I’m the first to admit I was a little cynical about the introduction of cashierless stores in London, noting at the time that they seemed to be a solution looking for a problem.
My rationale back then was that checkout times in London’s convenience stores were hardly a huge ordeal. In a city awash with more than adequate convenience stores offering contactless payment, nipping in for a meal deal was probably costing a shopper less than 90 seconds. Removing the need to scan three items and tap a card was not necessarily going to be a game-changer.
Another issue I observed was that, while all early iterations of cashierless stores offered the chance to just walk out, none of them offered the opportunity to just walk in. Whether it was scanning QR codes, setting up accounts, linking payment cards or just generally being a bit of a faff, my rough estimate was that the friction created by getting in was not relative to the absence of friction getting out.
Since then, of course, models such as Tesco GetGo and Amazon Fresh have become more hybrid in approach, with anyone able to walk in, complete a simplified shopping trip that can avoid the need for scanning, and walk out with the tap of a card.
Since the adoption of this hybrid approach, stores like Tesco GetGo and Amazon Fresh have become perceptibly more busy as the barriers to entry have been physically and psychologically removed, meaning anyone can go in and benefit from the more convenient shopping experience. Thinking about it, the joy of these stores was never the absence of payment, it was the absence of scanning.
I think I’m right in saying the Sainsbury’s Local, which was previously powered by Amazon technology, still required some form of verification to enter. That might explain why it was often quieter than the larger Sainsbury’s Local on the other side of the road. It was therefore not a huge surprise to discover the technology had been removed, and the store has now reverted to a traditional Sainsbury’s Local with a focus on food to go.
Sainsbury’s can choose to take learnings from this store and apply them to new and existing stores, such as new solutions that help customers shop more conveniently, or enhancing existing payment solutions like handheld scanning devices and self-checkouts.
Many retailers around the world are persevering with their own iterations of cashierless stores, both large and small. New outlets are springing up in both urban and rural areas plus more specialist locations such as sports stadia, airports and roadside service areas. Amazon itself continues to innovate and reiterate its vision of grocery retail on both sides of the Atlantic, with no shortage of imagination and ambition.
For Amazon in the UK, there is plenty to be optimistic about: new and refurbished Fresh stores represent some genuinely impressive iterations of convenience retailing, with great ranges, superb service, surprisingly convincing value for money (especially for Prime members) and the famously friction-light shopping experience.
If anything, the focus on the bells and whistles has actually detracted from the fact that Amazon Fresh is a mighty fine grocery proposition that happens to have some tech.
Bryan Roberts is the retail futures senior partner at IGD
No comments yet