Amazon Go Stores Will Open in Chicago and San Francisco
When Amazon opened its cashier-less Amazon Go store in Seattle this January, the world stopped and stared. In case you missed it, the delivery behemoth unveiled a store in which shoppers don't need to worry about checking out. Shoppers must download an app and pass through electronic turnstiles to enter the store, and a system of cameras and sensors takes stock of what they're purchasing, so they can leave without ever standing in line.
Reactions were predictably mixed. "I thought Amazon’s new cashier-free store was creepy. My teenage son couldn’t care less," wrote one Washington Post contributor.
According to The Seattle Times, Amazon is now expanding its technologically advanced grocery stores to Chicago and San Francisco.
The paper noticed manager positions for both cities on Amazon's career page. Yes, even though there aren't any cashiers, there is still staff in the stores. They're restocking shelves and making sure no one under the age of 21 buys the wine (although that could change one day, thanks to new technology aimed at checking IDs at beer vending machines.)
There is no word yet as to when the stores will open, but CNN reports that Amazon has confirmed this expansion.
In February, talk was that Amazon was planning to open six new locations, including Los Angeles, by the end of the year. Time will tell how quickly the stores will proliferate around the country. If you're heading to the Bay Area or the Windy City and want a preview of what's to come, read about what it's really like on the inside of Seattle's Amazon Go store.
