Amazon’s innovative stride in retail continues as it announces the expansion of its smart grocery cart technology. The tech giant revealed its plan to offer its Dash Cart technology to other retailers, signaling a significant shift in the shopping landscape.
A select few Price Chopper and McKeever’s Market stores in Kansas and Missouri are already piloting these smart grocery carts, designed to seamlessly track and tally items as customers shop.
Originally launched in 2020 at Amazon’s Fresh supermarket chain, the Dash Cart utilizes cutting-edge computer vision and sensor technology. This allows it to identify items as they’re placed in bags inside the cart, with the display adjusting the total price in real-time as items are added or removed.
Following the success of its ‘Just Walk Out’ cashier-less technology, initially deployed in Amazon Go stores, Amazon is expanding its footprint. While it’s seen uptake from third-party retailers, Amazon has recently pulled back on implementing ‘Just Walk Out’ in its own grocery stores, opting instead to focus on Dash Carts for its U.S. Fresh stores.
Despite recent challenges and layoffs within Amazon teams working on physical store technologies, the company remains steadfast in its vision. It believes that ‘Just Walk Out’ technology will shape the future of retail, especially in stores offering a curated selection, where customers can grab what they need and simply walk out.
However, recent reports alleging privacy concerns around ‘Just Walk Out’ technology have drawn scrutiny. Amazon has refuted these claims, emphasizing that its AI systems prioritize accuracy, with human oversight limited to labeling and annotating shopping data.
As Amazon continues to innovate, the future of retail is undoubtedly being reshaped by its pioneering technologies.