Last Monday Amazon released details about Amazon Go, the company’s brick-and-mortar convenience store that will offer “grocery essentials, convenience items and prepared foods-to-go” and allow customers to leave the store without checking out at a register.
An 1,800 square foot store is currently being tested by employees in Seattle, and company officials say it will open to the public in early 2017.
“Our Just Walk Out technology automatically detects when products are taken from or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in a virtual cart,” Amazon said in a press release. “When you’re done shopping you can just leave the store. Shortly after, we’ll charge your Amazon account and send you a receipt.”
Recent reports said Amazon is considering up to 2,000 such stores in the coming decade following a test period in major markets.