In a recent announcement, Amazon has decided to discontinue its cashier-less “Just Walk Out” technology at its larger Amazon Fresh grocery stores. Originally introduced in 2016, the technology allowed customers to enter the store, pick up items, and leave without having to go through a traditional checkout process. However, a report in May 2023 revealed that the system actually required 1,000 employees in India to monitor the cameras and ensure that transactions were accurately recorded. Approximately 70% of “Just Walk Out” purchases depended on the overseas workers.
In place of this technology, Amazon will now implement “smart carts” that enable customers to scan items as they shop to skip checkout lines. Additionally, there will be more self-checkout stations available for non-Amazon members at the larger Amazon Fresh stores. This change will only be implemented in the larger Amazon Fresh stores, which are located in around 40 locations across the U.S., including Oceanside, N.Y., Paramus, N.J., Broomall, Pa., and Warrington, Pa. The company plans to continue using the “Just Walk Out” technology in its smaller Amazon Go stores and select Amazon Fresh locations in the U.K.
The decision to discontinue the “Just Walk Out” technology was made after careful consideration of customer feedback and market trends. While many customers found it convenient not having to wait in line or interact with a cashier, others felt that it was too impersonal and lacked human interaction. Additionally, concerns about job security for employees who monitored the cameras led many customers to express their dissatisfaction with the technology on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
In response to these concerns, Amazon has decided to implement new technologies that offer a more personalized shopping experience while still providing convenience and efficiency for customers
