Amazon GO is Open for Business!

Overall, Amazon GO is a cool experience. Any Amazon member can download the app. The app has a “key” (i.e. QR code) to scan as you enter. Then you simply grab whatever snack, meal kit, pre-made food, or beer you came for and walk out! You get a receipt on your phone a few minutes later.

The only question is: Is it scalable? We’ll find out soon. On opening day around 4pm there was a line of people stretching around the corner (photo above) waiting to get in. So there is plenty of demand.

Once my colleague and I got inside, there was a crowd of shoppers, but it was not packed. And there were almost as many Amazon employees to greet you, stock shelves, and check your ID before you got to the beer cooler (because, obviously, there’s not chance for them to check you ID as you leave) as there were customers. Ultimately, if the tracking technology can’t handle a higher volume of customers, then you might still have to wait in line during peak shopping hours even after the novelty wears off and normal customer traffic trends take hold. And if that’s the case, is the grab-and-go convenience worth the wait? And with so many employees in attendance, will it be profitable?

I am confident that Amazon will improve the technology and handle the volume. They also won’t need as many greeters on staff as they did on opening day. And typically, it just won’t be that busy so Amazon GO is shaping up to be a success. The experience is fun and hassle free. Prices were mixed – some felt high (beer), others reasonable ($1.50 burrito!). It was almost like 7-11 meets Whole Foods (plenty of selection from the Whole Foods 365 line), but with the added convenience that Amazon obsessively strives to provide its customers. There’s even a small space (equipped with microwaves and condiments) to sit down and eat your snack right before you exit. I think we’ll be seeing more locations open in short order. And no doubt competitors will try to keep pace, but they will find it an uphill climb. Amazon has a solid lead. And while GO might not be perfect, it worked even better than I could have imagined.