Amazon Go finally ready to go

Amazon Go, the e-commerce giant’s Seattle-based cashierless convenience store, opens its doors to the public tomorrow, following a nearly 14-month trial involving employees at its HQ.

Shoppers open the Amazon Go app on their phone and scan a QR code at the entrance, at which point the store’s electronic arm barriers open. Amazon says: “Our checkout-free shopping experience is made possible by the same types of technologies used in self-driving cars: computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning. Our Just Walk Out Technology automatically detects when products are taken from or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in a virtual cart. When you’re done shopping, you can just leave the store. Shortly after, we’ll send you a receipt and charge your Amazon account.”

The store was set to open to the public early last year but Amazon announced a delay, claiming excessive demand from its employees. Rumours, however, abounded that the system was struggling to track everything once there were more than 20 people in-store. There were also problems monitoring some items when they were moved from their designated spots.