When Amazon Go launched its first pilot store in Seattle, the plan was to roll out these cashierless stores in every corner of the country. There’s no doubt that Amazon sees cashierless stores powered by artificial intelligence as the future of shopping, and a few months after launching the first pilot, Amazon has now started to open other stores across the US.
But it’s not the large-scale expansion that most people expected. According to a new report, three new Amazon Go locations are expected to open in two different cities. The report says that two new locations in Seattle where the first store is located have been identified. The other store is expected to be located in the city of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles store is part of a 600,000 square feet outdoor shopping mall called The Groove.
This is a significant step to expand Amazon Go nationwide. However, it’s not yet clear whether other stores will open this year. Amazon is taking its time with the expansion and the rollout is very gradual. However, it will not be a surprise if we see three or four more Amazon Go stores this year.
The first Amazon Go store opened in January. Although it wasn’t easy for Amazon to get here. The company conducted a long beta testing process before finally launching the first store in Seattle. The level of excitement that the store generated was good enough to show that indeed cashierless stores are a great idea. Customers lined up on opening day just to get a glimpse of this high-tech store.
A cashierless store is the ultimate definition of convenience. Shoppers simply need to get in, shop and leave. When customers enter the store, they are required to scan a unique code at the door. This lifts the barrier and allows entry. There’s an assortment of cameras and sensors inside the store that track everything that a customer buys. The bill is then charged automatically when the customer leaves the store.
No sign yet of any plans from Amazon to roll out this new technology nationwide. However, because of the high-tech nature of these stores, it may take some time to see a big expansion.
Amazon Go stores stock many products including Amazon-branded items and other private labels. Despite these reports, Amazon hasn’t yet released an official statement confirming the expansion of Amazon Go to Los Angeles and other locations in Seattle.
Attempts to get a statement from the e-commerce giant was not fruitful. Amazon says that it doesn’t comment on rumors. But there’s no smoke without fire. It’s been two months since the first store launched this year and one would think that Amazon has learned enough lessons to roll out the stores countrywide. However, it’s still a waiting game as we haven’t seen confirmation from the company.
