Today, TERRABKK invites everyone to explore the future by walking into a supermarket without carrying a single baht in cash. If you want something, just grab it and walk out of the store. Rest assured, you won’t be apprehended by security for shoplifting, as the payment for your items will be automatically deducted from your account. It feels like a supermarket straight out of a futuristic world, but it's not just a concept; this supermarket opened its doors on Monday, January 22, under the name “Amazon Go”.

                Jeff Bezos has made another bold move by announcing the creation of a supermarket that allows customers to skip the checkout lines with the concept of “Just walk out”. There are no cashiers, and you don’t need to pull out your wallet to pay. Everyone just needs the Amazon app to walk into the store, grab items, and head home. This idea gained significant attention two years ago when a teaser video was released, and now it has become a reality under the name “Amazon Go”, located in Seattle, right beneath Amazon's headquarters.

1. Just download and scan to easily enter and shop

Before entering Amazon Go, you must download the Amazon app and scan your smartphone at the entrance with a Go! signal, similar to picking up a shopping basket in a regular supermarket. As you pick each item, everything is automatically added to the system, which you can check in the Amazon app you scanned in at the start.

2. Customers are monitored by hundreds of cameras and sensors on the ceiling

Image source: www.seattletimes.com

                So how does Amazon Go know what items we pick? Look up, and you’ll find the answer. The supermarket is equipped with hundreds of small cameras that capture images of customers and detect what they put in their bags. These cameras are positioned closely together, differing only slightly in angle, to ensure that no item is missed. However, it’s worth noting that these sensors do not capture faces but rather identify individuals based on their unique characteristics.

3. No cashiers doesn’t mean no employees

                Despite the advanced technology at Amazon Go, there are still employees stationed throughout the store. They are responsible for organizing products, preparing food, and assisting customers.

4. The only department not using AI is the alcohol section

                Another area where employees are necessary instead of AI is the alcohol section. This department has staff on hand to check IDs to ensure customers are of legal age to purchase alcohol, as AI has not yet advanced to the point of accurately determining age through facial recognition (though this may change in the future).

5. The only condition is “if you don’t want it, put it back on the shelf”

                Although all items are automatically charged, if you decide you don’t want something, just place it back on the shelf as you would in a regular supermarket, and the item will be immediately removed from the system. However, there is one condition: if you don’t want it, you must return it to the shelf and not pass it on to someone else. This is because items are entered into the system for payment as soon as you pick them up. Therefore, passing items to others does not count as returning them to the shelf.

                The Amazon Go model is quite intriguing, as it not only revolutionizes the retail industry but also addresses the issue of customers waiting in long lines. However, we will need to observe its long-term effectiveness, especially during peak times, to see if the AI system can handle high traffic efficiently. If this model proves successful, we can expect to see many more Amazon Go locations popping up, similar to 7-Eleven stores - TERRABKK