I never have to wait in line a long time anyways. Its not about waiting in line...its the shopping experience and knowing I can get fresh, locally farmed products. There's more to a grocery store than the checkout process which isn't bad at all IMO.
After I get what I need I certainly don't need an overpaid and unconcerned bagger restuffing my goods haphazardly in a bag. I just want to get the heck out of the store. Amazon has the right idea here.
Go through self-checkout then. The only thing Amazon may end up doing is putting good places out of business.
And when there is no one left, they're free to jack their prices as high as they want.
Not necessarily. There will be a lot of competition for Amazon. If they built one here, Amazon would compete against Walmart, Target, and the other top west coast grocery chain stores. Walmart has opened several standalone grocery stores here. All the good mom and pop grocery stores were pushed out by Walmart Supercenter's years ago.
From the layout of the shelves in the video, it looks as if most of them can be manually or automatically restocked from the rear... Reminds me of an automat.
There would need to be some human restocking for fresh/perishable food items.
Again, it would be great for some shopping -- but I don't think it would work well enough for things like buying fresh fish, cantaloupe, etc.
I never have to wait in line a long time anyways. Its not about waiting in line...its the shopping experience and knowing I can get fresh, locally farmed products. There's more to a grocery store than the checkout process which isn't bad at all IMO.
After I get what I need I certainly don't need an overpaid and unconcerned bagger restuffing my goods haphazardly in a bag. I just want to get the heck out of the store. Amazon has the right idea here.
Go through self-checkout then. The only thing Amazon may end up doing is putting good places out of business.
Self-checkout is also unnecessary under Amazon's implementation. You're "checking out" every time you take an item. This is a huge advance to such a mundane process. Also, keep in mind this is a small store. Probably smaller than a 7-11. So, the number of items per sale won't be anything like what the average trip to a grocery store is like.
IMO, this approach shows a lot of potential for certain types of stores and shopping activity.
From what I can tell, this tech once refined should not be too expensive to implement for many stores... In fact, Amazon could license, install and maintain the tech as a service.
Another potential advantage is digital, electronic itemized receipts for budget/accounting use by the consumer.
One missing thing is secure payment such as ApplePay.
One thing I think Amazon is missing here is the potential for flash mobs of thieves to storm these stores and literally clean them out in a matter of minutes. What kind of security measures are in effect here and how do you prevent a person from simply jumping the barrier at the door while wearing a hoodie over their face with the sole goal of stealing?
IMO, this approach shows a lot of potential for certain types of stores and shopping activity.
From what I can tell, this tech once refined should not be too expensive to implement for many stores... In fact, Amazon could license, install and maintain the tech as a service.
Another potential advantage is digital, electronic itemized receipts for budget/accounting use by the consumer.
One missing thing is secure payment such as ApplePay.
One thing I think Amazon is missing here is the potential for flash mobs of thieves to storm these stores and literally clean them out in a matter of minutes. What kind of security measures are in effect here and how do you prevent a person from simply jumping the barrier at the door while wearing a hoodie over their face with the sole goal of stealing?
I never have to wait in line a long time anyways. Its not about waiting in line...its the shopping experience and knowing I can get fresh, locally farmed products. There's more to a grocery store than the checkout process which isn't bad at all IMO.
After I get what I need I certainly don't need an overpaid and unconcerned bagger restuffing my goods haphazardly in a bag. I just want to get the heck out of the store. Amazon has the right idea here.
Go through self-checkout then. The only thing Amazon may end up doing is putting good places out of business.
Self-checkout is also unnecessary under Amazon's implementation. You're "checking out" every time you take an item. This is a huge advance to such a mundane process. Also, keep in mind this is a small store. Probably smaller than a 7-11. So, the number of items per sale won't be anything like what the average trip to a grocery store is like.
IMO, this approach shows a lot of potential for certain types of stores and shopping activity.
From what I can tell, this tech once refined should not be too expensive to implement for many stores... In fact, Amazon could license, install and maintain the tech as a service.
Another potential advantage is digital, electronic itemized receipts for budget/accounting use by the consumer.
One missing thing is secure payment such as ApplePay.
One thing I think Amazon is missing here is the potential for flash mobs of thieves to storm these stores and literally clean them out in a matter of minutes. What kind of security measures are in effect here and how do you prevent a person from simply jumping the barrier at the door while wearing a hoodie over their face with the sole goal of stealing?
Not sure what they could do. Here in California, it would be pointless to try and stop shoplifters because they won't be prosecuted thanks to Prop 47.
I love how their marketing vid for normal consumers tosses out terms like "machine learning" and "deep learning". Oooo...Well ok, then, if it's got MACHINE LEARNING I'm on board!
You have to wonder. What is the goal? Groceries are a VERY tough business. Margins are quite low, and capital requirements (building out stores, staff) are enormous.
You have to have a niche. Whole Foods, Wegmans, etc. General purpose grocery stores (Safeway, Kroger, Winn-Dixie, Stop and Shop) have a rough time making good profits. Telling people they don't have to wait for the cashier is not a niche. It's a gimmick. And I'd spend just as much time making sure I got charged correctly because I don't trust their sensors. Yes, I picked up that bag of chips, but I didn't leave the store with it, but still got charged anyway? No, thank you. If a cashier accidentally scans something twice, I'm going to notice because I'm standing right there.
i'm not so sure -- the error with checking out isn't the checker scanning something twice, it's pricing accuracy between their scanning database and what's printed on the shelf. i have hundreds of things in my cart, so there's no way i'm going to be able eyeball the receipt and know it's 100% accurate.
i dont know how Amazon's system works, but it's likely RFID and the final wringing up is likely when you walk out the store, not when you pick up the chips.
It is simple to mitigate errors and bad charges after the fact with most vendors. You just pay with your credit card -- with a credit card you have recourse to reverse these charges if the vendor refuses. If the consumer is reasonable (does not try to overuse this capability) most of these situations can be resolved.
Not related to my point, which was responding to a guy who was afraid that RFID shopping would be more error prone than conventional.
I never have to wait in line a long time anyways. Its not about waiting in line...its the shopping experience and knowing I can get fresh, locally farmed products. There's more to a grocery store than the checkout process which isn't bad at all IMO.
Well I HATE shopping! The faster I'm in and out the better. I hate waiting in line. I'll go to Costco, pick up a couple things, see the LONG slow moving lines and saw screw it, just put the things down and walk right out of the place. I have a couple things that would take a minute to go though and be done, but waiting behind a bunch of people will carts full of crap to do it, no thanks. I won't wait in big lines for anything. The last big line I waited in was for Pink Floyd tickets, so it's been a while.
2000 Amazon stores, however long that takes really isn't that many stores. It's a drop in the bucket, unless you live in a big city, it's more then likely not going to be close enough for a lot of people to shop at. Maybe this tech will be shared with other company's.
Sounds frustrating. I don't shop at Costco. I also don't often shop on the same day everyone else is shopping. You're not describing my experience grocery shopping at Wegman's.
I don't mind lines if the store is staffing all of the checkout lanes. I mind lines when they're NOT fully staffing the lanes, because I know it's because they want higher profits by making their customers wait, rather than hiring enough staff.
I never have to wait in line a long time anyways. Its not about waiting in line...its the shopping experience and knowing I can get fresh, locally farmed products. There's more to a grocery store than the checkout process which isn't bad at all IMO.
After I get what I need I certainly don't need an overpaid and unconcerned bagger restuffing my goods haphazardly in a bag. I just want to get the heck out of the store. Amazon has the right idea here.
You have to wonder. What is the goal? Groceries are a VERY tough business. Margins are quite low, and capital requirements (building out stores, staff) are enormous.
You have to have a niche. Whole Foods, Wegmans, etc. General purpose grocery stores (Safeway, Kroger, Winn-Dixie, Stop and Shop) have a rough time making good profits. Telling people they don't have to wait for the cashier is not a niche. It's a gimmick. And I'd spend just as much time making sure I got charged correctly because I don't trust their sensors. Yes, I picked up that bag of chips, but I didn't leave the store with it, but still got charged anyway? No, thank you. If a cashier accidentally scans something twice, I'm going to notice because I'm standing right there.
i'm not so sure -- the error with checking out isn't the checker scanning something twice, it's pricing accuracy between their scanning database and what's printed on the shelf. i have hundreds of things in my cart, so there's no way i'm going to be able eyeball the receipt and know it's 100% accurate.
i dont know how Amazon's system works, but it's likely RFID and the final wringing up is likely when you walk out the store, not when you pick up the chips.
Still, I know technology. How unreliable it is. I don't trust it not to mess up. What do they do when the system is down? Stop you exiting? Is there going to be a manual checkout in those cases? Even the most basic store systems are problematic. I hate the inflexibility of the current self-checkout machines. I use them because they're faster (I don't buy more than I can carry across the street in one trip) and I don't want to interact with employees if I don't need to. It's human, though it's unsociable. But these self-checkout machines are a PITA. They need to be babysat by employees. ONE employee for six machines is never effective. The machines themselves could never go without babysitting, so what is Amazon going to do differently?
I never have to wait in line a long time anyways. Its not about waiting in line...its the shopping experience and knowing I can get fresh, locally farmed products. There's more to a grocery store than the checkout process which isn't bad at all IMO.
Well I HATE shopping! The faster I'm in and out the better. I hate waiting in line. I'll go to Costco, pick up a couple things, see the LONG slow moving lines and saw screw it, just put the things down and walk right out of the place. I have a couple things that would take a minute to go though and be done, but waiting behind a bunch of people will carts full of crap to do it, no thanks. I won't wait in big lines for anything. The last big line I waited in was for Pink Floyd tickets, so it's been a while.
2000 Amazon stores, however long that takes really isn't that many stores. It's a drop in the bucket, unless you live in a big city, it's more then likely not going to be close enough for a lot of people to shop at. Maybe this tech will be shared with other company's.
Many people, me included, feel like you -- hate to shop, navigate (plough) your way through busy aisles, then wait in long lines...
However, there is a large middle class population of customers where there is a stay-at-home Mom or Dad with several small children. For many of these, a trip to the supermarket is a social activity. With their kids in tow, they can meet friends and carry on enjoyable conversations with other adult friends while preforming a necessary family chore in a clean, safe environment.
Supermarket chains have long understood the social needs of these customers and layout their stores accordingly.
Maybe the nicer ones like Wegman's, where there's an eating and seating area, and lots of space to move around. Nothing else I've seen is remotely pro-socially organized.
IMO, this approach shows a lot of potential for certain types of stores and shopping activity.
From what I can tell, this tech once refined should not be too expensive to implement for many stores... In fact, Amazon could license, install and maintain the tech as a service.
Another potential advantage is digital, electronic itemized receipts for budget/accounting use by the consumer.
One missing thing is secure payment such as ApplePay.
One thing I think Amazon is missing here is the potential for flash mobs of thieves to storm these stores and literally clean them out in a matter of minutes. What kind of security measures are in effect here and how do you prevent a person from simply jumping the barrier at the door while wearing a hoodie over their face with the sole goal of stealing?
Regular grocery stores have no protection against the same thing.
IMO, this approach shows a lot of potential for certain types of stores and shopping activity.
From what I can tell, this tech once refined should not be too expensive to implement for many stores... In fact, Amazon could license, install and maintain the tech as a service.
Another potential advantage is digital, electronic itemized receipts for budget/accounting use by the consumer.
One missing thing is secure payment such as ApplePay.
One thing I think Amazon is missing here is the potential for flash mobs of thieves to storm these stores and literally clean them out in a matter of minutes. What kind of security measures are in effect here and how do you prevent a person from simply jumping the barrier at the door while wearing a hoodie over their face with the sole goal of stealing?
Not sure what they could do. Here in California, it would be pointless to try and stop shoplifters because they won't be prosecuted thanks to Prop 47.
What are you talking about? Prop 47 isn't about NOT prosecuting criminal acts. It's about reducing the proportionally extreme consequences for small crimes (and probably slowing the prison population rise, which has been fed by jailing people for victimless crimes like drug possession, which was the focus of prop 47).
I love how their marketing vid for normal consumers tosses out terms like "machine learning" and "deep learning". Oooo...Well ok, then, if it's got MACHINE LEARNING I'm on board!
Great post, but I suspect it's really aimed at geek populations on tech sites...
Not sure how to think about this. If prices compete with small-scale groceries (cash & carry) especially ethnic ones that have very low prices and large turnover (thus fresh), then it'll be a game changer.
Otherwise Amazon may be aiming for Walmart/Target's throat in a bid for the "convenience" market.
They better get parking/transport right when they do, because that's often as big a time sink as the checkout line.
Comments
From the layout of the shelves in the video, it looks as if most of them can be manually or automatically restocked from the rear... Reminds me of an automat.
There would need to be some human restocking for fresh/perishable food items.
Again, it would be great for some shopping -- but I don't think it would work well enough for things like buying fresh fish, cantaloupe, etc.
Amazon Go, Si:
Ramblin' around this dirty old town
Singin' for nickels and dimes
Times getting tough, I ain't got enough
To buy a little bottle of wine
Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine
When you gonna let me get sober?
Let me alone, let me go home
Let me go back to start over
Little hotel, older than Hell
Dark as a coal in a mine
Blanket too thin, I lay there and grin
'Cause I got a little bottle of wine
Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine
When you gonna let me get sober?
Let me alone, let me go home
Let me go back to start over
Pain in my head and bugs in my bed
Pants are so old that they shine
Out on the street tell the people I meet
"Won'tcha buy me a bottle of wine?"
Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine
When you gonna let me get sober?
Let me alone, let me go home
Let me go back to start over
Amazon Go, No:
A little man walked up and down,
He found an eating place in town.
He looked the menu through and through
To see what fifteen cents could do:
One meatball, one meatball,
He couldn't bought but one meatball.
He told the waiter near at hand
The simple dinner he had planned.
The folks were startled, one and all,
To hear that waiter oddly call:
"One meatball, one meatball,
This here gent wants one meatball."
The little man felt ill at ease,
Said "Some bread, son, if you please."
The waiter hollered down the hall
"Ya gets no bread with one meatball!"
One meatball, one meatball,
"Ya gets no bread with one meatball!"
Great points!
I don't mind lines if the store is staffing all of the checkout lanes. I mind lines when they're NOT fully staffing the lanes, because I know it's because they want higher profits by making their customers wait, rather than hiring enough staff.
Overpaid??
Still, I know technology. How unreliable it is. I don't trust it not to mess up. What do they do when the system is down? Stop you exiting? Is there going to be a manual checkout in those cases? Even the most basic store systems are problematic. I hate the inflexibility of the current self-checkout machines. I use them because they're faster (I don't buy more than I can carry across the street in one trip) and I don't want to interact with employees if I don't need to. It's human, though it's unsociable. But these self-checkout machines are a PITA. They need to be babysat by employees. ONE employee for six machines is never effective. The machines themselves could never go without babysitting, so what is Amazon going to do differently?
Maybe the nicer ones like Wegman's, where there's an eating and seating area, and lots of space to move around. Nothing else I've seen is remotely pro-socially organized.
What are you talking about? Prop 47 isn't about NOT prosecuting criminal acts. It's about reducing the proportionally extreme consequences for small crimes (and probably slowing the prison population rise, which has been fed by jailing people for victimless crimes like drug possession, which was the focus of prop 47).
Great post, but I suspect it's really aimed at geek populations on tech sites...