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Vox
an hour ago
- Vox
Why does Amazon want to scan your palm at the doctor's office?
is a senior technology correspondent at Vox and author of the User Friendly newsletter. He's spent 15 years covering the intersection of technology, culture, and politics at places like The Atlantic, Gizmodo, and Vice. Amazon One palm scanners are in use at hundreds of locations in the United States, including NYU Langone Health hospitals and clinics. Vox/Getty Images An Amazon-branded palm scanner greeted me at my last doctor's office visit a few weeks ago. I'm not sure what I'd call the experience. Unnerving? Orwellian? Amazon One is a relatively new service from Amazon that lets businesses verify your identity after you wave your hand over a sensor. The technology first rolled out in the short-lived Amazon Go convenience stores in 2020 and is now a way to pay for groceries at Whole Foods. It's also used for payment and age verification at a few sports and entertainment venues, including at Coors Field in Denver. And as of March, you can also scan your palm with Amazon One to check in at NYU Langone Health locations, which is where I encountered it. So far, you won't be forced to scan your palm to get a beer at a Rockies game or see an NYU doctor, but it's an option. In addition to its experiments in public venues, Amazon One is marketing its scanners as an alternative to the fobs and codes that let employees into their office buildings. Amazon is also working with hotel companies and manufacturers that make security doors and safety deposit boxes to incorporate its palm scanner. User Friendly A weekly dispatch to make sure tech is working for you, instead of overwhelming you. From senior technology correspondent Adam Clark Estes. Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Biometric scanning refers to the process of capturing your unique physical characteristics in order to confirm your identity. Whether it's your palm, your fingerprint, your eyeball, or your face, the concept can feel creepy or invasive to some. Biometric scanning can happen without your consent, as was the case with Clearview AI, the company that built a massive facial recognition database from billions of publicly available photos online. There's also a permanence to the collection of biometric data. Once a company has the details of your face, you don't have much control over how that data is used. After all, you can't easily go out and get a new face. Something seems fundamentally threatening about a future in which big tech companies use biometrics to serve as the gatekeepers of our digital identities. Millions of people volunteer their faces or fingerprints, nevertheless, as a quick and convenient way to verify their identities and make life a little easier. With Apple's Face ID or Google's Face Unlock, you can keep the contents of your phone from prying eyes but avoid typing out an annoying passcode every time you want to check your texts. With Clear, you can skip the line at airport security. And with Amazon One, you can save a couple minutes of waiting at the doctor's office by scanning your palm instead of talking to a human. Nevertheless, something seems fundamentally threatening about a future in which big tech companies use biometrics to serve as the gatekeepers of our digital identities. What's especially disconcerting to me about Amazon One is that your biometric data is just another source of data that the company has about you. The tech giant, after all, is a massive enterprise whose businesses span from its eponymous marketplace to a health care company to a multibillion-dollar advertising network. It's not always clear how engaging with one Amazon-owned entity affects your experience with others. AWS, the Amazon division that operates Amazon One, specifies in a supplemental privacy notice that it will not share your palm data — effectively, the image of your hand — with third parties, although it also collects other data, including your phone number and your PIN, when you sign up. AWS, meanwhile, is clear in its broader privacy policy that it can share data about you with third parties, including advertisers. Then there is which is governed by its own separate privacy policies. Related Why your Amazon recommendations are getting a little too creepy When I asked Amazon about all this, spokesperson Alison Milligan said that your Amazon One profile is separate from your profile, and that Amazon One profile data is not used for marketing or shared with advertisers. 'Amazon One palm data is not accessible to Amazon business units outside of Amazon One,' Milligan said. Meanwhile, NYU Langone Health spokesperson Arielle Sklar told me, 'We do not share personal information with Amazon One, and Amazon One does not store any protected health information.' Still, privacy watchdogs caution that when it comes to massive tech companies, it's best to proceed with caution — the capabilities are enormous, and privacy policies can change. 'Amazon likely can infer unbelievably sensitive health care data about people, partly because they have so many different programs and so many different services,' said Calli Schroeder, senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, or EPIC. 'All of this stuff gets tied together and can be incredibly revealing.' Amazon calls its biometric offering a 'palm-based identity service.' You might call it the Everything Scanner. The key of the future is your body The concept of a digital key isn't all that different from physical locks that have been around since ancient Egypt. A password, in theory, is a key that lets you into a website or an account. Credit cards are a type of key too, since they unlock access to a bank account to make a purchase. The big change with biometrics, however, is that you no longer carry a key around. You are the key. The core argument in favor of biometric scanners is that they're more convenient and more secure than the old carry-the-key method. An Amazon One scanner works in less than a second, while tapping your credit card and entering a PIN can take several seconds. Those seconds add up, not just for you, the customer, but also for the business. Both parties also have to consider that credit cards and numbers get stolen with startling regularity. 'It's a lot harder to steal somebody's fingerprint or face print or palm print than it is to steal their cards out of their wallet or their pocket,' said Ash Johnson, senior policy manager at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, or ITIF. But it's not impossible, and when biometric data is stolen, it's incredibly valuable to hackers, because unlike a password, it cannot be changed. There was a major breach of biometric data in 2019, for example, when security researchers obtained the fingerprint and facial recognition data of over a million people. Had they been bad actors, they could have used the data — the code that represents real fingerprints and faces — to break into office buildings. Amazon also says it chose palm-scanning over other biometric approaches because palms don't reveal as much about a person's identity as a face scan would, and because a palm scan 'requires someone to make an intentional gesture,' which protects against unauthorized scans. I actually believe biometric scans are largely secure and the convenience is worth it for certain uses. I'm an outspoken fan of Apple's Face ID technology, and I've allowed Clear to scan my eyes in order to get through the airport security line faster. It's possible that my biometric data will one day end up on the dark web, but I was willing to take that risk when I was about to miss my flight. At the time, I hadn't considered whether I'd make the same trade-off in order to save a couple minutes at the grocery store or in a waiting room. The Everything Scanner It's not the idea of palm-scanning at my doctor's office that bothers me. The new system gives me pause because it's powered by Amazon. Like the vast majority of Americans, I like Amazon. I'm an Amazon Prime member, and a regular Amazon Fresh shopper. I visit my local Whole Foods at least once a week, and just as often, I watch movies on Amazon Prime Video. Thanks to all of these touch points, Amazon knows a lot about me, and I continue to be surprised by the ways Amazon combines my data in different ways — like the time Amazon recommended prescription medication based on my grocery order. It wasn't immediately clear to me what would happen when I put my palm on an Amazon One scanner at my doctor's office. Would basic details of my visit, like the time and location, get logged somewhere in my main Amazon account? Would I get ads for Ace bandages after visiting a sports medicine doctor? Would I get deals on heart-healthy options at Whole Foods after an appointment at a cardiologist? And what if Amazon changes its mind about protecting my biometric data or goes bankrupt, like 23andMe? Amazon denies that it's sharing data across its businesses this way, but it's hard not to feel wary. It starts to feel overwhelming when a website I signed up for 30 years ago to buy cheap books now wants details about my body in order to verify my identity. After winding through the labyrinths of Amazon's various privacy policies and even talking to the company, I'm still not entirely confident that I know exactly how it all works. I definitely don't believe that Amazon has access to my health records, and it's very clear that the image of my palm — my 'palm data' — is well protected. But the uncertainty surrounding any other metadata is enough to steer me toward a human receptionist for my next doctor's appointment. I also can't escape the implications of all this. Tech giants, like Amazon, only know growth, and so they continue to reach into new industries. That's business, sure, but it starts to feel overwhelming when a website I signed up for 30 years ago to buy cheap books now wants details about my body in order to verify my identity.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
11 Unique Grocery Stores Across The US You Need To Visit
In the United States, there are countless grocery stores you can visit to fill up your shopping cart and refrigerator. Our country has been dominated by mass supermarket chains, only featuring basic ingredients like dairy products, dry ingredients, produce, meat, and seafood. Everyday shopping at these stores can become boring, and if you're an avid home cook, you probably crave some innovation and diversity in your shopping experience. Thankfully, we are blessed with numerous grocery stores across the country that offer a plethora of unique food, ingredients, and products. Nationwide, you can find niche grocery stores selling distinctive and curated products tailored to their demographic. Whether it's Erewhon in Los Angeles selling vibrant green juices, Foodland in Hawaii cranking delicious poke bowls, or Papaya in Detroit selling jars of homemade hummus, these unique grocery stores are constantly evolving, giving us greater accessibility to ingredients and food from around the world. Here are 11 noteworthy grocery stores that set themselves apart from the standard American grocery store you should check out. Read more: The Definitive Ranking Of Grocery Store Butter Brands Amazon Go Grocery is a unique cashier-less grocery store concept in which customers shop and are charged through their Amazon account. The company recently opened its first store in Seattle, Washington, and currently has around 17 locations nationwide. The "Just Walk Out" technology is now available at over 500 Whole Foods locations, Amazon stores, and over 150 third-party stores in airports, stadiums, and convenience stores. In addition to the innovative technology, Amazon Go is a great place to pick up staple grocery items such as dairy products, fresh produce, baked goods, meat, and seafood. The store offers an array of prepared meals and ready-to-eat foods, including rotisserie chicken, pizza, and ribs, all made onsite. You can also find prepared sandwiches, salads, pasta salads, and family-style Indian meals. You might be wondering, who's there to bag your groceries after you're done shopping? Don't fret; the store is equipped with bagging stations that include reusable and paper bags for customers to reorganize and bag their goods. While you could hop on a flight to Rome to shop through the city's ancient farmers' markets, you can do the next best thing — head to Eataly. For those of you who don't know, Eataly is famous for its distinctive blend of marketplace, restaurant, and educational space, founded on the principles of Italian cuisine and culture. With 10 locations in the United States, each Eataly has its unique layout and offering. Each Eataly location features an artisan bakery producing breads, pizzas, and focaccia alongside a fresh pasta section offering homemade spaghetti, ravioli, and other pasta varieties. Across locations, you find an array of exquisite dining options. For example, the Los Angeles location has the restaurant Capri, which focuses on the niche flavors of Southern Italy. On the other side of the country in New York City, the Flatiron location has Bar Milano, a restaurant featuring delightful Northern Italian classics like risotto and pollo alla Milanese. Every store has a marketplace that's stocked with top-quality food and ingredients imported directly from Italy. You'll find a wide variety of Italian cheeses and an impressive deli station where you can order an array of Italian cold cuts. Alongside having amazing building blocks for a charcuterie board, they've got various dried pasta, legumes, olives, and tinned fish. The next time you're in a major U.S. city, see if there's an Eataly nearby and treat yourself to a good meal and a shopping cart filled with Italian goodies. Tokyo Central is a Japanese grocery chain located on the West Coast. It is a haven for anything Japanese, including fresh produce, seafood, meat, beauty items, books, and housewares. Founded in 2015 by the Marukia Corporation, the grocery store chain opened its first location in a suburb of Costa Mesa, California. Over the last decade, Tokyo Central has expanded to 12 locations across California and one storefront on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The store features an excellent grab-and-go section with hot bento boxes, freshly made tempura, ramen bowls, nigiri, sushi rolls, and onigiri. This section is a great lunch option for road trips, work breaks, or even just a snack. In addition to all the savory delights, you can find Japanese whipped cream sandwiches, fruit cups, and chewy, irresistible mochi filled with red bean paste and peanut butter. Its selection of sushi-grade seafood is astonishing. You'll find an array of precut sashimi, such as fatty otoro, grilled unagi, buttery salmon, sea bream, and octopus. If you want to practice your sushi knife skills at home, you're in luck, as it also offers a variety of whole and half sushi-grade fish ready to be made into sushi rolls. After checking the seafood section, head to the housewares department to explore their extensive collection of kitchen gadgets and appliances. Its housewares department has everything you could imagine, from rice steamers and onigiri shapers to bamboo sushi mats, chopsticks, and ceramic tea sets. If you're taking a trip to the beautiful Hawaiian islands and wondering where you should go grocery shopping for your trip, check out the iconic supermarket chain Foodland. It's the island's largest locally owned and operated grocery chain that's the perfect spot for picking up local products, fresh food, and delicious meals. Foodland has 31 locations across the islands of Kauai, O'ahu, Maui, and Hawaii'i. Foodland is well-known by locals to have some of the best poke selection on the islands. You can either buy them by the pound or in a poke bowl with steamed white rice. It has an array of different types of marinated ahi poke, including spicy mayo, shoyu, and oyster sauce, as well as salmon poke and kimchi-flavored mussels! Top it with a little bit of soy sauce and furikake, then you've got lunch! Alongside all the fresh seafood options, you get fried chicken karaage, Hawaiian mac salad, shrimp tempura, salads, spicy edamame, and various Korean side dishes. Alongside the glorious hot and cold bar, Foodland also has a handful of restaurants in various locations. The Ala Moana location has the innovative restaurant Eleven that has a creative cocktail menu, an extensive whiskey list, small tapas-style plates, and delicious desserts. If you're looking for something a bit more casual, try the Pau Hana Bar, which has craft beer on tap, simple cocktails, and local comfort food. Everyone has heard of Erewhon in recent months. The Los Angeles-based grocer has been broadcast across social media for its celebrity-endorsed smoothie collaborations, valet parking, and steep prices. This upscale grocery chain has 10 locations in Los Angeles and is currently planning to expand to three new locations in 2025. Erewhon's primary focus is to promote health and well-being by providing a curated selection of organic and ethically sourced ingredients and products. As you stroll through the polished aisles, you quickly realize it's just an ordinary grocery store, albeit with a health-conscious, curated twist. The refrigerated section is stocked with house-made bone broth, locally sourced cheeses, and vegan ice creams. You can find a variety of gluten-free flours, and nearby, there's likely a wall of glass jars filled with nuts, paleo granola, and air-dried fruits. In another aisle, a plethora of vitamins and supplements further exemplifies how the grocery store curates its products for a demographic that prioritizes a healthy lifestyle. Thinking of Erewhon, thoughts of the iconic juice bar and viral Hailey Bieber Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie may instantly come to mind. However, that's not the only offering from the store. The in-house kitchen creates a delicious variety of cold and hot foods, including coconut chicken tenders, buffalo cauliflower, and its famous crispy rice sushi sandwich. It features a mixture of wild tuna, salmon, and crab topped with teriyaki sauce. Tourists and locals across Los Angeles make a pit stop at Erewhon solely for its delectable in-house kitchen creations. If there's one grocery store in Manhattan that a local New Yorker will tell you to check out, it's probably Kalustyan's. This gourmet grocery store started in 1944 as a tiny spice shop run by Kerope Kalustyan. In 1988, he sold the store to Osmani and Sayedul Alam, who focused on expanding it and making a plethora of Middle Eastern ingredients accessible to all New Yorkers. Any ingredient you can think of, whether it be a spice or herb, Kalustyan's likely has it in stock — and if not, they'll happily order it for you. Every aisle is packed with myriad products like canned hummus, pickles, olive oil, and teas. The store is practically stuffed with endless bags of spices from around the world, from garam masala from India to black peppercorns from Ecuador. Just when you think their spice selection is impressive, take a look at the countless bottles of flavored syrups and a nut section that could easily triumph over any major grocery chain. The refrigerated section features a variety of cheeses, yogurts, and house-made labneh balls seasoned with cumin and chili oil. The store also offers cookbooks, kitchenware items, and staff members who gladly share ideas on what to make with the ingredients you've picked up. Just like how it would be a shame to miss iconic landmarks, like the Statue of Liberty, it would be an even bigger pity if you didn't pop your head into Kalustyan's on your next trip. Northgate Market is a grocery chain that focuses on Mexican and Hispanic grocery items and prepared foods. It was founded by Don Miguel González Jiménez in 1980 after immigrating from Jalostotitlán, Mexico. The first store had humble beginnings in a converted liquor store in Anaheim, California. Over time, it has expanded to 44 locations across the Southern California area. In store, you can find a wide range of produce, fresh cuts of meat including carne asada and al pastor, seafood, cheese, and other Mexican and Hispanic grocery items. At some locations, it even has a traditional Mexican bakery (or panaderia), offering breads and pastries like pan dulce, conchas, and tortas. The recently opened Costa Mesa location introduces a new concept called Mercado González, and it's worth stopping by if you're traveling through Orange County. The Mercado González location is basically a miniature amusement park for Mexican cuisine, featuring 20 puestos (or food stalls), each offering traditional and delicious food. The Churreria El Moro stand from Mexico City is a highlight -- they're frying countless batches of crispy, chewy churros alongside seven different types of hot chocolate. If you're looking for something savory, try La Tamaleria, where they're cranking out handmade tamales, or head over to Birrieria La Tapatia to taste their mouthwatering birria tacos and quesadillas. Oh, and be sure to stop by the Tortilleria La González on your way out to buy some freshly made corn and Sonora-style tortillas as a souvenir. Planning a vacation to The Motor City? If so, you should check out Papaya, the unique Middle Eastern grocery chain located in the Metro Detroit area. Established in 2002 by Khalil and Faried Saad, the company has five locations, and it has been making Middle Eastern ingredients accessible to the Detroit community ever since. The grocery store is renowned for its selection of high-quality fruits, vegetables, and Middle Eastern pantry staples. At Papaya, you can find various tahinis for your hummus, countless bottles of rose water for your desserts, and gigantic bags of basmati rice and legumes. It doesn't stop there — the dairy department has loads of delightful products like labneh and Arab-style feta. The company imports many of its Middle Eastern products from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt, offering a one-stop shop for various Arab delights. If you're looking for Halal-certified butchery to pick up some meat for dinner, look no further. The butchery at Papaya is completely Zahiba Halal operated, and all of its meat products are hand-slaughtered by its butchers weekly. You can find a wide range of Middle Eastern-style cuts of meat, including chicken tawook, beef shawarma, raw beef kafta, and housemade shish kebabs. You can recognize you're in a good Indian restaurant if the space is filled with families, an aroma of spices lingering in the air, and it's an inviting atmosphere — all of these qualities transfer to Patel Brothers, the largest Indian grocery chain in the United States. The company was founded by two brothers, Mufat and Tulsi Patel, who opened their first store in 1974 in Chicago, Illinois. Starting in a 900-square-foot shop, Patel Brothers has expanded to 52 stores nationwide. Patel Brothers is cherished for its extensive variety of authentic Indian and South Asian grocery items not typically found at a standard American supermarket. The store offers a plethora of teas, essential spices for Indian recipes, bags of grains like rice, dal, beans, and lentils, as well as some of the freshest produce available. They have on hand nearly every Indian ingredient, snack, and sauce you can imagine. At every Patel Brothers, an in-store kitchen and bakery create fresh buttery roti, crispy naan, and crunchy samosas. It offers delicious house-baked breads and pastries alongside traditional Indian desserts. Its frozen section is exceptional as well, offering a variety of frozen samosas, scallion parathas, creamy mango ice cream, and pakoras, ready to be re-fried. It's a great place to stop by if you want to stock up your freezer with easy meals. If you're taking a road trip to the charming southern state of Georgia, you should definitely visit the famous Your DeKalb Farmers Market, referred to by locals as "YDFM." This spacious international grocery store is located outside of Atlanta, and it's a great spot to pick up some snacks for the road or as a pit stop for lunch. The sheer size of the grocery store is truly breathtaking -- the store is over 140,000 square feet, and it is constantly bustling with activity. You can find products from over 180 countries, offering a vast array of different ingredients and products you might not be able to find at your average grocery store. Among the offerings are over 500 varieties of cheese, 60 different types of coffee (roasted onsite, of course), 700 varieties of wine, and 500 varieties of beer. The bakery at YDFM only uses organic ingredients. Every day, the store produces over 150 varieties of bread, pastries, muffins, cakes, and pies, all made in-store by their trained bakery staff. In addition to the bakery, YDFM features a large in-house food production that creates over 50 types of fresh and dried pasta. It also offers delicious prepared foods like jumbo stuffed pasta shells, quiches, mac and cheese, roasted beef pastrami, and smoked salmon. You can even customize your own pizza! If the glitz of Erewhon isn't really your scene, you should head to the North Hollywood staple, Olive Fresh Garden Marketplace. This quaint Armenian market features an array of ingredients and food from the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Caucasus region. The store is easy to locate from its bright white sign with Armenian letters and a fairly large parking lot (a rarity for Los Angeles). As soon as you walk in the doors, you'll notice the produce department piled high with citrus, grape leaves, melons, green almonds, Persian cucumbers, and plumpest cherry tomatoes in the San Fernando Valley. On the other side of the store, the in-house bakery makes some of the best Armenian-style bread and lahmajuns, a traditional flatbread topped with minced meat. Behind the fish and meat counters, the staff are constantly packaging wild boar, lamb, smoked fish, and Russian caviar for happy customers. The pastry section is every dessert lover's dream. It has a large variety of Western-style sweets like strawberry cheesecake and cream puffs. Additionally, you can discover a new world of sweets by picking up a rose water cake encrusted in walnuts or maybe freshly made ponchiks. Not into baked goods? The store has a wide assortment of single-serving and value-sized ice cream bars. Go there on a summer day and dig through the freezer to find the Soviet-style ice cream bars and fruit popsicles that are always in stock. Read the original article on Chowhound.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Just Walk Out': customer feedback forces Amazon U-turn
Amazon is scaling back its "Just Walk Out" technology in its Amazon Fresh stores, marking a significant shift in the company's retail strategy. Originally launched as a futuristic alternative to traditional checkouts, the system aimed to eliminate queues and streamline the shopping experience. But rising costs, operational complexities and evolving customer preferences have led Amazon to replace the technology in larger stores with "smart trolley" systems. "Just Walk Out" is a checkout-free technology that allows customers to enter a store, pick up items and leave without scanning products or stopping to pay at a till. The system uses a network of cameras, shelf sensors and artificial intelligence to track what customers take from shelves. The technology then automatically charges the shopper's Amazon account when they exit the store. Launched in 2018 and later rolled out in Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores, the idea was to create a frictionless shopping experience. However, the system still required human oversight—teams reviewing footage to confirm transactions—highlighting some of the hidden complexities behind the seamless front. Amazon's decision to pull back on the technology is driven in part by customer feedback. Shoppers said they preferred being able to track their spending during a shop, access receipts instantly, and easily find products—all things that are harder with a fully automated system. The new solution—smart trolleys known as Dash Carts—lets customers scan items as they shop, view their basket total in real time, and pay using contactless payment at the end. This approach offers a hybrid between automation and the control customers are used to with traditional self-checkouts. Implementing "Just Walk Out" in larger grocery stores turned out to be far more expensive than anticipated. The technology relies on a dense infrastructure of cameras and sensors, as well as ongoing labour behind the scenes to review shopping data. These factors make it difficult to scale profitably, especially across larger store formats with high volumes of traffic and a wide range of products. Amazon's own internal reviews reportedly revealed that while the system was successful at reducing shoplifting and checkout wait times, it was not financially sustainable for widespread use in full-sized grocery stores. Amazon is not the only retailer rethinking checkout-free shopping. Sainsbury's scrapped its "till-free" store in London's Holborn Circus, reverting to a traditional layout after customer dissatisfaction. Tesco has experimented with hybrid formats that combine automated and manual options to better meet customer needs. Retailers are finding that while customers appreciate convenience, they still want visibility, choice and control during the shopping process. Fully automated systems, despite their futuristic appeal, may not always deliver the most user-friendly experience. Amazon has confirmed it will continue to use "Just Walk Out" technology in smaller, curated retail formats and some third-party stores. The company is also working on improving the system's accuracy and reliability, suggesting it may reappear in future contexts better suited to its design. For now, the shift reflects a broader realignment in retail: focusing less on novelty and more on practical solutions that enhance both the customer experience and operational efficiency. Retailers looking to innovate will likely need to balance ambition with usability—and cost. "'Just Walk Out': customer feedback forces Amazon U-turn" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Mayor
21-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Sam's Club Bets On AI To Eliminate Receipt Checks And Enhance Retail
AI promises to enhance the retail checkout experience getty Sam's Club unveiled a vision for the future of retail at its recent 2025 Investment Community Meeting — a shopping experience free from traditional checkouts and receipt verifications. Central to this vision is the expansion of its AI-powered 'Just Go' technology, designed to streamline the exit process and enhance customer convenience. Continuous Innovation of the Checkout Experience The 'Just Go' system builds upon the previously announced AI-Powered 'Scan & Go' Exit Technology, allowing members to scan items using the Sam's Club mobile app as they shop. Upon exiting, AI-powered computer vision and digital receipt-matching verify purchases, effectively removing the need for manual receipt checks, a common pain point among club shoppers. The company's new Grapevine, Texas, location serves as a real-world showcase for this technology. Described as a 'tech-forward flagship,' the store does not feature traditional checkout lanes. Instead, it's outfitted with intelligent exit gates and backroom robotics like automated forklifts and a vertical tire storage carousel. This signals Sam's Club's larger ambition to blend physical and digital retail infrastructure across its 600+ U.S. clubs. 'We're investing with intention, in our fleet, our associates, and the member experience, to become the world's best club retailer,' said Chris Nicholas, Sam's Club president and CEO. Empowering Associates, Not Replacing Them While automation in retail often raises alarms about job losses, Sam's Club is clear that it is not replacing associates with AI systems. 'Sam's Club's 100,000 associates remain central to the company's momentum,' as stated in the company's recent announcement. Instead, the goal is to free associates from manual tasks like receipt checking so they can focus on higher-value, member-facing roles. For example, AI-driven inventory systems can now autonomously track stock levels and trigger replenishments, which allows staff to prioritize personalized service and in-aisle engagement. This shift not only enhances the customer experience but also opens up internal opportunities for upskilling and advancement. Retail Industry Still Experimenting with AI-Enhanced Experiences In contrast, Sam's Club's main competitor, Costco, has been slower to adopt digital checkout alternatives. The wholesale giant still relies on physical receipts and exit greeters to manually verify purchases, a system many shoppers accept as part of the brand's in-store culture of savings and trust. Costco has made investments in warehouse automation and e-commerce, but remains cautious in replacing human oversight with AI. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Amazon Go, which pioneered the 'Just Walk Out' model. Amazon's convenience stores, and more recently full-sized grocery stores, use ceiling-mounted cameras and shelf sensors to automatically charge customers as they leave. However, the model remains niche. Despite the hype, Amazon recently announced it would pause further expansion of Go stores, citing high operational costs and complex scalability issues. Sam's Club's approach that integrates receiptless exits into existing store formats and mobile-first tools may prove to be a more cost-effective and scalable version of the Amazon Go vision. As Sam's Club's parent company, Walmart provides both a testing ground and strategic umbrella for AI innovation. The retail giant has made significant investments in automation, from intelligent shelf-monitoring robots to AI-powered delivery logistics, but has not yet rolled out widespread 'Just Go' checkout systems in its supercenters. Instead, Walmart has focused on a hybrid model: self-checkout kiosks, scan-and-go options, and advanced mobile payment tools to offer flexibility. Sam's Club, with its membership model and controlled store environments, acts as an ideal incubator for cutting-edge tech that might later be adapted for the Walmart ecosystem. Globally, other retailers are also experimenting with AI-powered checkout. Alibaba's Hema stores in China use facial recognition and app-based checkouts, blending physical and digital shopping with embedded loyalty programs. Meanwhile, Decathlon in France and Tesco in the UK have piloted RFID-based checkout-free experiences, although at a smaller scale than Amazon or Sam's Club. Carrefour, one of Europe's largest grocers, launched an AI-powered 'Flash 10/10' store in Paris in partnership with tech firm AiFi. Like Amazon Go, it promises '10 seconds to shop, 10 seconds to pay,' though it's limited to select locations. These examples underscore a key trend: while fully autonomous stores are becoming more common globally, most retailers — like Sam's Club — are pursuing hybrid solutions that balance tech innovation with operational pragmatism. The Road Ahead for AI-Enhanced Retail Sam's Club is not just automating for speed, it's rethinking the member experience for a digital-native generation. With plans to open about 15 new clubs each year and modernize dozens more, the retailer is setting a fast pace for the adoption of AI at scale. The appointment of Diana Marshall as Chief Experience Officer further highlights the company's prioritization of tech-enhanced personalization and data-driven service. By aligning AI deployment with customer needs and employee growth, Sam's Club positions itself at the forefront of the next wave in retail transformation, aiming to not just build better stores, but a better way to shop.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon vs. Walmart: The Battle for Hybrid Retail
Multinational technology giant Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and global retail behemoth Walmart (NYSE: WMT) are competing to lead hybrid retail, blending digital and physical shopping. Amazon, founded in 1994, is a multinational technology giant with a diverse portfolio of businesses, including e-commerce, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The company has revolutionised the way we live and shop. On the other hand, since opening its first Wal-mart Discount City store in 1962, Walmart now operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores and grocery stores in the US and 23 other countries. Let's compare these multinational giants to see how they stack up. We also look at which stock gives you more value for your dollar. Amazon, the undisputed leader in e-commerce, has been gradually carving its way into the physical retail landscape. From experimenting with cashier-less Amazon Go stores to opening a beauty and personal care 'parapharmacy' in Italy, Amazon is proving it can adapt to brick-and-mortar retail. A standout contributor to Amazon's success is Amazon Web Services (AWS), which generates 17% of the company's total 2024 sales. On the flip side, Walmart — a giant in physical retail — has made significant strides in its e-commerce operations, ensuring its digital storefront competes effectively with Amazon. While Walmart's online presence may not match Amazon in scale, it has expertly leveraged its vast network of physical stores for online order fulfillment. Amazon's 2024 revenue increased 11% year on year to US$638 billion with North America segment sales increasing nearly 10% year on year to US$387 billion. The bulk of its revenue comes from e-commerce sales from and other Amazon retailing platforms. For its fiscal year ending 31 Jan 2025, Walmart reported a revenue of US$681 billion, a 5.1% year-on-year increase. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, the retailer's US e-commerce sales soared 20% year on year. Walmart relies on consistent revenue streams from its well-established physical store network and grocery leadership, which contributes over half of its total revenue. While it continues to scale its online operations, it has demonstrated the potential to match the scale and growth dynamics seen in Amazon's digital ecosystem. Walmart's ability to leverage its hybrid retail model remains a key strength, but Amazon's relentless pursuit of innovation and wider global digital reach indicates it is catching up fast. Both companies present compelling narratives, but Amazon's growth trajectory in e-commerce and cloud services contrasts sharply with Walmart's steady, essentials-driven approach. Investors must weigh innovation and potential versus reliability when considering these retail giants. Walmart has a strong presence in emerging markets like India and Mexico, where its scalable physical retail model shines. On the other hand, Amazon is focusing on urban centres with innovative store concepts, like its Milan beauty outlet, as well as leveraging its Whole Foods acquisition to strengthen its physical footprint. Amazon's foray into healthcare and fintech highlights its ambition to dominate industries beyond retail. AWS continues to outperform, and ventures into health insurance and drug delivery show serious promise. Similarly, Walmart has expanded via health clinics and financial services, solidifying its position as a grocery leader and innovating to stay at the forefront of customer needs. Competitive Strengths Amazon Walmart Prime Ecosystem Drives customer loyalty with over 200 million global subscribers. Not Applicable. AWS Synergies AWS generates substantial profits and funds innovation. Not Applicable. Tech Advantage Cutting-edge technology like AI logistics and cashier-less stores. Focuses on integrating digital tools within physical retail. Store Network Expanding physical presence, but still developing store strategies. 10,500+ global stores enabling efficient distribution and pickup. Grocery Dominance Limited grocery market share compared to Walmart. Controls nearly 25% of US grocery sales, ensuring steady cash flow. Brand Value Known for innovation and global market reach. Trusted, resilient brand with a strong international presence. Amazon's global reach, AWS' profitability, and its seamless integration of online and offline retail channels position it as a strong growth stock. Walmart boasts industry dominance in groceries, providing a dependable anchor during economic volatility. Amazon faces the challenge of managing high operating expenses, which could compress margins during periods of slow e-commerce growth. Meanwhile, Walmart must juggle digitalising its retail offerings while competing in lower-margin categories like groceries. When evaluating valuation metrics, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio offers a clear picture of how much investors are willing to pay for every dollar of earnings. Amazon's P/E ratio stood at 35.8 times as of 17 March 2025 and Walmart's was 35.4 times. Both companies have roughly the same P/E ratios, which highlights how both companies, despite having different business models, command robust valuations. These valuations also reflect Amazon's innovation-driven strategies and Walmart's stability and hybrid retail expertise. Return on Equity can be used as an indicator of a company's profitability and ability to generate returns on a shareholder's equity. Amazon's ROE came in at 20.7% for 2024 and Walmart's 21.4% ROE for the fiscal year ending 31 Jan 2025 are both strong indicators of the company's effective utilisation of its equity to drive growth and profitability. Amazon's FCF for 2024 was US$32.2 billion and Walmart's was US$12.7 billion. Amazon's growth extends beyond retail, with its cloud service AWS driving profits while healthcare and financial services ventures create additional revenue opportunities. Walmart leverages its vast store network while expanding digitally, maintaining its strength in everyday essentials and pursuing steady growth through healthcare services and emerging markets. The choice between these stocks reflects different investment strategies. Amazon targets aggressive growth through tech innovation and industry disruption Walmart delivers consistent returns through stable retail operations and dividends Growth-focused investors may prefer Amazon's potential for higher returns across multiple sectors. Conservative investors might choose Walmart for its steady performance and reliable dividend payments, particularly during economic downturns. Attention Growth Investors: Our latest report, 'The Rise of Titans,' gives you a front-row seat on the 7 most influential US stocks today. If you're passionate about tech and growth, you can't go wrong with our research. Downloading this FREE report could be the most strategic move you make this year. Click here to get started now. Follow us on Facebook and Telegram for the latest investing news and analyses! Disclosure: Joanna Sng of The Smart Investor owns shares of Amazon. The post Amazon vs. Walmart: The Battle for Hybrid Retail appeared first on The Smart Investor.
