Amazon is ramping up tests of cashierless stores, a move that could see the futuristic tech launched in Whole Foods

pulse

December 3, 2018 11:57 AM

Amazon's cashierless checkout tech tracks the items that shoppers take from shelves and charges them automatically.

null

Amazon is testing out its cashierless technology in bigger stores, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Amazon's cashierless checkout tech tracks the items that shoppers take from shelves and charges them automatically.
The Journal reports Amazon could roll the tech out to Whole Foods.

Amazon is testing out its cashierless checkout technology in bigger stores — with one eye on Whole Foods, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Sources told the Journal that Amazon is testing out the futuristic tech — which tracks and charges for the items shoppers take from the shelves — in Seattle, in a space formatted like a large store.

Amazon's cashierless tech is already in use in brick-and-mortar Amazon Go stores in Seattle, Chicago, and San Francisco. It is reportedly considering opening 3,000 such stores across America.

One source told the Journal that the tech struggles in bigger stores with higher ceilings and more items. Consequently, it could take a while to get it right, the source added.

Those familiar with the matter also speculated that the most likely application for the larger-scale cashierless tech would be in Whole Foods, which Amazon acquired in 2017.

Amazon and Whole Foods declined to comment when contacted by the Journal. Business Insider contacted Amazon and Whole Foods for comment.

Do you work at Amazon? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via email at ihamilton@businessinsider.com. You can also .

pulse