Cashier-less checkout to launch at Amazon Fresh store

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Starting on Thursday, Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” cashier-less checkout option will be available at one of the company’s full-size Amazon Fresh grocery stores.

The technology, currently available mainly at the company’s smaller Amazon Go stores, will be available at a new Amazon Fresh store opening Thursday at The Marketplace at Factoria in Bellevue, Wash.

Amazon says the Just Walk Out technology is made possible by a combination of computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning.

The upshot for customers at the new store is the option to come in, pick up what they want, and skip the checkout when they’re done.  (Anyone shopping at the new store can take advantage of the technology, which connects either to customers’ Amazon account or a credit card.) Customers are prompted at the store’s entry gates to choose if they want to use Just Walk Out shopping or the traditional checkout lanes.

Customers who opt for Just Walk Out shopping can enter the store in three ways: They can scan the QR code in their Amazon app, use Amazon One to scan their palm, or insert a credit or debit card linked to their Amazon account. Each option will open the Just Walk Out gates.

Once inside the store, customers can shop like normal. Anything they take off the shelf is automatically added to their virtual cart, and anything they put back on the shelf comes out of their virtual cart. At the end of their trip, customers shopping with the Just Walk Out experience simply scan or insert their entry method again to exit.

“Customers have enjoyed the effortless shopping experience enabled by our Just Walk Out technology at our Amazon Go, Amazon Go Grocery, Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, and third-party retailer stores,” said Dilip Kumar, vice president of physical retail and technology at Amazon. “The feedback has been fantastic, with customers noting that skipping the checkout allows them to save time and reduce contact in stores.

“Bringing Just Walk Out technology to a full-size grocery space with the Amazon Fresh store in Bellevue showcases the technology’s continued ability to scale and adapt to new environments and selection. I’m thrilled it’ll help even more customers enjoy an easier and faster way to shop and can’t wait to get their feedback on this latest Just Walk Out offering.”