A store without check-out lines, cashiers, registers, etc.
One of the coolest tech news of last week is the Amazon Go app, which powers the technology that Amazon calls the “Just Walk-Out Technology.” This technology utilizes computer vision, artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning, and the power of sophisticated sensors, to construct the grocery stores of tomorrow. In these stores, you never have […]
One of the coolest tech news of last week is the Amazon Go app, which powers the technology that Amazon calls the “Just Walk-Out Technology.” This technology utilizes computer vision, artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning, and the power of sophisticated sensors, to construct the grocery stores of tomorrow.
In these stores, you never have to wait inline. There are no check outs and no registers. So, you just walk into the store, put away your phone, and start shopping: grab all the things you want to buy, and then simply go. Yes, simply leave the store without swiping a card or making any cash payments to a person or thing. Anything you pick up from the shelf is automatically added to your virtual card, and you can change your mind on an item – by putting it back on the shelf. The technology knows to update your virtual card automatically. Once you have picked all the things you want from the store, the app adds up your purchases and charges your Amazon account, while your receipt is sent to your app.
Just Walk-Out Technology is based on similar technologies as self-driving cars. In tech speak; we are talking of computer vision, sensor fusion, and AI. WIRED magazine describes it thus: “It uses sensors throughout the store and artificial intelligence to tell which direction customers are looking, even in a crowd, and can identify partially blocked labels. Beyond that, details are hazy.” However, Natt Garun has studied the patent application for the technology, and has some insights into how the technology works. You should check out his 6 December 2016 online article in theverge.com if you are interested in more details.
Can this rather cool technology be useful for you? Well, it’ll certainly save you time since you do not have to wait in line, which could be God-sent in a very busy store. The technology can also lead to money savings for you – if the store owner passes the savings down the chain.
However, can this technology really create an enjoyable shopping experience – just grabbing what you need and leaving the store, without interacting with humans? Professional shoppers don’t just grab what they need and leave. They walk around, look at numerous items, pick some, return others, and just simply take their time. Shopping time could even represent a time to relax and socialize for some! That is, in a well-managed regular store, the time these folks spend shopping is infinitely longer than the time on the checkout line.
There are obviously other potential issues with Amazon Go: In your neighborhood store, what fraction of your time do you spend at the checkout counter? How will Amazon Go handle customer service – when you have to return or exchange items? What if you go shopping with a friend and she helps you to pick up an item from the shelf and hands it over to you – Whose account gets charged for that item? The following additional questions were raised by Garun: “How does Amazon determine if two people who enter the store together are family members in the same household account? What happens if they separate in the store and leave at different times?” Garun states that his team had reached out to Amazon for clarification, but that the company was not offering press interviews at the time. The WIRED magazine quotes the retail industry insider Arun Nair who suggests that “the act of shopping is tricky.” “Grocery shoppers often put things back in the wrong aisle. Certain foods, like vegetables, are priced by weight.” Furthermore, “families and other groups need to have one consolidated virtual cart, rather than being charged individually based on the smartphone in their pocket.”
There are concerns about the job losses that could result from the app, as the app will displace non-skilled workers. It is certainly true that a significant fraction of the checkout staff at registers will no longer be needed. The US, Australia, and Britain have 5, 1.3, and 2 million, respectively, of these retail staff. However this loss could be viewed as an exchange for the tech job gains that will be needed to develop the app and technically support the various software tools associated with the deployment. Moreover, the need for instore customer service may actually increase significantly relative to a regularly-operated store because of tech-related glitches and security issues.
In terms of availability and maturity of the app; it is safe to say that it is work in progress, although a 1,800 square feet demo grocery store has already been opened in Seattle (USA), Amazon’s hometown, to try out the technology. The Amazon Go Beta program is currently open to Amazon’s employees, though it’s scheduled to be open to the US public in early 2017. To use the technology, all you need is an Amazon account, a supported smartphone – which is perhaps most smartphones these days, and the free Amazon Go app.