Whole Foods Market announced that it will open two stores featuring Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology as an option for customers. Located in Washington, D.C.’s Glover Park neighborhood and Sherman Oaks, Calif., the stores are expected to open next year.
Both stores will offer the high-quality, natural and organic products and locally sourced options that are found in all Whole Foods Market locations – but customers will have an option to skip the checkout line. Using Just Walk Out technology, customers can enter, shop for the items they want, and simply exit the store.
Those shopping using Just Walk Out will also have the option to use Amazon One, a fast, convenient, contactless way for people to enter, identify, and pay. If customers prefer, they can also opt to shop using self-checkout lanes or check out at the customer service booth with Whole Foods Market Team Members.
“Since Whole Foods Market was founded more than 40 years ago, we have focused on finding new ways to surprise and delight our customers and improve the shopping experience,” said John Mackey, co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market. “By collaborating with Amazon to introduce Just Walk Out Shopping at these two Whole Foods Market stores, our customers will be able to shop for fresh, thoughtfully sourced products that all meet our unparalleled quality standards, receive exceptional service from our Team Members throughout their shopping trip, and save time by skipping the checkout line.”
In the stores, customers will find all the offerings they expect from Whole Foods Market. Team members will be in every department ready to answer questions, offer their expertise or provide product recommendations. The locations will employ a comparable number of team members as existing Whole Foods Market stores of similar sizes.
“We’ve heard from customers how much they appreciate the checkout-free shopping experience that Just Walk Out technology offers at both Amazon’s stores and other retailers’ stores,” said Dilip Kumar, vice president, physical retail and technology at Amazon. “I’m excited to see how Whole Foods Market customers enjoy the fast, effortless Just Walk Out Shopping experience that allows them to skip the checkout line at the Glover Park and Sherman Oaks stores when they open.”
Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology is made possible by a combination of computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning—similar to what you’d find in self-driving cars—and adds convenience to customers’ grocery shopping experience by giving them the option to come in, pick up what they want, and skip the checkout when they’re done.
Whole Foods Market has more than 500 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.