Sainsbury’s becomes first international third-party customer to use Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology
UK grocer opens SmartShop Pick & Go, a Just Walk Out-enabled convenience store in Holborn Circus, London.
Amazon has collaborated with Sainsbury’s—one of the largest supermarket chains in the UK—to enable a checkout-free convenience store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology at their Holborn Circus location in the heart of London. Amazon’s work with Sainsbury’s means that they have become the first international business customer of Just Walk Out technology.
How the store works
First, Sainsbury’s shoppers open or download the Sainsbury‘s SmartShop app and select the Holborn Circus location to generate a QR code on their phone. They then scan the QR code at the entry gate, take what they need from the shelves, and shop like normal. It’s that simple. There are no checkout lanes, no lines, and no need to self-scan any products as they take them from the shelves. When shoppers leave through the store’s exit gates, they scan their SmartShop app on the way out and the credit or debit card linked to their app will be charged for the items they took. A little later, shoppers will receive a receipt via email.
Integrating Sainsbury’s SmartShop app into Amazon’s Just Walk Out Shopping experience is new—it’s the first time enableing a business customer to use their own app to manage store entry, exit, receipts, and payments for shoppers. The integration enables Sainsbury’s to leverage existing systems, and their shoppers are able to use the Sainsbury’s app they’re already accustomed to. Sainsbury’s checkout-free store offers a selection of grab-and-go food, candy, dairy, packaged meat, and fresh produce and includes a beer, wine, and spirits section (where Sainsbury’s store employees will check IDs).
How is this different from Amazon Fresh stores with Just Walk Out technology in the UK?
Sainsbury’s is a third-party customer of Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, and they manage and operate all aspects of the SmartShop Pick & Go store, including the store operations and employees, merchandising, pricing, managing payments, and issuing receipts. The Amazon Fresh stores in the UK are Amazon-owned and operated stores, powered by Just Walk Out technology, that customers can shop at using the Amazon mobile shopping app.
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