Anyone use Amazon Go?

[QuarterMillionMan]

Today I drove past an Amazon Go store in Torrance, CA, and had no idea what it entailed. Actually, it looks like a decade old store with futuristic technology which I had to look up upon returning home.

[disneysteve]

I had to look it up. The nearest one to me is in NYC. I don’t expect to be there any time soon but I’d check it out if I get the chance.

[ua_guy]

I think? there may be one in Seattle, or, there was one. I've never been, but yeah, if I was nearby I'd check it out.

[myrdale]

Its only 678 miles from here to the nearest one in Chicago.... Yeah I don't think I'll check that out anytime soon.

The concept definitely should cut back on overhead and shop lifting.

[myrdale]

Is it worth?

Based on the current responses, I don't believe anyone here has actually been in the store, unless QMM went back.

[riverwed070707]

I struggle to see the long-term business model. I get that its techy and new, but its just a convenience store with snacks and such? Not terribly different than the ones with self checkout. Wonder why they want to create their own brand instead of just licensing the technology to an existing brand

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I've gone and seen it and it's stupid. It's really for single people in urban areas. Anyone with a family would find it ridiculous. It's stupid and gimmicky and it wouldn't work with anyone buying in bulk. Spending that much time label individual bell peppers? And apples, etc. It's stupid. Also why where I lived it last less than a year. And I know someone working for amazon go, it's a failure.

across the street from it was a regular grocery store that is ALWAYS busy and there was no way to compete. They couldn't do a 12 pack of sodas. It was a test model store, and it might work in completely urban stores like a bodega or 7-11 but anywhere else is ridiculous.

[myrdale]

I struggle to see the long-term business model. I get that its techy and new, but its just a convenience store with snacks and such? Not terribly different than the ones with self checkout.

A local Circle K gas station has a self checkout AI machine. They have signs all around it to use the machine, but no one does. When standing in line the cashier checking out the person in front of me, kept yelling at the line to use the self checkout and no one would.

It seems to me the whole purpose of the machine is to replace the person.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Based on the current responses, I don't believe anyone here has actually been in the store, unless QMM went back.

Ha-ha, nope never drove past it again. Inside LAX airport they have a similar convenience store which has signs upon entering which says "grab & go" and just swipe your credit card upon entering.

[QuarterMillionMan]

A short 1.5 minute video about it.
LAX Airport Los Angeles California Terminal 3 High Technology Store (youtube.com)

[disneysteve]

A local Circle K gas station has a self checkout AI machine. They have signs all around it to use the machine, but no one does. When standing in line the cashier checking out the person in front of me, kept yelling at the line to use the self checkout and no one would.

It seems to me the whole purpose of the machine is to replace the person.

I use self checkout at any opportunity. It’s faster and more efficient than standing in line for a cashier. One Aldi near us finally installed them and it’s great. There was always a line stretching to the back of the store before. Now I’m in and out in minutes.

Target and Walmart have started limiting self checkout to 10 or 15 items which I hate. It’s way faster for me to scan everything in my cart than to have to unload it onto the belt, have the cashier scan it, and then put it back in my cart. Plus they don’t have any more cashiers than they did before making the lines a lot longer. Better all around to use self checkout.

[kork13]

I use self checkout at any opportunity. It’s faster and more efficient than standing in line for a cashier.

I'm the same way, even if I may not always be faster than the cashier. I just prefer to handle my own business.

My favorite self-check that I've come across is at a clothing store in the nearest mall where I live. They have simple RFIDs on all of their price tags, so you just dump everything into a bin at the checkout, the system immediately identifies & registers each item, then you pay. No scanning of individual items, no punching in quantities, and no searching for the tagged barcode. Dump, pay, collect, done.

I suppose the RFID thing is probably similar to what Amazon Go tried to implement ... but it's harder to do with groceries that vary in weight or quantity ... particularly tough would be produce & meats, because every item is by its nature unique.

[disneysteve]

I'm the same way, even if I may not always be faster than the cashier. I just prefer to handle my own business.

My favorite self-check that I've come across is at a clothing store in the nearest mall where I live. They have simple RFIDs on all of their price tags, so you just dump everything into a bin at the checkout, the system immediately identifies & registers each item, then you pay. No scanning of individual items, no punching in quantities, and no searching for the tagged barcode. Dump, pay, collect, done.

I suppose the RFID thing is probably similar to what Amazon Go tried to implement ... but it's harder to do with groceries that vary in weight or quantity ... particularly tough would be produce & meats, because every item is by its nature unique.

I really love not having to take things out of the cart to check out. While I’m shopping I make sure to put everything into the cart with the bar code fading up. Then it just takes a few seconds to scan each one, pay, and be on my way.

[QuarterMillionMan]

The self-checkout works great with a bar code. But what about an orange. You have to type into the search "orange" then naval orange or tangelo or clementine or valencia, etc. Type in apple and there're fuji, red,delicious granny smith, honeycrisp, etc. If I have a ton of produce I will wait in the long line for a live cashier rather than trying to figure out the exact apple or orange.

[disneysteve]

The self-checkout works great with a bar code. But what about an orange. You have to type into the search "orange" then naval orange or tangelo or clementine or valencia, etc. Type in apple and there're fuji, red,delicious granny smith, honeycrisp, etc. If I have a ton of produce I will wait in the long line for a live cashier rather than trying to figure out the exact apple or orange.

Produce has a sticker on it with the code you enter. At Wegmans when you buy produce you can put it right onto the scale and print out a bar code label to scan at the register so it’s super easy.