AMAZON’S JUST WALK OUT TECHNOLOGY MAKES WAVES Shoppers are ready for a full-size cashierless , but is the competition?

June 15, 2021 • Winsight Grocery Bsuiness • Jennifer Strailey

For the first time, ’s Just at the new Amazon cart, and anything they put back Walk Out technology will be Fresh store can take advantage on the shelf comes out of their available in a new full-size Amazon of the technology, which connects virtual cart. At the end of their trip, Fresh grocery store. On June 17, to customers’ Amazon account or customers shopping with the Just the -based e-tailing giant credit card.” Walk Out experience scan or insert will open the doors to its newest their entry method again to exit. in The Customers can decide to go at Factoria in Bellevue, Wash. The cashierless or kick it old school “Customers have enjoyed the new store marks the grocer’s 14th at the store’s entry gates, where effortless shopping experience location in the U.S. they are prompted to choose enabled by our Just Walk Out if they want to use Just Walk technology at our , Shoppers at the Bellevue store Out shopping or the traditional Amazon Go Grocery, Amazon can opt to use the Just Walk checkout lanes. Fresh stores in the U.K., and Out cashierless checkout or go third-party retailer stores,” said through a traditional employee- Shoppers who opt for Just Walk Dilip Kumar, VP of physical staffed checkout line. Out shopping can enter the store and technology at Amazon, in a in three ways: by scanning the QR statement. “The feedback has As Amazon explains it, “Just Walk code in their Amazon app, using been fantastic, with customers Out technology is made possible Amazon One to scan their palm noting that skipping the checkout by a combination of computer or inserting a credit or debit card allows them to save time and vision, sensor fusion and deep linked to their Amazon account. reduce contact in stores.” learning, and adds convenience Each option will open the Just to customers’ grocery shopping Walk Out gates. Shoppers not yet comfortable experience by giving them the with the sci-fi-meets- option to come in, pick up what Once inside the store, anything experience at the Bellevue Amazon they want and skip the checkout shoppers take off the shelf is Fresh have other payment options. when they’re done. Anyone automatically added to their virtual They can use one of the staffed

800.824.7776 | [email protected] | www.vai.net checkout lanes to pay with cash, Out technology will send ripples contactless shopping experiences credit or debit card, Amazon One, throughout the grocery and retail in connection with both grocery the In-Store code in the Amazon industry, giving a snapshot of what services and curbside App, or SNAP EBT. the future could look like,” said pickup,” Scioscia said. Joe Scioscia, VP of sales for VAI, Customers who use the Just an enterprise resource planning Michael Jasczyk, CEO of GK Walk Out experience will be sent distributor working with grocery Software, agreed. “Customers digital receipts, also available in and distributors. “While are looking for convenient and their Amazon account. Traditional kiosks and cashierless checkout frictionless ways to get in and out checkout shoppers will get a paper have been around for some time, of the store quickly, and Amazon receipt, and recognized Amazon this type of technology is being is meeting this demand in grocery customers will also receive a adopted for customer-facing stores using innovative solutions, digital receipt. systems and throughout the supply such as QR codes and palm chain, signaling the power of scanning,” he said. “Bringing Just Walk Out RFID [radio-frequency identifying] technology to a full-size grocery technology and scanning while As a result, added Jasczyk, space with the Amazon Fresh shopping.” grocers need to evaluate their store in Bellevue showcases payments technology and ensure the technology’s continued As shoppers become increasingly that it fits within their ability to scale and adapt to new comfortable with this payment as well as its shoppers’ needs. environments and selection,” technology, Scioscia sees grocers added Kumar. both large and small racing to “The future of checkout is catch up to cashierless. here, and retailers must deploy The Future of Checkout Is Now technology that’s designed for “Amazon’s ability to scale its “In the next few years, I expect simplicity and convenience to cashierless tech to a full-size to see other grocery brands stand out from the competition and grocery store with Just Walk ramp up their abilities to offer win over customers,” said Jasczyk.

800.824.7776 | [email protected] | www.vai.net