Amazon Go Stores to Accept Alternative Payment Methods

Amazon's cashierless Go stores will be adding alternative payment options after the retailer was criticised for being discriminatory against those without bank or Amazon accounts.  Furthermore, laws in the states of Massachusetts, Philadelphia and New Jersey forbid cash-free stores, while Chicago, New York and San Francisco are understood to be considering following suit.

The first Amazon Go store was announced in December 2016 and opened to the public in January 2018, in Seattle.  There are currently ten stores across the US and Amazon is understood to be looking to open additional stores in major cities across the world, including London. 

To use an Amazon Go store, customers need to have an Amazon account with a connected credit or debit card, a supported smartphone, and the free Amazon Go app.  Amazon's 'Just Walk Out Technology' automatically detects when products are taken from or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in a virtual cart. When the customer has finished shopping, they leave the store and shortly after, Amazon sends a receipt to the user and charges their account.

Amazon is now adding a payment option called Amazon Cash.  To use it, customers add cash to a digital account by taking it to a store such as CVS or 7-Eleven. The company is also investigating the option to take payments from cards provided by the US government-backed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP), which allows cardholders to purchase certain groceries in specified stores.

Other payment methods are expected to be added to the list but Amazon has yet to reveal further details.

Source : Insight DIY Team

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