Amazon.com has stated its intention to expand its cashierless shopping technology, known as “Just Walk Out,” to more third-party stores this year while simultaneously reducing its reliance on the technology in its own stores. Presently, around 140 stores utilize this system, allowing customers to enter, shop, and exit without needing to pay at a register. Amazon plans to more than double this number within the year.
Addressing concerns raised by a report from tech site The Information, Amazon clarified that its cashierless system does not involve human reviewers in India watching customers as they shop. Instead, the system operates automatically through computer vision algorithms, although human reviewers are involved to enhance accuracy.
As Amazon expands the use of Just Walk Out technology to third-party locations like stadiums and Hudson News outlets in airports, it also plans to phase out this technology from its existing Fresh grocery stores. Instead, it will introduce “smart” shopping carts that track items and charge customers upon leaving, providing a digital receipt. Amazon notes that Fresh customers tend to spend more when utilizing these smart carts.
Despite its efforts to innovate in the retail space, Amazon has encountered challenges with Just Walk Out, including customer confusion, missed items, and delays in issuing receipts, sometimes taking hours or days. Additionally, the company recently trimmed its physical retail team, among other reductions.
Over the years, Amazon has experimented with various brick-and-mortar store concepts, such as bookstores and shops featuring highly-rated online products, but has scaled back or discontinued many of these ventures.
