Amazon’s cashier-free Go stores may be coming to airports

[NelsonG]

According to a new report from Reuters, Amazon is looking at several top U.S. airports for potential locations for its cashier-free Go stores. The service cites public request records from airport operators suggesting meetings with the head of the retail service. Both the San Jose and Los Angeles airports have confirmed Amazon’s interest. Dallas appears to be on Amazon’s list of potential spots, as well.

Amazon has been slowly rolling out the model across the U.S. over the past couple of years, beginning with locations in its native Seattle and adding Chicago and San Francisco along the way. Go initially appeared as a kind of proof of concept for a retail future where check out is primarily handled by merchandise monitoring (cameras, sensors, et al.) and apps.

A move toward airports, however, could find the company viewing Go as part of a more earnest push into brick and mortar. Airports certainly make sense for the kind of quick convenience model Amazon is pushing here.

Of course, Hudson News likely doesn’t have too much to worry about, short term. Amazon’s been very deliberate in its expansion, primary relying on the novelty of the business model to help drive traffic to a handful of Go locations.

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