7 ms·

As an European, Amazon Go seems like extreme over-engineering, with its vision-based system and all. I can already quickly scan items as I put them in my basket

by jiofih 7y ago

As an European, Amazon Go seems like extreme over-engineering, with its vision-based system and all. I can already quickly scan items as I put them in my basket, either using a handheld scanner you pick up at the entrance, or my own mobile phone. You can also do it all at once in the self-checkout station. It already takes little to no time, and simply adding a very fast barcode reader to the basket itself or RFID would completely eliminate any time spent there. Payment takes five seconds with contactless / Apple Pay. Most small supermarkets already have only one or two cashiers working at any time.

imtringued 7y ago
This only works if you add RFID tags to every product and then have an RFID gate as checkout.
Klinky 7y ago
Vision system replaces cashier and loss prevention. Plus I imagine just grabbing stuff lowers the barrier to sale, versus having to scan each item and acknowledge the cost.
X6S1x6Okd1st 7y ago
Imo The point is to reduce friction and variance for the consumer, not necessarily reduce the # of employees
sithadmin 7y ago
This was how I felt about Amazon Go...until I tried Amazon Go. I had previously tried other markets with handheld UPC scanners or mobile device scanning, but still ended up with delays I'd rather avoid (passing through the queue at self-checkout). Amazon Go really is completely effortless once you have checked in to the store, although doing things like putting items into your own backpack while shopping feels...very weird. But being able to waltz out the door with zero delays is a true luxury in urban areas where markets almost always have long queues for checkout (regardless of if they have a human attendant or not).
- remarkEon 7y ago
  I’ve been only a dozen times, but the experience gets fermented in your mind such that you will accidentally try to walk out of a 7-11 without paying. It really is effortless and a totally new customer experience. I’m still not sure if it’s a net positive, but just scanning in and walking out is great.
marcusverus 7y ago
My local (US) grocery story has a similar scan-as-you-go feature available, and I haven't seen a single person using it in the year or so that it has been available. For older folks and the tech-illiterate, it is likely somewhat intimidating to have to teach yourself a new 'techie' feature on the fly. Amazon's method may require you to log in or scan in with a barcode from the Amazon app, but just about everyone already has some basic experience with the Amazon service. And once you do a single scan, it just works.
stoops 7y ago
There is an immense difference between what you describe and the user experience of Amazon Go. It was one of the most revolutionary experiences once I got accustomed to it. I used to regularly get lunch in < 30 seconds at Amazon Go. My record was 12 seconds for a soda and sandwhich. They added more processing time for that calculation at some point. But I basically could get things as quick as my feet could take me in and out. It's really not the same experience. You should try it when you get the chance. Here are my most recent trip times according to the app (assume a 15s overestimate to my real experience): 37s - Dr Pepper 32s - Dr Pepper 1m12s - Dr Pepper, sandwhich, cookies 33s - Dr Pepper 1m33s - Dr Pepper 36s - Dr Pepper 44s - Vitamin Water 46s - Sandwhich, cookies 30s - Vitamin Water 32s - Dr Pepper 31s - Dr Pepper 35s - Dr Pepper I would estimate that most of these have a 15s overestimate. This has not been a Dr Pepper advertisement.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago
  I can and have bought a Coke Zero in that amount of time by using self-checkouts with Apple Pay in Sweden (specifically the ones at Pressbyrån and 7-Eleven). Walk in, grab bottle, scan and press pay, Apple Pay Touch ID, a few seconds for the transaction to approve, and I'm out of the store.
  - stoops 7y ago
    Can you do it 20 times in a row like I did?
    - maxerickson 7y ago
      Does it matter? It's nice that you save a couple minutes, but I doubt it really has much impact on your day. Or was that all on Thursday morning?
      - stoops 7y ago
cavisne 7y ago
These methods work by turning the shopper into a cashier. Amazon go completely removes the cashier role from the experience, the shopper just picks up the item as they did before and walks out. Using vision to solve a problem always seems inefficient but it scales out way better than anything else (ie the various ways google maps uses vision when in a world with perfect map data it wouldn’t be needed).
privateSFacct 7y ago
You haven't used american self checkout machines yet then! "Unidentified item in the bagging area!" "Please place item in the bagging area!" How would you like to pay? Pick credit card Please complete purchase on separate device to the right. Do people really love even those voice / flow of these machines? I've used amazon go. It is as far as I can tell very low friction. I'm not 100% sure how they figured out what I got but it was correct in my case.
- pottertheotter 7y ago
  I had those problems in the past but I don’t think I’ve had a problem with self checkout in the last couple years. Granted, all my experiences are at Walmart so maybe they have figured it out. In addition, the whole process is quick and painless. I scan a QR code with the Walmart app when I get to the self checkout, scan my items, press done, and leave. Also, the Scan and Go system they have at Sam’s Club is awesome. I can scan items on my phone as I’m shopping. When I’m done, I tap purchase, and then walk out with my stuff.

by jiofih 7y ago

imtringued 7y ago

This only works if you add RFID tags to every product and then have an RFID gate as checkout.

Klinky 7y ago

Vision system replaces cashier and loss prevention. Plus I imagine just grabbing stuff lowers the barrier to sale, versus having to scan each item and acknowledge the cost.

X6S1x6Okd1st 7y ago

Imo The point is to reduce friction and variance for the consumer, not necessarily reduce the # of employees

sithadmin 7y ago

This was how I felt about Amazon Go...until I tried Amazon Go. I had previously tried other markets with handheld UPC scanners or mobile device scanning, but still ended up with delays I'd rather avoid (passing through the queue at self-checkout). Amazon Go really is completely effortless once you have checked in to the store, although doing things like putting items into your own backpack while shopping feels...very weird. But being able to waltz out the door with zero delays is a true luxury in urban areas where markets almost always have long queues for checkout (regardless of if they have a human attendant or not).

remarkEon 7y ago
I’ve been only a dozen times, but the experience gets fermented in your mind such that you will accidentally try to walk out of a 7-11 without paying. It really is effortless and a totally new customer experience. I’m still not sure if it’s a net positive, but just scanning in and walking out is great.

marcusverus 7y ago

My local (US) grocery story has a similar scan-as-you-go feature available, and I haven't seen a single person using it in the year or so that it has been available. For older folks and the tech-illiterate, it is likely somewhat intimidating to have to teach yourself a new 'techie' feature on the fly. Amazon's method may require you to log in or scan in with a barcode from the Amazon app, but just about everyone already has some basic experience with the Amazon service. And once you do a single scan, it just works.

stoops 7y ago

There is an immense difference between what you describe and the user experience of Amazon Go. It was one of the most revolutionary experiences once I got accustomed to it. I used to regularly get lunch in < 30 seconds at Amazon Go. My record was 12 seconds for a soda and sandwhich. They added more processing time for that calculation at some point. But I basically could get things as quick as my feet could take me in and out. It's really not the same experience. You should try it when you get the chance. Here are my most recent trip times according to the app (assume a 15s overestimate to my real experience): 37s - Dr Pepper 32s - Dr Pepper 1m12s - Dr Pepper, sandwhich, cookies 33s - Dr Pepper 1m33s - Dr Pepper 36s - Dr Pepper 44s - Vitamin Water 46s - Sandwhich, cookies 30s - Vitamin Water 32s - Dr Pepper 31s - Dr Pepper 35s - Dr Pepper I would estimate that most of these have a 15s overestimate. This has not been a Dr Pepper advertisement.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago
I can and have bought a Coke Zero in that amount of time by using self-checkouts with Apple Pay in Sweden (specifically the ones at Pressbyrån and 7-Eleven). Walk in, grab bottle, scan and press pay, Apple Pay Touch ID, a few seconds for the transaction to approve, and I'm out of the store.
- stoops 7y ago
  Can you do it 20 times in a row like I did?
  - maxerickson 7y ago
    Does it matter? It's nice that you save a couple minutes, but I doubt it really has much impact on your day. Or was that all on Thursday morning?
    - stoops 7y ago

cavisne 7y ago

These methods work by turning the shopper into a cashier. Amazon go completely removes the cashier role from the experience, the shopper just picks up the item as they did before and walks out. Using vision to solve a problem always seems inefficient but it scales out way better than anything else (ie the various ways google maps uses vision when in a world with perfect map data it wouldn’t be needed).

privateSFacct 7y ago

You haven't used american self checkout machines yet then! "Unidentified item in the bagging area!" "Please place item in the bagging area!" How would you like to pay? Pick credit card Please complete purchase on separate device to the right. Do people really love even those voice / flow of these machines? I've used amazon go. It is as far as I can tell very low friction. I'm not 100% sure how they figured out what I got but it was correct in my case.

pottertheotter 7y ago
I had those problems in the past but I don’t think I’ve had a problem with self checkout in the last couple years. Granted, all my experiences are at Walmart so maybe they have figured it out. In addition, the whole process is quick and painless. I scan a QR code with the Walmart app when I get to the self checkout, scan my items, press done, and leave. Also, the Scan and Go system they have at Sam’s Club is awesome. I can scan items on my phone as I’m shopping. When I’m done, I tap purchase, and then walk out with my stuff.