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Amazon Go is a grocery store that will let you skip check-out lines once and for all

By Joe M.

Updated: Dec 05, 2016, 12:22 PM

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Amazon Go is a grocery store that will let you skip check-out lines once and for all

Grocery shopping certainly has gotten a lot easier over the years. Thanks to the ever-increasing power of mobile technology, we can now not only scan rewards cards on our phones and watches, but pay for our items with these devices as well. This is much better than having to mess with numerous plastic cards and physical cash, but things could still be better. No matter if you pay with a debit card or with your Apple Watch, you still have to wait in line to check out with your groceries. But what if you didn't have to wait in line? What if you could simply grab the items you needed from the grocery store, walk out without going through a check-out line, and instantly have them paid for?

Amazon has created a grocery store to make this a reality, and they're calling it Amazon Go.

Amazon Go is a physical grocery store that will be launching in Seattle, Washington in early 2017, and it's packing in some pretty impressive tech. Upon entering the Amazon Go store, you'll open the Amazon Go app on your phone, scan the QR code that's displayed on your screen, and then go about shopping like you normally would. You can grab one item or two, or put a bunch of things in a tote bag like you normally would at any other grocery store. Once you've got what you need, you simply walk out of the store and all of your groceries are instantly paid for through your Amazon account.

Just how does all of this work though? Amazon says that they've implemented tech into their Amazon Go store that's similar to what's found in self-driving cars. As per Amazon, this includes "computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning." The company says this tech if part of their Just Walk Out system, and it goes as far to keep tabs on what you take off of shelves and put back on them.

Just Walk Out keeps track of what you remove and place back on the store's shelves.

Everything that you're holding or carrying is recorded in your own virtual cart, and placing items back on a shelf that you've previously removed will subtract it from your cart so as you aren't charged for said item. Your receipts are added to your Amazon account once you leave and your payment has been automatically sent, and it all helps to create for the theme that you literally can just walk into the store, grab what you need, and then walk out.

The Amazon Go store is about 1,800-square feet, and although it is currently only open to Amazon employees through the ongoing beta program, it will open up to the general public at some point in early 2017. The store is located on 2131 7th Ave, Seattle, WA, so if you happen to live in the area and are already a fan of Amazon's numerous services, this should be a pretty exciting thing to try out once it goes live.