Just over half of Amazon Fresh stores are equipped with Just Walk Out. The technology allows customers to skip checkout altogether by scanning a QR code when they enter the store. Though it seemed completely automated, Just Walk Out relied on more than 1,000 people in India watching and labeling videos to ensure accurate checkouts. The cashiers were simply moved off-site, and they watched you as you shopped.

  • edge [he/him]
    ·
    8 months ago

    Just Walk Out relied on more than 1,000 people in India watching and labeling videos to ensure accurate checkouts

    They couldn’t just put like an RFID chip on everything and have you walk through a scanner?

    • Dimmer06 [he/him,comrade/them]
      ·
      8 months ago

      Grocery stores usually do an insane volume of sales compared to most retail. I'm not sure how big these things were but even if they're tiny they're probably selling thousands of units a day. The number of chips they would need and the labor to apply them would almost certainly be unsustainable.

      • edge [he/him]
        ·
        8 months ago

        No way to automatically verify that you actually scanned everything.

        Although I think Walmart does have that.

        • JoeByeThen [he/him, they/them]
          ·
          8 months ago

          I mean, same at most self check out stations. You could probably weigh the cart/basket on the way out if you know what's supposed to be in it.

        • thisismyrealname [he/him]
          ·
          8 months ago

          kroger does as well. it is actually pretty nice, you carry the scanner with you and just scan a barcode at the self checkout once, you don't have to take anything of the cart. idk if they still have it or not, i've since moved away