If you ever do any of your shopping at Amazon Fresh stores, you probably noticed a change in recent years. Instead of having human cashiers to check out your purchases, they "automated" the system. They called the new technology "Just Walk Out" because you could supposedly pick out whatever items you wished to purchase and, well... walk out of the store. You needed to have their app installed on your phone and scan a QR code when you arrived, but after that the UPC codes on your purchases would be scanned and you would be billed through the app. But now, they are doing away with Just Walk Out in all of the stores where it's currently in place. They won't be bringing back human cashiers, however. Instead, they'll be going to an even more complicated technological solution. (Gizmodo)
Amazon is reportedly phasing out its checkout-less grocery stores with “Just Walk Out” technology, according to The Information Tuesday. The company’s senior vice president of grocery stores says they’re moving away from Just Walk Out, which relied on cameras and sensors to track what people were leaving the store with.
Just over half of Amazon Fresh stores are equipped with Just Walk Out. The technology allows customers to skip checkout altogether by scanning a QR code when they enter the store. Though it seemed completely automated, Just Walk Out relied on more than 1,000 people in India watching and labeling videos to ensure accurate checkouts. The cashiers were simply moved off-site, and they watched you as you shopped.
Instead, Amazon is reportedly moving towards Dash Carts, where a scanner and screen are embedded in your shopping cart, allowing you to checkout as you shop.
I've never been to an Amazon Fresh store, so I didn't share this experience. But I didn't care for the sound of the new checkout system when I read about it. First of all, the name "Just Walk Out" really just sounds like an invitation to steal something. Also, knowing the problems that we have frequently run into when using scanners at stores with self-checkout, my confidence level that all of the purchases were accurately recorded and billed was not very high.
The system was not nearly as autonomous as people were led to believe. There were still human beings monitoring the transactions, but they were located in India and watching via video links. What Amazon had managed to do was get rid of its human workers and outsource the jobs to a cheaper labor market in another country. They also made the entire process significantly more complicated in the process through the use of technology.
The new system that's coming doesn't sound much better. As noted above, they will be moving to "Dash Carts." These carts are equipped with their own scanners allowing the shopper to scan items as they are selected. That's not going to be much of a bonus for people who just stopping by to pick up a few items. Who wants to be bothered grabbing a cart for something like that? Anyone who shops at traditional grocery stores also knows that shoppers constantly leave carts scattered around the parking lot after loading up their purchases in their vehicles. Does the responsibility for returning the carts now fall on the shopper or will there at least be some humans on the scene to take care of that?
This concept was billed as something that was supposed to use advancements in technology to make the shopping experience more convenient as well as the payment process. But under the covers, they are doing away with jobs and increasing the possibility of errors that the consumer will be forced to deal with after the fact. In that way, it's not all that dissimilar to the advent of artificial intelligence in the workplace. We are assured that the technology will simply offer "enhancements" to the process, but in too many cases, humans will be replaced as soon as the technology reaches a suitable level of capability. It's already happening. The rise of the robot overlords can't be far behind. And you'll have Amazon to thank for it.
