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"Amazon Go" Store Opens in Seattle

posted by Fnord666 on Monday January 22 2018, @03:16PM   
from the ripe-for-hacking dept.

takyon writes:

Amazon Go is a go:

The first clue that there's something unusual about Amazon's store of the future hits you right at the front door. It feels as if you are entering a subway station. A row of gates guard the entrance to the store, known as Amazon Go, allowing in only people with the store's smartphone app.

Inside is an 1,800-square foot mini-market packed with shelves of food that you can find in a lot of other convenience stores — soda, potato chips, ketchup. It also has some food usually found at Whole Foods, the supermarket chain that Amazon owns.

But the technology that is also inside, mostly tucked away out of sight, enables a shopping experience like no other. There are no cashiers or registers anywhere. Shoppers leave the store through those same gates, without pausing to pull out a credit card. Their Amazon account automatically gets charged for what they take out the door.

[...] There were a little over 3.5 million cashiers in the United States in 2016 — and some of their jobs may be in jeopardy if the technology behind Amazon Go eventually spreads. For now, Amazon says its technology simply changes the role of employees — the same way it describes the impact of automation on its warehouse workers.

Also at TechCrunch.

Previously: Amazon Go: It's Like Shoplifting

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Original Submission

• Re:white privilege Re:white privilege (Score: 2, Interesting) by shrewdsheep on Monday January 22 2018, @04:20PM (1 child)

  by shrewdsheep (5215) on Monday January 22 2018, @04:20PM (#626119)

  This is an experiment for Amazon, but it could lead to a real reduction in the cost of running a supermarket.

  Now, that you bring up ALDI. I read somewhere that the personnel cost is roughly 3-5% in supermarkets. I believe that the amortization cost of the all new amazon go and friends will allow ALDI-like supermarkets to compete for a long time. For some time (maybe 5 years) personnel will also still be cheaper. After that, yes, real competition but it will be high tech vs. very robust low tech at a margin of say 2-3%.
   

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• Re:white privilege (Score: 2) by arslan on Tuesday January 23 2018, @03:18AM

  by arslan (3462) on Tuesday January 23 2018, @03:18AM (#626405)

  If you look at it purely from a single market sector, then yea. In Amazon's case, the experience extends to complement their other market sector. For those that opt a digital lifestyle, it is an interesting proposition where you a singular seamless experience across various aspects of that digital lifestyle from entertainment, groceries, retail, etc.

  Not sure what ALDI/Walmart does besides the supermarket business.

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