Amazon has created a system that allows customers to buy what they need from the supermarket without having to interact with anyone. Not only is it a more streamlined way of purchasing, it may be a cheaper system for the company in the long run. As innovative as it already is, the company has something better in line.
Amazon's 'Just Walk Out' to be Removed
Several Fresh supermarkets already have the Just Walk Out systems in place, and new locations were set to get them this year as well. However, that will all change after Amazon's recent decision to phase it out for a more convenient method of grocery shopping.
Instead of having to head to the checkout line to interact with the self-service system, buyers will now be able to calculate their bills and discounts as they place grocery items on their carts with Dash Carts. Smaller Fresh stores, however, will retain the self-checkout system.
Amazon spokesperson Carly Golden said that the company has invested a lot of time in redesigning a number of Amazon Fresh stores over the last year to offer a better shopping experience with more value, convenience, and selection, as per CNBC.
The new method is said to have resulted in higher customer shopping satisfaction scores and increased purchasing, which makes sense since it offers more transparency and less effort than the self-checkout system that Amazon introduced in 2018.
Although Just Walk Out was appreciated by customers, Golden said "[T]hey also wanted the ability to easily find nearby products and deals, view their receipt as they shop, and know how much money they saved while shopping throughout the store,"
It's not a complete waste. The project started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was a way to eliminate the "worst thing about physical retail." Other establishments appreciate the system, so much so that Amazon sold it to other retail shops, airports, stadiums, and hospitals in 2020.
Dash Carts
Amazon's Dash Carts are preferred by many of its customers, and it's not hard not to see why. Most of the things a buyer could need can be done with a cart they can wheel around such as adding and removing items, weighing them, and paying for the bill then and there.
The cart even has the ability to be synced to one's account, which allows them to see their loyalty pricing. Furthermore, customers can check real-time discounts and deals so they can save money, all of which can be calculated by tracking their spending through the cart.
It's easy to link the physical cart with the grocer's app. All a customer has to do is log in using the QR code and do their shopping, and the payment will go through automatically once they pass through the Dash Cart lane.
Items that can be bought through the automated system include barcoded and non-barcoded items, produce, heavy items, deli items, and ready-to-serve hot food. Since the cart comes with a weighing scale, they can purchase sell-by-weight items as well.
