At the store, customers tap their phone on a flat platform at the door which connects them to the store’s network and logs in their Amazon Prime account. Then they walk in and pick up the products they want.
The service, which is called Amazon Go, uses machine learning, sensors and artificial intelligence to track whatever items the consumers pick up. The items are then added to their virtual cart. If a shopper decides he doesn’t want a product, he can return it, the app takes it off his cart instantly.
As the shopper leaves, the app adds up all they have bought and charges their Amazon account.
With this technology, Amazon is trying to re-define how products are sold. Imagine a future where you walk into your favourite retail store and there’s no one in sight, all you need to shop is you.
No shop attendants. No checkout lines and all the difficulties that come with them.
Amazon says it began to work on the product in 2012. According to the company, its employees are currently testing the technology at a new Amazon Go store near their offices in Seattle, Washington. The product will be open to the public in early 2017.
We expect the release to be restricted to the United States for a start. In time, we hope it makes its way here.
Watch the teaser video below.