Amazon just pulled out of self-checkout technology

Amazon is removing Just Walk Out technology from all its U.S. grocery stores, . Self-checkout systems rely on a slew of cameras, sensors and the good old fashioned human eye to track what items people leave a store with and charge customers accordingly.

The technology has been plagued by problems. Most notably, Just Walk Out merely presents the illusion of automation and the like. This is where the smoke and mirrors come in. While stores don’t have real cashiers, it’s reported that more than 1,000 real people in India scan data entered by cameras to ensure accurate checkouts.

Installing and maintaining the necessary equipment is also very expensive, which may be why Just Walk Out technology is only used in about half of the Fresh stores in the United States. Consumers have encountered a number of frustrating issues when using the system, from receipts being issued hours after purchase to orders being completely mismanaged. In other words, each store requires a lot of sensitive equipment and 1,000 people staring at the film to do the job of one or two people sitting behind a cash register. Isn’t modern innovation great?

There are also some major privacy concerns here. Remember those cameras and sensors? They are constantly collecting biometric information as people shop. This goes beyond that, as cameras and sensors can measure the shape and size of each customer’s body for identification and tracking purposes. This led to an allegation that the company collected biometric identifier information without properly disclosing this practice to consumers.

The lawsuit alleges that Amazon violated the state’s biometric identifier information law, which requires businesses to tell customers whether data is being collected for identification purposes. Peter Romer-Friedman, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, told The Seattle Times that “Amazon has a responsibility to explain to customers how it operates these systems before they come in so that people can decide for themselves whether they want to provide Measurements of size and dimensions.” The shape of their body is what gets the sandwich. “

Amazon tried, but didn’t get much traction. It partnered with Starbucks in some locations and launched a small-scale service in hospitals for medical staff, but that was about it. Is there a sticking point? These systems require high ceilings to accommodate cameras and sensors. Reuters Many retailers have also been advised to establish technology partnerships with them. Those 1,000 offshore cashiers probably didn’t help the sales pitch either.

Just Walk Out technology will continue to be available in select stores across the UK. As for the U.S., Amazon said dismantling the systems is part of a larger effort at its retail grocery division. After testing in several Whole Foods and Fresh stores, the company plans to introduce Dash smart shopping carts into retail stores. Equipped with scales and sensors, these smart shopping carts can instantly track spending and, of course, allow consumers to skip checkout.

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