Seattle, WA – Amazon is making a significant change to its checkout process in brick-and-mortar grocery stores by phasing out its Just Walk Out program and fully transitioning to Dash Carts. The new system will allow customers to scan products as they add them to their carts, simplifying the shopping experience.
According to reports, the decision to abandon Just Walk Out comes as Amazon aims to enhance its stores and expand the Amazon Fresh locations later this year. While the technology will no longer be used in larger stores, it will continue to be implemented in smaller corner stores.
Amazon’s journey into in-person retail has been turbulent, with the closure of various store formats such as Books, 4-Star, Pop-up stores, as well as halting the expansion of Fresh stores. The company also recently closed its last drive-up grocery store, illustrating its struggles to find success in physical retail spaces.
With the shift to Dash Carts, Amazon is essentially streamlining its self-checkout process by incorporating scanners and touchscreens onto shopping carts. This approach, already explored by other retailers in the US and Europe, allows customers to keep track of their expenses as they shop and eventually check out with a palm scanner.
The move to Dash Carts represents a departure from Amazon’s initial strategy of using computer vision technology to track customer purchases. The company decided to scale back on this approach in favor of using RFID scanners, which presents a more straightforward and cost-effective solution.
While the shift to palm-scanning technology may raise concerns among customers, it offers a less invasive alternative to the cameras and AI previously utilized by Amazon. This change reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to refine its in-store technology and improve the overall shopping experience for its customers.