improving the shopping experience for its customers. While self-checkout technology is already commonplace in many retail establishments, Amazon Fresh aims to enhance this feature with additional changes to their stores, such as brighter decorations and even Krispy Kreme counters selling coffee and donuts.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, these modifications are being tested in stores located near Chicago and in Southern California. If successful, they could potentially be implemented in the just over 40 Amazon Fresh locations across the United States. This signifies Amazon’s commitment to fulfilling the needs and preferences of their diverse customer base.

Amazon Fresh already incorporates their unique “Just Walk Out” technology in some of their stores. This technology allows shoppers to pick up items and exit the store without going through a traditional checkout process. Cameras and computers within the store monitor the items customers select, automatically charging their Amazon accounts accordingly. The inclusion of self-checkout alongside the existing “Just Walk Out” system aims to cater to a wider range of customer preferences and ensure that everyone feels welcome in their stores.

Tony Hoggett, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide grocery stores, mentioned that while many customers enjoy the current “Just Walk Out” feature, they understand that it may be new and unfamiliar to others. By adding self-checkout options, Amazon hopes to make the Amazon Fresh experience more accessible and convenient for a broader customer base.

An Amazon spokesperson stated, “We are always looking for ways to make the shopping experience at Amazon Fresh as convenient as possible. We are adding self-checkout lanes to specific stores as another option for customers looking for added convenience.” However, it is unclear whether all the renovated Amazon Fresh stores will feature both self-checkout and the “Just Walk Out” technology.

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The introduction of self-checkout and “Just Walk Out” technology has been one of Amazon’s primary focuses within its physical retail business. Beyond Amazon Fresh, this technology has been implemented in select Whole Foods stores and Amazon Go convenience stores. Amazon has even licensed it to non-Amazon entities, such as concession stands and airport stores. Nonetheless, widespread adoption of “Just Walk Out” has been limited, particularly among other retailers.

Despite the popularity of self-checkout in the retail industry, it has its drawbacks. The ease of shoplifting is one concern raised by customers and retail workers alike. Walmart employees and customers have acknowledged that self-checkout makes it easier for dishonest shoppers to exploit the system. In response, measures like identity verification have been implemented by stores like Costco to mitigate this issue.

Amazon Fresh has gradually expanded its presence since the opening of its first store in 2020. However, in recent months, the company has had to halt or cancel some planned store openings. In contrast, Whole Foods, which Amazon acquired in 2017, has been actively developing new store plans, as shared by CEO Jason Buechel earlier this year.

In conclusion, Amazon Fresh’s decision to introduce self-checkout technology demonstrates their commitment to continuously improving the shopping experience for their customers. Alongside their existing “Just Walk Out” feature, this addition aims to provide more convenience and choices. While challenges and pitfalls exist with self-checkout, Amazon is dedicated to finding innovative solutions that benefit both customers and the retail industry as a whole.

• Amazon
• Amazon Fresh
• Grocery