Whole Foods Market X Amazon: the first store

Concept

For the first time, Amazon introduced its Just Walk Out technology without cashier in a Whole Foods store, allowing customers to shop and leave the store with their items without having to go through the checkouts. The renovated store opened on February 23 in Glover Park, Washington, DC, where a Whole Foods store has been located for over 20 years. As in an Amazon Go, you identify yourself at the entrance but the consumer also has the option to use self-service checkouts and enter without being identified. 

This 2,300 m2 store is the largest Whole Foods to use Amazon’s Just Walk Outechnology in its entire sales space with 25,000 references

Why visiting the store?

Pay with your hand

The store allows you to identify yourself either by scanning a QR code or by recognizing the palm of your hand. Once your shopping is done, you will scan your palm again or your QR code. The ticket is available within 2 hours on your Amazon/Whole Food app. 

Look at the cameras

Just walk out technology is therefore implemented throughout the store. Hundreds of cameras (up to one camera/m2) on the ceiling make it possible to follow the customer’s journey and identify the contents of the shopping cart to the product. Weight sensors on the shelves complete the device. 

Buy by the unit, not by the weight

All fruits and veggies are sold individually. The cameras count the products taken. At the catering level, the seller will just scan the desired product which will then be associated with the customer because the gesture of giving the product to the customer is followed. Just Walk Out technology is not yet connected to ready-to-eat space scales (salads, hot dishes, etc.). The products are not sold by weight but are offered at 2 prices depending on the size of the box chosen. It is therefore the type of container that is recognized and billed.

Get used to the “no cash-out”

From the parking lot to the store, Whole Foods explains to customers how the technology works and how you can simply walk out the store without any checkout. You can also shop at this store using self-service checkouts and pay in $. Technology is not meant to exclude. 

Be controlled

We can buy wine at this store. An employee of the store present at the entrance of this sales area will check your identity card to certify that you have the legal age to drink alcohol.

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