Amazon Renovates Fresh Stores with Smart Cart Technology, Removes Just Walk Out Tech

In a recent move, Amazon is renovating its Amazon Fresh stores by removing the Just Walk Out technology, including at the Oceanside store. This change was implemented as part of a broader effort to introduce smart carts that allow customers to skip the checkout line while also monitoring their spending in real time.

The decision to remove the Just Walk Out technology was first reported by The Information and is being implemented in 27 of the 44 Fresh grocery stores across the country. According to customer feedback, Amazon spokesperson Carly Golden mentioned that customers desired receipts and savings as they shopped, which will now be provided by smart carts. Despite previous disruptions predicted in the grocery sector following Amazon’s entry, the company has faced challenges in finding a successful formula.

In addition to Amazon Fresh, Amazon operates Amazon Go cashier-free convenience stores and owns Whole Foods, acquired in 2017. However, despite these efforts, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy acknowledged in his 2023 shareholder letter that the company’s ongoing efforts to make a more substantial impact on the physical grocery market include shutting down some underperforming stores. Recent reopenings of Fresh stores in Los Angeles point to a selective approach in opening new stores and renovating existing ones.

Just Walk Out technology will still be available in some locations such as Amazon Go stores and certain smaller Amazon Fresh stores in the U.K., as well as third-party retailers. The Oceanside store located at 3620 Long Beach Rd., is currently undergoing renovations and will soon become one of many Fresh supermarkets with smart cart technology that allows for easy payment and monitoring of spending while shopping.