In an effort to revamp its grocery chain, Amazon has decided to remove the Just Walk Out technology from some of its Amazon Fresh stores. The company is replacing this technology with smart carts that provide customers with real-time spending updates while shopping.
While redesigning Fresh stores over the past year, customer feedback indicated a desire for the ability to view their receipts and savings as they shopped. The smart carts will offer customers the convenience of skipping the checkout line while also providing these additional benefits.
Amazon operates numerous Fresh grocery stores across the United States, primarily in California, Illinois, Virginia, and Washington state. The company also has cashier-free convenience stores under the Amazon Go brand and owns Whole Foods, which it acquired in 2017. Despite initial predictions of disrupting the grocery sector, Amazon has faced challenges finding a successful formula. CEO Andy Jassy expressed in his annual letter to shareholders in 2023 that the company was striving to make a greater impact in physical grocery. Amazon has shut down underperforming stores and paused expansion efforts in the past. At present, Amazon has reopened some Fresh stores in Los Angeles, California, and plans to selectively open new stores while remodeling existing ones. Just Walk Out technology will still be available in Amazon Go stores, select smaller Amazon Fresh stores in the U.K., and for third-party retailers.
