What exactly is Amazon Go? Is it just:
A grocery store?
A high-tech grocery store?
A grocery store that handles everything yourself from entry to exit?
A grocery store that has no traditional checkout?
A grocery store that you can just pick up stuff and leave?
Absolutely, that is what Amazon Go is. After opening its first location in Seattle, it made a high profile arrival in San Francisco. By then, the news had already flooded everyone’s feed, so I decided to wait a little after the hype to share my experience. First— Prior to stepping into the store, you must download the “Amazon Go” app. It will guide you through how to shop and navigate through an Amazon Go store. For those of you who haven’t downloaded the app, I have made a little video guide. Here is how it works. Then— You must register or log into your Amazon account and link your card to the payment option. After that, the system generates a personal code and that acts as your entry pass. You scan it at the gate, step inside, and everything you take is recorded against that code. Inside the store, The Amazon Go space is remarkably plain. There is no flashy décor and the entry process couldn't have been more simple. The technological innovation happening above your head is the true value. \n\nOnce you complete the scan, you can shop and browse like you would in any regular grocery store—pick things up, put things back, take pictures, and explore. \n\nThe floor's technology, as I heard, is ceiling cameras and tracking devices. I looked up and was amazed by the number of cameras as they were quite a lot. While selection was basic, it was not remarkable. It was your typical grocery store with lots of convenience items. Plus, they had a lot of shelf space that had not been restocked. I think the store knew that a lot of people would be visiting to 'experience' the store rather than actually do a full grocery shop. \n\nWhile we were there, we picked up and put back items like you would in a regular supermarket. We did not 'test the store' to see if it would track an item if you put it back in a different location. \n\nAmazon Go had all the essentials. I can easily envision places that do not have a supermarket being able to have this type of store as a grocery stop. Some more convenient practical things are the shopping bags which are mark and priced for disposable and reusable options. You can take one of the bright orange reusable bags.
Staff only walkway customers cannot walk through; the system auto detects this.
And lastly, you just walk out. No checkout. No lines. No waiting. It’s efficient, easy, and designed perfectly for the modern world.
Finally—
It was time to actually test the technology: how do you look at the bill?
You just go to the app, and click on the small “Receipts” button and it will show your purchases.
On the day we went, the receipt did not pop up immediately. It took about 3-5 minutes and the final charge was there. But that was convincing to show the system was in working order.
If you want to consume what you’ve purchased on site, Amazon Go has dining facilities, microwaves, and disposable cutlery (knives, forks, and chopsticks).
We sat and observed the flow of people. Almost everyone entered and immediately took out a phone to take pictures. Visitors from different countries came to witness the phenomenon, causing a real traffic jam at the entrance. It was a massive attraction.
After a wait, our final receipt appeared and everything was correct. Amazon’s technology had worked.
However, the food itself was pretty average. The Amazon Go system blends innovative technology with the flavors of the Bay Area.
As residents of the Bay Area, we enjoy the privilege of experiencing the world’s most sophisticated advancements in technology in real time as they transform our everyday lives. The changes, whether in the form of large, multi-national corporations, or small corner shops, or single products, are palpable and tangible. The Amazon Go system is yet another example of how instantaneous and very close the future is to us.
