How Amazon is changing the “Customer Experience”

Written by: Hayden Lausell, Marketing & Creative Writing

Grocery shopping can be a hassle, but a necessary evil at that. Long checkout lines are bothersome, and when you shop on an empty stomach (guilty), they feel about 100 times longer. Unfortunately, there is no way to get around them. Or is there?

Amazon recently opened a modern-day grocery store to the public in Seattle, Washington, where grocery shopping is as easy as download, shop, and go. That’s it! Amazon Go is making it possible for shoppers to not hate (maybe even love) the food store experience.

The New “Fast” Food Service

You may be thinking “But how does it work?” It’s simple really. The “Just Walk Out” technology can monitor every time an item is taken off and placed back onto the shelf, and your virtual cart is tracked. When you leave, Amazon totals up your items, sends you the receipt, and charges your account. And you thought convenient stores were convenient!

At only 1,800 square feet, this small spot brings you all the essentials like butter, milk, eggs, and bread, as well as freshly cooked dishes. There are chefs on the premises preparing meals for you to enjoy, or you can stop in for a quick and fresh premade meal. Amazon Go also offers “Amazon Meal Kits” which contain everything necessary to prepare a delectable meal for two in just 30 minutes or less.

To shop at this revolutionary little store, all you need is an Amazon account. From there, you download the free Amazon Go app, and use it to enter the store. Then you’re set! Pop your phone back in your pocket, enjoy the very -bland- human experience of grocery shopping, and leave.

Business Insider states that within the next ten years, it is possible that 2,000 Amazon Go stores could be built across the country. While this innovative technology is nothing short of amazing, showing us the direction we are going in (in the very near future), how much is too much?

Shopper Jake Zukowski mentions in his article about his shopping experience with Amazon Go, that “the presence of the technology” was very clear when he first entered the store. However, the feeling fades when you mosey through and pick out your items, maybe stopping to chat with an Amazon Go associate there to help you through the shopping experience.

The ceiling is lined with sensors and trackers, keeping an eye on all you are picking up and putting down. Learning algorithms and data tracking retain all past purchases you have made, keeping tabs on you and anticipating your next purchases. Is this just another way for us to be tracked? Is Amazon taking it too far? Or are we just fortunate enough to be able to skip pesky checkout lines?

Tracking us or not, this is a huge leap in the grocery store industry. Feel free to know how many veggies I buy (or not!) if it means I don’t have to wait in one more dreadful checkout line. Amazon Go has really stepped up the grocery shopping game, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

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