Amazon plans to open another Amazon Go shop in Seattle—its seventh in the Emerald City—amidst an ongoing pandemic.
The automated convenience store will move into 1523 4th Ave., a 1,475-square-foot space that previously housed an Office Depot, according to GeekWire. There is no word on when the grocery store will open; Amazon did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment. The company is currently advertising more than 150 Amazon Go jobs in Seattle, including a handful of launch engineer, program manager, and retail associate positions.
Amazon Go may actually be the best idea during a global pandemic: The automated stores encourage customers to grab products and go—no human interaction needed. Customers simply open the mobile app, scan it at the front turnstile, stock up on groceries, then walk out without waiting in line or scanning even a single carrot.
Since its public launch in early 2018, Amazon Go has expanded to 27 locations across Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, and its parent company's hometown of Seattle. The firm, previously rumored to be aiming for 3,000 stores by 2021, is progressing its expansion much more slowly.
In late September, Amazon introduced new palm recognition technology that lets folks checkout in stores, collect loyalty points, enter venues, and badge into work with no added accessories. The "highly secure" Amazon One platform, which uses algorithms and hardware to create each users' unique palm signature, is rolling out first to two Amazon Go stores in Seattle.