I tried a new shopping experience of 'registration free' at the convenience store 'Amazon Go' without cash register
In recent years, Amazon, the largest online shopping company, has been aggressively expanding into physical stores. Among them, the convenience store 'Amazon Go ', which does not have a cash register, is an innovative business format in which you can pick up a product and leave the store as it is, and it is expected to significantly change the way of shopping in the future. I went to three Amazon Go stores in Seattle, the birthplace of Amazon, and tried a new shopping experience that does not require payment at the cash register.
Amazon.com :: Amazon Go
At the time of writing the article, there are three Amazon Go stores in Seattle, which is at Amazon's knees. So, take the Link Light Rail to downtown Seattle. The distance from 'Sea Tac Airport' station, which is the closest to Tacoma Airport, to the destination 'West Lake' station is about 40 minutes, and the fare is $ 2.75 (about 300 yen).
When you go out from the West Lake station platform to the ground, you will see the cityscape of skyscrapers. Aim for the first Amazon Go store on foot.
After walking for about 10 minutes, I saw the
The entrance looks like this.
Because it is fitted with glass, you can see the inside slightly.
Various plants are planted in a greenhouse of about 3,700 square meters. Although The Spheres is a workspace exclusively for Amazon employees, tours are also held on a regular basis.
Behind The Spheres was the world's first convenience store 'Amazon Go' without a cash register.
The location is '
A sign in front of the store prompting you to install a dedicated 'Amazon Go app'.
There was also a space for cooking cut salads sold in the store.
I visited in early November 2018, but there is no line and I can enter the store immediately.
There is a gate like a ticket gate at the station at the entrance of the store, so prepare a QR code with the Amazon Go app ...
Hold it over.
If 'go' is displayed and the gate opens, you can enter the store. In addition, you need to operate your smartphone only once when you enter the store.
So, the inside of the first Amazon Go store looks like this.
The inside of the store has the same space and product display as a so-called 'convenience store'. Yogurt ...
Cut fruit
Drinks
spices
Snacks
Light meals such as hamburgers
salad
Sweets etc. There are many organic foods, and I felt that I was particular about the ingredients, but the price was neither particularly high nor cheap.
It was characterized by a lineup of slightly luxurious products such as products under the
There was also an alcohol sales space in the back of the first Amazon Go store.
There is also Amazon original sake. In addition, when purchasing alcohol, it was mandatory for the staff to confirm the age.
There are also Amazon Go limited products. Limited items were chocolate bars, mugs, and thermos bottles.
With Amazon Go, you don't have to settle the purchased items at the cash register, so you can pack the items in your own bag. Also, a simple bag for $ 0.99 (about 110 yen) ...
A paper bag was also provided in the store. By the way, the large paper bag was 5 cents (about 6 yen) and the small one was free.
And on the ceiling, a large number of camera / sensor units were placed to realize the Amazon Go system that allows products to be taken out without payment at the cash register.
If you look closely, you can see the camera and sensor in the back of the product display shelf. This ensures that you will not be charged even if you return the item you picked up.
To get out of the store, just go through the gate. The exit gate opens automatically, so you don't have to hold your smartphone over it.
There was also an eat-in space just outside the store.
Not just forks and knives ...
There is also a microwave.
There seemed to be many people who took out the products and ate them in the eat-in space.
Next, I went to the third Amazon Go store in Seattle, which just opened in September 2018.
The location is '
'Now open' sign.
There was a store on the first floor of the office building.
Entrance display.
After all it is a gate.
The rectangular interior was laid out like a typical convenience store.
The type of product is almost the same as the first store.
The ceiling is full of cameras.
The number of customers in the store was small, probably because of the location on the first floor of the office building.
So, I 'purchased' a sandwich at Amazon Go Seattle 3rd store and tried it in the eat-in space.
Eat-in space attached to the store.
After all it is equipped with a microwave oven.
I bought two items, 'Starbucks Frappuccino' and 'Molly's Egg Salad Sandwich'. I haven't settled, so I don't feel like I bought it.
About 15 minutes after leaving the store, when I finished eating the sandwich, I received a receipt in the app. There is no mistake in the products brought out. The items returned to the shelves were never settled.
At this point, I arrived at the second Amazon Go Seattle store after walking for about 30 minutes in order to conquer all Amazon Go stores in Seattle.
The location is '
After all it is a gate. When it comes to the third store, entering the store is extremely smooth.
The products on sale are almost the same.
The camera is the same.
So, I bought an Amazon Go limited edition product at Amazon Go's third Seattle store.
I picked up and returned the item, but the receipt I received later was correct.
In Amazon Go, in the unlikely event that a product you have not purchased is settled, you can apply for it from the app and the refund will be processed. In addition, we have adopted a system that you do not have to return the obtained product even if you process the refund if the product is incorrect.
Actually, I bought the product about 4 times, but the payment was not wrong, and I could feel the excellence of Amazon Go's camera and sensor. And as you get used to purchasing without cash on Amazon Go, you'll find that you're casually picking up without checking the price of the item. The sales style of Amazon Go, which does not require payment at the cash register, has the potential to drastically change consumer purchasing behavior.
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