Love it or hate it, the shopping has to be done one way or another. Whether for food, clothes, home-ware, garden furniture and all else in between, there has never before been so many options and so much competition when it comes to shopping, how to do the shopping and where to go for it all.
There are swathes of online shopping options and more people than ever are turning their backs on the old fashioned method of walking into a shop and purchasing items; preferring to comfortably and conveniently order online. However, is the ‘feel’ of a traditional shop making something of a comeback with the likes of Amazon’s emerging chain of ‘Amazon Go’ shops?
Amazon’s innovative new shops are effectively a hybrid of ‘normal’ shops and 21st Century convenience shopping, which is fast, unobstructed and instant. Part of what draws new customers to a brand is its efficiency and its ability to be the pinnacle of convenience. For example, Amazon’s Prime service allows you to order and receive products potentially within the space of just a few hours; providing a level of service that couriers and brands have struggled with over the years.
What is Amazon Go?
Amazon Go is what is being seen by many as the future and is described by the brand as using ‘Walk-Out Technology.’ Instead of queuing up at a checkout till or having to fiddle around with touch screen options at a self-service area, Amazon Go allows shoppers to simply walk in, take their items and then just walk out. The bill is then automatically charged to the customer’s Amazon account. The only real prerequisites are that customers need the Amazon Go app installed on their smart phone and from there it couldn’t be easier.
The technology used for Amazon Go is a type of ‘smart technology’ (read more) that is not dissimilar to that found in self-driving cars. Customers have a virtual shopping cart and the technology used detects items when they are taken off the shelves by a customer. This is all confirmed once the customer leaves the shop, with the bill being charged shortly after.
This is a potential breakthrough for modern day shopping. By removing queues and allowing technology to streamline what may otherwise be a stressful and boring process, Amazon may really be on to something special.
To supplement the convenience of not having to wait in annoying queues, the current prototype Amazon Go shop in Seattle is more than 1,500 square feet in size, allowing for a very comfortable and spacious shopping experience.
What does the future hold?
With Amazon currently said to be looking for a large Central London premises for this exciting new project (City AM), it would certainly seem that they have a great degree of faith in this idea. These shops, much in the way that Amazon does online will sell all nature of food products and items. In addition to the likes of water, eggs, milk and similar, they offer a range of ready-to-eat meals; breakfast, lunch and supper options.
Amazon have described the concept as a ‘shopping experience,’ indicating they probably have the intention to make this venture a pioneering project that will be a big step in transforming our lives, how we shop and how we interact with shops in general.
It’s a fast moving concept and certainly one to look out for in the not too distant future.
