My first Amazon Go experience

Auckland, 23 November 2018.

Last week, right after the APAC Top ISV Executive Briefing programme at Microsoft’s headquarters and massive campus in Redmond, I had a few hours spare on Saturday morning to visit Pike Place Market, see the first ever Starbucks café, visit the famous Seattle Spheres and the Understory exhibition by Amazon, and then of course shop next door at the first Amazon Go store - all in the Seattle city center.

Amazon Go was an awesome retail experience, for sure. No check outs, no queues, just walk in and walk out with the goods. The mobile app took one minute to setup on my phone before I got to the store. I logged in with my existing Amazon account, scanned the code on my phone as I walked in, and that was that. Frictionless!

What happened?

While in the store, I decided to try and confuse the automated system (as I normally do to my fellow human beings). I picked up multiple items and put them back on the shelves in different orders, changed my mind several times, walked backwards, took my baseball cap off, put it back on in reverse, pulled a Ceroc dance double-spin move, etc.

My outfit was also designed to confuse. My standing-out baseball cap proudly says KIWI, while my blending-in puffer vest has a can't-miss-it US flag on the chest. This combination usually confuses the locals, so I thought I could try to do the same to the machine.

After about half an hour, I walked out - backwards, of course. Minutes later, my Amazon account was subsequently charged for exactly what I took out with me, no more, no less, no errors. I couldn’t beat the system - not even with my championship-winning dance move or confusing attire.

(Incidentally, I am pleased that I forgot to take photos or videos of myself doing all of the above. However, there were lots of cameras in the store, placed at multiple angles, so I hope that Amazon will not post any footage online any time soon.)

So what?

This is a great example application of Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and FinTech technologies - combined together in a human-friendly and frictionless way to transform customer experience in the retail industry. What Amazon has done is only the tip of the iceberg - a mere demonstration to trigger the imagination of what is possible. I am very excited to see how consumer-oriented industries take these initial concepts further and completely change the game for all.

One of Augen Software Group’s customers is WizBang Technologies. This proud Kiwi company has been leading innovation in the international retail industry for over 20 years, specifically in the point-of-sales and restaurant management areas. Supported by Augen, Wizbang are now leading a working group to define new customer experiences that will transform the hospitality industry - empowered by the above-mentioned technologies and… blockchain, of course, what else. Amazon Go will certainly add to this working group’s imagination of what is possible.

A note of thanks to Sam Zou from Centrality group for showing me around Seattle city centre and the various cool places to visit. Augen and Centrality are working together on a strategic blockchain project. We both met with Microsoft leaders at the APAC Top ISV Executive Briefing programme.

It was also an unexpected delight to find Washington state beautiful in similar ways to New Zealand - reminding me of home when I am away. I made a mental note to visit again and stay longer next time, as I boarded the flight back to Auckland that afternoon.

Mitchell Pham.

Director - Augen Software Group & Kiwi Connection Tech Hub.

Chair - NZTech & FinTechNZ.