The Amazon Go has been defined and hailed in different quarters as the store of the future. This is because it makes use of “sophisticated computer vision and machine learning software” that makes it possible for a customer to walk in, pick his needed items and leave.
Seriously, it is that simple.
No lines, no shopping baskets/carts, just pick your items and leave. The store which is located in Seattle was opened in December 5, 2016 to Amazon employees for a test run and will be opened to the general public today.
Oh! You didn’t think you wouldn’t pay or did you. Well, here is the catch, we will quickly run through all you need to know about the Amazon Go.
What kind of store is it?
For now, it is a convenience store where you can comfortably shop for your daily groceries. It is basically like your regular convenience store with a lot of cameras and of course, no checkout.
How does it work?
As earlier stated, the store is controlled by cameras and very sensitive sensors. To gain access to the store, you need to have an Amazon account and also download the Amazon Go app on your iPhone or Android device. The app grants you entry through a gated turnstile
You go to the store, pick the items you need off the shelf, Amazon’s machine learning is able to recognize what you picked and your Amazon account will be charged. If you return any item back to the shelf, the item will be deducted.
Does this mean that there is no human working in the store?
No, it doesn’t. There are humans that work in the store who perform several activities that include preparing meals, checking IDs of those that want to buy wine and also assisting customers in making a product choice.
How about shoplifting?
Many big brick and mortar stores lose a lot of goods to shoplifters so, it is only fair to know how Amazon plans to deal with the menace.
According to Amazon, if you take an item and leave through the back, you will still be charged for it because the system is almost unbeatable. Nick Wingfield of NYT shared that he tried to fool the system by pulling a piece of cloth over an item and transferring the same item inside his coat.He stated that he was still charged for the product after he left the store despite hiding the item.
What is the implication of this?
If this works, then a revolution is very much on the way especially if more businesses are willing to try it out. More humans would have to prove why their jobs shouldn’t be assigned to a machine. But hey, Amazon isn’t saying anything about opening other stores now or applying the technology elsewhere.
What started this ‘crazy’ idea?
The Amazon team sat down and thought to themselves, “What can be better than same day delivery?” and they decided a store with no lines and no checkout had to be the next big thing.
Ok, that was all made up.
The Amazon Go according to their website came to be as a result of these two questions,
‘What if we could create a shopping experience with no lines and no checkout?
and
Could we push the boundaries of computer vision and machine learning to create a store where customers could simply take what they want and go?’
Final Thought.
Amazon Go is a such a huge and laudable project.It is presently located in Amazon’s office complex in Seattle and It may take sometime before it becomes a thing but it is a technological breakthrough that cannot be overlooked.
