To accommodate the renovation plan, Amazon's fresh grocery store is about to remove the "unmanned cashier system"

According to Zhitong Finance APP, the US technology giant Amazon (AMZN.US) is about to remove its cashier-free "Just Walk Out" system from its fresh grocery stores. This marks the latest retreat from an ambitious technology that aims to allow shoppers to skip the queue and payment process. A spokesperson for Amazon stated that the cashier-free system will be removed when renovating existing fresh grocery stores, and it is not expected to be used at new locations that are set to open later this year.

It is understood that Tony Hoggett, Senior Vice President in charge of grocery store business at Amazon, joined the company in 2022 and has implemented significant reforms in the grocery business. In an industry dominated by US retail giants such as Walmart Inc. and Kroger Co., Amazon has struggled to expand its market share.

Amazon's Just Walk Out technology provides a seamless and convenient shopping experience where customers can simply pick up items they want to purchase, and Amazon's online checkout system will automatically process the payment through their Amazon account. Customers need to log in with their Amazon account on a specific mobile app before entering the store and scan a QR code at the entrance. This step links the customer's identity with their actions in the store, ensuring that the charges are correctly attributed to their Amazon account during checkout.

Amazon plans to rely more on Dash Cart, which allows shoppers to scan items while shopping. However, the company has significantly reduced the complexity of this technology.

The initial version of Amazon's Just Walk Out shopping cart used a set of cameras to automatically identify what shoppers took from the shelves. The newer versions have removed some cameras, and shoppers are now required to place items in front of a pair of scanners that can read barcodes and other clues. Shoppers can also use a touchscreen to register items for checkout, such as produce without barcodes.

This system uses cameras installed on the ceiling and shelf sensors, along with advanced algorithms, to ultimately determine what shoppers have purchased from the store. If no payment is made, customers are automatically reminded to pay as they exit the store.

Amazon began developing this technology over a decade ago when former CEO Jeff Bezos pushed for a unique product to complement Amazon's foray into the physical realm.

This new type of shopping cart based on cashier-free technology made its debut in Seattle in 2018, when a convenience store was opened in the lobby of Amazon's Seattle headquarters. The company established dozens of convenience stores under the Amazon Go brand, and later installed this cashier-free system in its fresh supermarkets and physical stores of two Whole Foods Market locations.

However, this groundbreaking technology alienated some shoppers who were uncomfortable with the scene of entrance gates or Amazon turning grocery stores into high-tech vending machines Receipts can take several minutes to even hours to arrive after customers check out, which is not practical for large stores.

It is understood that Amazon's Amazon Go stores will continue to use the Just Walk Out cashierless technology, and Amazon will consider continuing to license its technology to other retailers. Some small stores in the UK will also continue to use this system