Today, the online retail giant Amazon opens a grocery store in Seattle, Washington, USA, which will automatically detect all items that customers take.
The store is located on the first floor of the company’s headquarters in Seattle, it has long been a testing site. Originally, the plan was to open in early 2017, but the fine tuning of technology has taken longer than expected.
The store combines camera technology, automation and data recognition and sensors that detect what people pick. The payment is then automatically deducted from the customers Amazon account when they leave the store.
This eliminates the need for customers to wait in line at the registers to pay, instead they can select their items and walk straight out of the store. If goods are returned to the shelves, they will be registered and you will not be charged for them.
The store sells ready meals, snacks and some groceries like bread, milk, cheese and chocolate. Initially this technology is only used in this one store.
Although Amazon mainly deals with online shopping, they are increasing their physical stores – especially after the acquisition of the Organic Grocery Chain Whole Foods’ 470 stores last year. The company also operates several bookstores.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
