Amazon Go is on its Way!

No lines, no checkout, no problem! Amazon has changed the game once again with their new Amazon Go store that promises, “the world’s most advanced shopping technology” where shoppers can literally grab and go, without the hassle of waiting in line to check out. So how does it work?

When you enter an Amazon Go grocery-type store, you will scan your phone’s Amazon account and their new “Just Walk Out” technology uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to detect items that you remove from the shelves around the store and put in your virtual cart. When you are finished shopping, you can leave with no lines or checkout.  After you leave, your Amazon account will be charged and a receipt will be sent to you for the items you picked up. Seem too good to be true? Well, lucky for you, it’s not!

You’re probably thinking, “What can I buy at this amazing store?” Well, aside from the staples such as milk, bread, and cheese, artisan cheese that is, Amazon Go offers a variety of grocery essentials ranging from ready-to-eat meals for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner! Local kitchens and bakeries get to throw their hand in the mix as many of the ready-to-eat meals are locally made. No time to cook dinner? No problem. Amazon Go will also have chef-designed Amazon Meal Kits that will contain all of the ingredients you need for a home-cooked meal for two in about 30 minutes.

The store will be relatively small at about 1,800 square feet. So, smaller store, smaller number of employees, right? Exactly! Amazon’s idea behind this is that, with fewer employees, they are able to keep costs lower than their competitors. The negative side of this idea is that Amazon could be seen as a threat to the roughly 3.4 million individuals who are working as cashiers in the U.S., especially if the idea spreads to other retailers.

Ready to start shopping? Well, unless you are an Amazon employee in Seattle, Washington, you will have to wait until early 2017, as the flagship store is only open to employees as part of their Beta program. If that isn’t enough of a tease, Amazon plans to open 2,000 more stores in the next 10 years, so you may have to wait even longer until an Amazon Go opens near you. Bummer, right? At least we know this exciting new technology is a reality, not just Amazon’s dream anymore.