Amazon continues to dominate the entrepreneurial space, and their recent innovations in the food industry are serving as the blueprint of the grocery shopping of tomorrow.
While Amazon Go, Amazon Go Grocery, and Amazon Fresh stores all look like typical grocery stores, they are anything but. They offer customers a more convenient shopping experience by integrating AI into otherwise everyday shopping.
In addition to having an in-store Alexa, undoubtedly the most notable feature these stores have, or rather, don’t have, is a checkout lane. This is made possible by their Dash Cart and Just Walk Out technology.
Amazon Dash Cart
Think typical shopping cart, but smarter. Amazon Dash Cart eliminates the need for a checkout lane by using a combination of computer vision algorithms and sensor fusion to identify items put in a cart. When customers exit through the store’s Amazon Dash Cart lane, sensors automatically identify the cart, and payment is processed using the credit card on customers’ Amazon account.
The cart includes a screen at the top where customers can access their Alexa Shopping List to check items off and view their subtotal. In addition, every cart is equipped with a coupon scanner where customers can quickly apply store coupons as they shop.
Just Walk Out
In 2021 Amazon introduced Just Walk Out shopping in its 14th Fresh store in Bellevue, Washington, a 25,000-sq.-ft location, marking the first time this technology was brought to a full-scale grocery store. Through a combination of computer vision, sensor fusion and deep learning, shoppers can simply scan a QR code on their Amazon app upon entry, pick up what they need, and, well, just walk out.
Dilip Kumar, Amazon’s VP of physical retail and technology had this to say about their innovation: “Bringing Just Walk Out technology to a full-size grocery space with the Amazon Fresh store in Bellevue showcases the technology’s continued ability to scale and adapt to new environments and selection. I’m thrilled it will help even more customers enjoy an easier and faster way to shop and can’t wait to get their feedback on this latest Just Walk Out offering.”
Alexa
Another innovation that has helped propel the Amazon grocery shopping experience into the future is Alexa Shopping List which can be accessed and modified via the Alexa app, Amazon app, Whole Foods Market app, Amazon.com, or on any Alexa-enabled device. The Alexa Shopping list can also be coordinated with the Amazon Dash Cart, which can then help customers tick items off their list by identifying what has been placed in the cart.
In addition, customers of the Woodland Hills Fresh store have access to Alexa Kiosks that can help them navigate the store. Customers can ask Alexa where to find the ketchup and they’ll be pointed to the right aisle.
Where Do You Fit In?
Amazon had its humble beginnings in a garage in Bellevue in 1994. Initially a simple website, its primary function was to sell books. However, through constant innovation and integration of technology, Amazon has molded itself into an omnidirectional giant, earning it the moniker “The Everything Store”.
So where do you fit in this narrative?
With the tech available in 2022, anyone with a good idea can scale their business. One of the best ways to do this is to build your app using no code. Here are three benefits to using no code to scale your business.
3 Benefits of No Code
No Code Apps Are Easier Than You Think
The beauty of no code lies in its usability. Because no code platforms like Bubble are incredibly straightforward, the learning curve for app development is not something to fret over even if you don’t have any coding experience or knowledge.
No Code Saves You A Lot Of Time and Money
Instead of hiring a developer to work on your app, you or your staff can do things yourselves. If you or your end users notice something needs updating, you can quite literally make the update on your own.
If you’ve got a dedicated IT team, they’ll thank you for choosing no code. Oftentimes IT staff have better things to do than update the font on your landing page. No code eliminates the needless, often time consuming back and forth between end-users and IT.
No Code Encourages Innovation
Because apps can be so easily built with no code, anyone can become a citizen developer. No code helps foster a sense of agency in individuals who dare to take on the challenge.
What’s Next?
Do you have app ideas you’d like to explore? We’re the team to work with!
