Amazon is launching shopping carts that track items as shoppers add them, then automatically charges them when they remove the grocery bags, allowing them to skip the checkout line.
The Dash Carts will roll out at Amazon’s new Los Angeles-area grocery store, which is slated to open this year, the company announced Tuesday.
Dash Carts build on the “Just Walk Out” cashierless technology first deployed at Amazon Go convenience stores. Amazon Go stores, which opened to the public in 2018, let customers buy items without waiting in checkout lines. The company has made inroads into the grocery market over the past several years, but with cashierless technology, Amazon is hoping to make the shopping experience more enjoyable and set itself apart from other physical retailers.
Shoppers must have an Amazon account and a smartphoneto use a Dash Cart. After entering the store, users scan a QR code, located in the Amazon app, that signs them into the cart and loads Alexa shopping lists.
Each cart is equipped with cameras that use computer vision to identify items as they’re placed in bags inside the cart, and a built-in scale to weigh them if necessary. For items like fresh produce, shoppers type in the item’s four-digit code and quantity on the display, which registers the weight and price. The cart is also equipped with a coupon scanner that applies any rebates to the shopper’s order. The carts are designed for small- to mid-sized grocery trips, where shoppers might leave the store with one or two bags.
As shoppers add and remove items, a display on the front of the cart adjusts the total price.
When they’re ready to leave, shoppers exit via the store’s Dash Cart lane. The company charges the credit card linked to their Amazon account and emails a copy of the receipt.
Source: CNBC