Amazon Go: the first impression

IGD’s experts have visited the first Amazon Go store in Seattle. Those who wish to shop here must download the Amazon Go smartphone application, which is connected to the customer’s Amazon user account. The system is really easy to use: the glass doors open instantly after the scanner has read the QR code generated specifically for the phone. Inside the shop the strong technological background is hardly visible. It is really interesting to see what kind of products Amazon selected to be present on store shelves, from food that can be consumed right there to on-the-go products.

They aren’t allowed to enter, but from the outside shoppers can look into those rooms of the store where the products are prepared for displaying them on the shelves. This serves as a kind of guarantee for customers that what they are buying is fresh. All shopping data is sent to the customer’s smartphone after they have left the store.

The first impression of IGD’s experts was that Amazon Go is a really comfortable and original shop format. All technological solutions worked very well, but it was a bit strange that they had no interaction at all with Amazon Go employees. IGD’s experts predict that the new store concept will be successful in cities. One of the biggest challenges for the company is high operating costs, or more precisely the cost of building the necessary technological background. //