AP/Elaine Thompson
- Amazon will open more of its cashierless stores this year, according to Recode.
- At least three more locations in Seattle have been identified, as well as one at The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles.
- It's possible that Amazon could open even more of the stores this year in spots not yet disclosed.
Amazon Go is expanding.
The company's cashierless store featuring "just-walk-out" technology could grow to up to six new locations in at least two cities this year, according to a new report from Recode.
Three new locations in Seattle have been identified by the company, according to the report, as well as one in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles location would be a part of The Grove, a 600,000-square-foot outdoor shopping mall, sources told Recode.
It's not clear whether Amazon will open stores in other areas this year, but the possibility remains open.
Amazon did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Amazon Go's first store opened to the public in January 2018 after a lengthy beta process during which the store was limited to just Amazon employees.
Locals were excited to check out the new store, with lines forming around the block to enter on opening day. Customers enter the store by scanning a code on their phone, which lifts a barrier and allows entry.
The store then uses cameras and sensors to determine which items customers have taken down from the shelves, eliminating the need for the typical check-out process. Customers just walk out of the store, then get an alert that itemizes their bill. If the technology charges customers for items they did not take, a simple swipe offers a refund.
Inside, shoppers can find Amazon-branded meal kits, prepared to-go foods, and products from the company's own private labels, like Happy Belly and Whole Foods 365.
The company has not yet disclosed its plans to roll out the technology to a wider audience, but it's not expected to remain in the single Seattle location forever.