Amazon Ditching Just Walk Out Technology in Stores

Maybe be trusting customers to pay for items before leaving leaving the store wasn’t such a great idea after all.

A recognizable name in both the grocery and retail world is walking back its decision to let customers skip the checkout lane.

What Are ‘Just Walk Out’ Stores?

In 2016, Amazon introduced technology that could revolutionize the grocery shopping experience. At least, that was the hope.

The Just Walk Out technology was put into brick-and-mortar Amazon Fresh stores. Customers would scan a QR code when entering the store, allowing the location to charge them for any items picked up before exiting.

Unfortunately, this high-tech shopping method proved to be more cumbersome than expected.

Gizmodo reports that nearly 1,000 people stationed in India were needed to review videos to ensure items were properly checked out. The website highlighted the issue by citing a 2022 study that showed an astounding 700 out of 1,000 Just Walk Out sales needed to be reviewed.

Now, Amazon is ready to just walk away from Just Walk Out.

How Amazon Is Moving On From ‘Just Walk Out’

According to Gizmodo, just over half of all Amazon Fresh stores operate with the Just Walk Out technology. Amazon says the stores will be dropping that checkout-less shopping method in favor or newer technology.

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The stores using Just Walk Out were equipped with cameras and sensors to track what customers wanted to buy before leaving the store. Amazon will move from having cameras around the store to putting them right into your cart.

Amazon says its “smart cart,” referred to as a Dash Cart, allows customers to add, remove, weigh and adjust items in their cart without ever going through the checkout lane.

The Dash Carts are already in-use at some Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods locations.