Just Walk Out technology powered Amazon Fresh London stores get entry, exit and self-checkout updates

Amazon has in recent weeks been busy tinkering with its Amazon Fresh checkout free convenience stores in Kensington, White City, and Southwark, London.

The ultimate aim here is alleviating some of the friction associated with the e-commerce giant’s Just Walk Out technology.

In a LinkedIn post, Thomas Monaghan, EU Head of Construction & Design at Amazon, said: “Busy couple of weeks in the team with lots of launches. Adam Quig (Senior Project Manager at Amazon Fresh Stores) and Steve Kirk (Senior Construction Manager - Amazon - Worldwide Grocery Real Estate) launched entry exit updates in Kensington and White City last week, with Southwark relaunching this week.”

He added: “Harriet Fitzgerald-Allsopp (Construction Coordinator at Amazon) helped to launch our first self-scans in Monument with some new signage to aide customers by Julia Wyatt (Senior Store Designer, Architect, Retail Designer) and Matthew Lyons (Senior Design Concept & Innovation Manager).”

“Thanks to everyone in the supply chain who helped deliver these challenging, quick turn around projects.”

And then there were 19

Earlier this month, Amazon opened a Just Walk Out technology powered Amazon Fresh store at London’s Liverpool Street.

To enter the store, customers walk through a non-gated entrance and shop for what they need.

At the end of their trip, they can either scan their in-store code (via the Amazon app) at the exit gate, or pay by tapping their credit or debit card at a chip and PIN machine.

It’s also possible to pick up and return items purchased on Amazon.co.uk from in-store lockers, with a QR code.

There are now 19 of these locations in the UK - 18 of which are in London, and the other at Sevenoaks in Kent. Way off the original target of 200+ by the end of 2025.

The Liverpool Street store can be found at Unit 4B-5, 31-35 Blomfield Street, London, EC2M 7BD.

It is open from 7:00 am – 11:00 pm, seven days a week.

In a LinkedIn post, Louise Bagshaw, Central Operations, Amazon Fresh Stores International, said: “Exciting times at Amazon Fresh! Today (12th September) we have launched another new store in a fantastic location at Liverpool Street station. Very proud of the whole AUKF team and partner teams - great new look and feel, store flow, range and CX.”

AMAZON GO

Amazon recently shuttered a five year old Amazon Go convenience store in downtown Seattle, three months after it announced that eight of its automated checkout locations (two each in Seattle and New York City and four in San Francisco) were closing across the US.

“We’ve closed our 5th and Marion Seattle Amazon Go location, and are working closely with employees to find new opportunities within Amazon, including at other nearby stores,” an Amazon spokesperson said.

“We continue operating more than 20 Amazon Go stores across the US, and look forward to opening more in the future.”

The spokesperson didn’t give reasons for the closure, but it should be noted that urban stores reliant on office workers have struggled amidst the rise of remote working in a post-Covid world. 

Unlike in the UK, the focus of late has been on larger suburban locations that feature a made to order kitchen.