Connected Convenience Stores

The Amazon Go store is finally open and is sure to innovate the way people shop. When Amazon Go was first announced, the idea of a futuristic grab-and-go store enticed shoppers and sent the tech world into a buzz. Just a year longer than originally expected, Amazon Go has launched its first brick and mortar operation on the main floor of its new headquarters on Seventh Avenue in Seattle.

While the selection of goods is quite impressive, the real innovation behind the retail space lies in the modern technology that powers its shopping experience. Thanks to Amazon tech, shopper are able to grab items and leave, meaning that there are no cashiers, no long lines and no self-checkout stations. Buyers simply pull an item off the shelf and the cost is added to their virtual cart. Payment is handled entirely online, and thanks to the numerous sensors and cameras in the store, items are automatically added to customers' carts once they are taken off the shelf. A massive array of cameras and sensors prevent the need for special barcodes or product chips and keep the need for multiple employees down.