Amazon Go has announced that it will be closing eight of its cashier-less Go convenience stores in the United States, signaling a shift in the company’s retail strategy. The closures will affect stores in California, Illinois, and New York.
The Go stores, which use a combination of cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence to allow customers to pick up items and walk out without the need for cashiers or checkout lines, were seen as a major innovation when they were first introduced in 2018.
Here are 2 Best Points of Amazon Go: 8 of the Company’s Cashierless Stores to be Closed;
What has caused this decision?
In a statement, Amazon Go said that the decision to close the stores was based on several factors, including the need to focus on larger-format stores, which are better suited to offer a wider range of products and services.
“We constantly evaluate our store portfolio to ensure we’re meeting the needs of our customers, and as part of this process, we’ve decided to close a few stores,” the company said. “We remain committed to our vision of a future where customers don’t have to wait in line and can seamlessly shop for what they want when they want.”
The closure of the stores comes as Amazon Go continues to expand its physical retail presence, with plans to open several larger-format stores across the United States. These stores will reportedly offer a wider range of products and services, including groceries, household items, and electronics.
According to industry experts, the move to close the smaller Go stores is a reflection of Amazon’s broader retail strategy, which is focused on building a larger and more diverse brick-and-mortar presence.
“Amazon has always been about innovation, and the cashier-less Amazon Go stores were a big part of that,” said retail analyst Rebecca Thomson. “But as the company looks to expand its physical retail footprint, it makes sense to focus on larger-format stores that can offer a wider range of products and services.”
Despite the closure of the eight stores, Amazon remains committed to its cashier-less technology, which it has licensed to other retailers. The company has also been testing the technology in larger-format stores, such as its Amazon Fresh grocery stores, which offer a mix of traditional checkout lanes and cashier-less checkout options.
What is the future of cashier-less technology after this?
The closure of the Amazon Go stores has also raised questions about the viability of cashier-less technology in the retail industry. While the technology has been praised for its ability to reduce labor costs and improve customer experience, it has also faced criticism for its potential to exacerbate existing inequalities and privacy concerns.
Some experts have argued that the technology is still in its early stages and will likely continue to evolve as retailers experiment with new formats and use cases.
“Cashierless technology is still relatively new, and there’s a lot of room for experimentation and innovation,” said technology analyst Andrew Smith. “While the closure of these stores is certainly a setback, it’s not the end of the road for this technology, which has the potential to revolutionize the way we shop.”
In the wake of the closures, Amazon Go has said that it will work to find new roles for affected employees. The company has also said that it remains committed to its broader vision of a future where customers can seamlessly shop for what they want, when they want, without the need for traditional checkout lines or cashiers.
