Amazon Fresh stores are undergoing renovations, with the removal of Just Walk Out technology being a key aspect of the effort. This technology allowed customers to pay for items without waiting in line and receive receipts afterwards. In its place, smart carts will now be introduced, enabling customers to skip the checkout line while monitoring their spending in real time.
During the redesign of Fresh stores in the past year, customer feedback indicated a desire to see receipts and savings as they shopped, which the smart carts will now provide. The convenience of skipping the checkout line will still be available to customers with the new technology. The decision to remove Just Walk Out technology was first reported by The Information and is being implemented in 27 of the 44 Fresh grocery stores across the country, primarily in California, Illinois, Virginia, and Washington state.
The Oceanside store, located at 3620 Long Beach Rd., is the sole Fresh supermarket in New York state and occupies a 47,300-square-foot space previously belonging to Waldbaum’s supermarket. Beyond Amazon Fresh, Amazon also operates Amazon Go cashier-free convenience stores and owns Whole Foods, acquired in 2017. Despite previous disruptions predicted in the grocery sector following Amazon’s entry, the company has faced challenges in finding a successful formula.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy acknowledged in his 2023 shareholder letter that ongoing efforts are needed to make a more substantial impact on the physical grocery market. This includes shutting down some underperforming stores and adopting a selective approach when opening new stores and renovating existing ones. Just Walk Out technology will still be available in Amazon Go stores and certain smaller Amazon Fresh stores in the U.K., as well as to third-party retailers.
