Let’s face it. We’re all tired of waiting in the grocery store checkout line. I mean, it’s almost 2020! We should have a better solution by now. What if I told you… there is! Amazon Go is a cashier-less grocery store that lets customers take items and go. No line waiting, no self-checkout. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

How Amazon Go Works:

Amazon has been a little secretive about exactly how Amazon Go works, but they did mention that it uses deep learning algorithms (A.I.), computer vision, and sensor fusion to track every item on the shelves as well as every customer as they move around the store. Choose an item from the shelf, and your cart is updated. If you change your mind and return the item back to the shelf, the cart automatically updates then too. Very cool!

The Amazon Go App:

Before you visit the Amazon Go store, be sure to download the Amazon Go app. People traveling from outside the country may need some extra help connecting to the Apple USA store. When I was visiting, there were a few customers from Canada who needed a little extra help from the Amazon Go employee to get started, since they had the Canadian app store by default. After a few minutes, they were able to shop.

Walking In:

When you log into the Amazon Go app, you’ll see a screen with a barcode on it (The only barcode you’ll ever use!). Hold your screen to the turnstile and walk through when the gate opens. If you are with other guests, scan the app for them to walk through before you. Make sure you trust them though, because everything they leave with gets charged to your account!

Shop & Go!

Browse through the items and grab what you need! And then you just leave. Literally, you just walk out. I’ll admit that I felt like I was robbing the place… Don’t worry, everything got charged correctly!

What You’ll Find:

From breakfast to dinner, coffee to snacks, you’ll find a small but handy selection of almost anything you need (grocery wise). There may even be some surprises, such as a tiny loaf of bread! There was also a coffee machine in the back that could make many different beverages. Pre-packed meals were also available. A public microwave/kitchen area is hidden on the side.

Keep in Mind:

It’s also important to know that you can’t ask someone else to grab an item for you —otherwise, it would go into their cart instead of yours. (Sorry fellow short people, you’ll need to ask an employee for help) Yes, there are employees present —they still need to stock the shelves and monitor the place! It’s also important to keep in mind that, as of now, Amazon Go is located in major cities only. You can find a full list of all their locations here.

The Future of Shopping?

It would be interesting to see other shops utilizing technology like Amazon Go. It definitely makes shopping quicker! Remember when Amazon bought Whole Foods? Imagine walking into any Whole Foods and having the same cashier-less experience. As it stands now, I don’t really see not being able to ask other shoppers for help getting something as an issue since the app mentions it up-front before you even enter the store. Be sure to go through the tutorial on the app!

Amazon Go Location:

150 E 53rd St, New York, NY 10022

Amazon Go Hours:

Mon–Fri, 6AM–9PM. Sat–Sun, 7AM–7PM.

This story was orginally posted on Medium. You can read it here.