Forget Go. Amazon Just Walk Out tech a great fit for hotels, hospitals, airports, apartment complexes, and universities
Yesterday, we reported that Marymount University had become the first higher education institution in the US to have an on-campus convenience store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out tech.
This is the type of opportunity the latter should focus on for its checkout-free solution, argues Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon executive.
Replying to our LinkedIn post about the new store, Ladd commented: “Hotels, hospitals, airports, apartment complexes, and universities are other markets as well for Just Walk Out.”
“Amazon shouldn’t build more Amazon Go stores as they’re expensive to open and operate. Although JWO was designed for Amazon Go stores, the technology is better suited elsewhere.”
He added: “The strategy Amazon should have utilised for convenience stores was to acquire 7-Eleven, Casey’s, Yesway, or Circle K. It can still make such an acquisition. If it does, it can pilot JWO technology to determine if it should install JWO in all stores.”
Ladd concluded: “Building a new format store doesn’t always make sense. The convenience store industry is well established in the USA. Acquiring one of the companies I listed will accelerate Amazon’s ability to scale the format.”
Leading the way
Located in the lobby of Gerard Phelan Hall on Marymount’s main campus in Arlington, Saints 24 opened to the University community for the first time on Friday.
Customers use their credit card at the entry gates of Saints 24, grab what they need and the technology automatically detects what is taken from (or returned to) store shelves, creating a virtual shopping cart.
When people have completed their shopping, they can leave the store without stopping to check out, and their credit card will be charged for the items they took.
“At Marymount, we are proud to be known as ‘Arlington’s University,’ as no other college or university has its main campus within Arlington County. And in recent years, we have seen Arlington rise even higher in importance for our nation’s economy – with no better example than Amazon’s decision to locate its HQ2 right here,” says Dr. Irma Becerra, President of Marymount University.
“Becoming the first university in the US to collaborate with Amazon in incorporating its Just Walk Out technology at an on-campus convenience shop demonstrates how Marymount is leading the way in fostering an innovative and exciting student experience that appeals to the tech-savvy college students of today.”
In initial planning for the Saints 24 store, Marymount administrators surveyed student leaders in the University’s Student Government Association (SGA) to hear firsthand what products they would most like to see in a new convenience shop on campus.
Their recommendations led to an available item list that includes food options featuring freshly prepared sandwiches, wraps, salads, sushi, yogurt and ice cream, as well as other items such as toiletries, and feminine hygiene products.
“Marymount is committed to providing students with new and exciting on-campus experiences that cater to their needs, and we’re proud to collaborate on their first checkout-free store,” says Dilip Kumar, Vice President at AWS Applications.
“Now, students and guests can grab food, beverages and other essentials in a way that is easy and convenient for them.”
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