Not too long ago, I made a discussion thread about Amazons new grocery shopping technology, which will remove the need for checkouts, and therefore, checkout staff. But today, I wanted to write an article on the concept of the just walk out shopping that Amazon recently launched. Currently there is only one Amazon Go store open in Seattle and only open to Amazon employees at the moment, although they have said it will open to the public in early 2017.

The idea they have created here is a shopping experience that removes the lines, you just go in and take what you need. This is interesting because of the technology they are experimenting with to make this work, so an item you pick up is detected and added to your Amazon cart, once you have left, your account will be charged and you will get a receipt for what you have purchased. The computer also keeps track of when a product is returned to a shelf, so inventory management for the store could be automated as well, although some items are made fresh on site, like the baked goods.

Which brings me onto what one of our members said on the forum thread, Dark mentioned rightly that there are more than just retail jobs involved in a store, in this case, they will be having on-site bakers and cooks who will prepare the meal kits for home, or the quick foods like sandwiches and salads. Until computers can take on all those tasks in a way that would translate to putting them on the shelves when they are needed, at that point, you may have a full automated store. As technology develops, I am sure we will reach this point one day, when we do, the way money is used may have changed to catch up.

This Amazon system will use a smartphone app to keep track of what you take and buy, there is a clear downside here, and that is identity theft. If someone takes your phone and you have the app, they could walk in and go shopping with your money! It's not a new problem, just a new way of carrying out an existing problem, perhaps two or more factor authentication could or will be employed in the store. If this sort of shopping experience proves popular, we could hopefully see this technology in other shops, the convenience of technology like this is often welcomed by the general public, while others might be put off by it.

Perhaps one day, we will have shops that take up so little space because we'll have replicators! Well, let's not jump too far ahead for the moment, but if you want to read the Amazon FAQ for Amazon GO click here. Where do you think the technology can go?

WRITTEN & EDITED BY Three of Seven - rena.hobden@ufplanets.com