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hubie [soylentnews.org] writes:

Amazon Fresh is moving away from a feature of its grocery stores where customers could skip checkout altogether [gizmodo.com]:

Amazon is phasing out its checkout-less grocery stores [gizmodo.com] with "Just Walk Out" technology, first reported by The Information [theinformation.com] Tuesday. The company's senior vice president of grocery stores says they're moving away from Just Walk Out, which relied on cameras and sensors to track what people were leaving the store with.

Just over half of Amazon Fresh stores are equipped with Just Walk Out. The technology allows customers to skip checkout altogether by scanning a QR code when they enter the store. Though it seemed completely automated, Just Walk Out relied on more than 1,000 people in India watching and labeling videos [theinformation.com] to ensure accurate checkouts. The cashiers were simply moved off-site, and they watched you as you shopped.

Instead, Amazon is moving towards Dash Carts, a scanner and screen that's embedded in your shopping cart, allowing you to checkout as you shop. These offer a more reliable solution than Just Walk Out. Amazon Fresh stores will also feature self check out counters from now on, for people who aren't Amazon members.

[...] The company is reportedly keeping Just Walk Out technology in a small number of Fresh stores in the United Kingdom, and some of its Amazon Go convenience stores. Amazon has also implemented Just Walk Out technology at several ballparks [gizmodo.com] around the country. These locations will keep the technology going.

Previously:
    • Amazon Go Grocery Review -- Constant Tracking to Buy Bananas [2020] [soylentnews.org]
    • Amazon Go: It's Like Shoplifting [soylentnews.org] [2016]

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