I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (2024)

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Amazon opened its first European store in Ealing, London in March 2021. The ecommerce giant now has 17 stores across London, which operate under its Amazon Fresh brand and use Amazon's Just Walk Out autonomous technology. The stores don't have cash registers or cashiers and instead use sensors to monitor which products customers pick up. I went to a store in Canary Wharf, London's financial hub, to try it out. It's located under a block of residential apartments very close to Canary Wharf's huge underground shopping center. The store's window display was quite plain. There was a poster advertising a deal on hot drinks and pastries designed to lure commuters in ... ... as well as instructions on how to actually enter the store. To get in, you needed to scan a QR code on the Amazon app linked to your account. I had downloaded the app before I set off to the store, but it seemed counterintuitive to me that the QR code to enter the store wasn't under the "Grocery" tab on the app, which was dedicated solely to Amazon Fresh deliveries for Prime users. Instead, I had to click on the basket item at the bottom and then click on "fresh code." Once I had a QR code, getting into the store was easy. I went on a Monday afternoon, and though the store wasn't busy, there was a steady stream of customers throughout my visit. The layout of the store was quite minimalistic, with a largely green and black color scheme. Signs inside the store told you how the shop worked. The store had everything you'd expect from a normal grocery store, including fresh produce ... ... drinks ... ... meat ... ... and a variety of plant-based options. It even had fresh sushi. The store sold products by big-name brands ... ... alongside Amazon-own products. It was strange seeing Amazon's logo on fresh food items like potato salad. None of the Amazon-branded milk seemed to be organic, though. Amazon also has a partnership with Morrisons, Britain's fourth-biggest supermarket, including offering same-day grocery delivery for Prime members. Though most products in the Amazon Fresh store were either big-name brands or Amazon-own brands, I saw a few Morrisons items dotted on the shelves. I was also surprised to see some cakes made by Booths, an upmarket supermarket chain with around two dozen stores in northwest England. Interestingly, I couldn't find these cake on Booths' own website. Booths sells its products online through Amazon Fresh, but as a small, regional supermarket I didn't expect to see them in the store in London. In the store there were two machines were you could make hot drinks ... ... with prices considerably lower than at coffee chains. One of the machines only made drinks with oat milk. There was also a stand with hot food ... ... like these Amazon-branded baguettes. On your way out there's a station when you can grab sugar, napkins, and sauce, too. There was also a bakery section selling fresh bread, doughnuts, and pastries. Alcohol was available in a small room at the back of the store. To enter, you had to show a member of staff your ID. There were lots of brands I recognized, including Corona, Budweiser, and Stella Artois. I struggled to find any Amazon-own alcohol. The store also had a small Amazon Hub for order pick-ups and returns. Amazon is known for its cheap prices. The store advertised some promotional offers, like two ready meals for £6 ($7.85) ... ... and the whole chickens seemed very reasonable at just £4 ($5.25) each. Milk cost £1.30 ($1.70) for 4 pints, which is comparable with other UK grocers, and Amazon emphasized that it was from British farms. Overall, prices in Amazon Fresh didn't seem any lower than other stores. The store also sold meal deals, which are offered by many British supermarkets. Deals at other outlets usually allow you to get a main, drink, and snack like potato chips or a chocolate bar deals for £3 or £3.50 ($3.90 or $4.60). But at Amazon, you paid for the main and then could add a drink and snack for £1 ($1.30) extra. Because I went for quite an upmarket salad, my meal deal ended up coming to £5.50 ($7.20). I'd never paid that much for a supermarket meal deal before. I wasn't entirely sure how to exit the store. There was a green arrow on one of the gates, but I wasn't sure whether I had to press a button. As I walked towards it, though, the gate opened. The store didn't have baskets or trolleys, and I put all my items straight in my tote bag. I'd picked up and put down a few items, and also placed some ready meals but changed my mind after a while. I'd also taken some loose bakery items. I was especially interested to see whether Amazon had identified these correctly because each croissant or cookie varies slightly in appearance. A short while after leaving the store, I got a push notification which said how long I'd spent in the store, how much I'd spent, and what they'd come to. I was able to view my receipt in the app. Amazon had got everything right – apart from a halloumi, butternut squash, and beetroot salad which I had held in my hand before deciding not buy it and putting it back. I was able to quickly request a refund on Amazon's website, though, and I got an email the next day confirming the refund had been approved. "Just Walk Out technology is highly accurate," an Amazon spokesperson told Insider. "On rare occasions where a customer may find a discrepancy on their receipt, they can request a refund through the app or reach out to customer service via email and a team member will be able to assist them." I was impressed by the range of products in the store. Apart from the Amazon Hub and the logos on products, it was easy to forget that the store was operated by the e-commerce giant. As someone who rarely orders from Amazon and who had never ordered groceries from Amazon Fresh before, it seemed weird to see so many of its own brand products. Even if it didn't get my order entirely right, the experience was fun. I can't imagine making an autonomous store like this part of my regular shopping routine – but I can imagine stores like these will become more widespread in the future because of the convenience and low-staffing costs.

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Grace Dean

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (1)

  • I went to cashierless Amazon store that used sensors to monitor what I picked up.
  • It sold meat, alcohol, and ready meals. Some were big-name brands. Others were Amazon's own label.
  • It charged me $6 for a salad I didn't buy, but getting a refund was easy.

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Amazon opened its first European store in Ealing, London in March 2021.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (2)

Sources: Insider, Insider

The ecommerce giant now has 17 stores across London, which operate under its Amazon Fresh brand and use Amazon's Just Walk Out autonomous technology. The stores don't have cash registers or cashiers and instead use sensors to monitor which products customers pick up.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (3)

Source: Amazon

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I went to a store in Canary Wharf, London's financial hub, to try it out.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (4)

It's located under a block of residential apartments very close to Canary Wharf's huge underground shopping center.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (5)

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The store's window display was quite plain. There was a poster advertising a deal on hot drinks and pastries designed to lure commuters in ...

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (6)

... as well as instructions on how to actually enter the store.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (7)

Advertisem*nt

To get in, you needed to scan a QR code on the Amazon app linked to your account.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (8)

I had downloaded the app before I set off to the store, but it seemed counterintuitive to me that the QR code to enter the store wasn't under the "Grocery" tab on the app, which was dedicated solely to Amazon Fresh deliveries for Prime users.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (9)

Advertisem*nt

Once I had a QR code, getting into the store was easy. I went on a Monday afternoon, and though the store wasn't busy, there was a steady stream of customers throughout my visit.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (11)

Advertisem*nt

The layout of the store was quite minimalistic, with a largely green and black color scheme.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (12)

Signs inside the store told you how the shop worked.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (13)

Advertisem*nt

The store had everything you'd expect from a normal grocery store, including fresh produce ...

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (14)

... drinks ...

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (15)

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... meat ...

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (16)

... and a variety of plant-based options.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (17)

Advertisem*nt

It even had fresh sushi.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (18)

The store sold products by big-name brands ...

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (19)

Advertisem*nt

... alongside Amazon-own products.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (20)

It was strange seeing Amazon's logo on fresh food items like potato salad.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (21)

Advertisem*nt

None of the Amazon-branded milk seemed to be organic, though.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (22)

Amazon also has a partnership with Morrisons, Britain's fourth-biggest supermarket, including offering same-day grocery delivery for Prime members. Though most products in the Amazon Fresh store were either big-name brands or Amazon-own brands, I saw a few Morrisons items dotted on the shelves.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (23)

Advertisem*nt

I was also surprised to see some cakes made by Booths, an upmarket supermarket chain with around two dozen stores in northwest England. Interestingly, I couldn't find these cake on Booths' own website. Booths sells its products online through Amazon Fresh, but as a small, regional supermarket I didn't expect to see them in the store in London.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (24)

Sources: Booths, Amazon

See Also
How to contact Amazon's customer service for Prime Day purchases

In the store there were two machines were you could make hot drinks ...

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (25)

Advertisem*nt

... with prices considerably lower than at coffee chains.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (26)

One of the machines only made drinks with oat milk.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (27)

Advertisem*nt

There was also a stand with hot food ...

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (28)

... like these Amazon-branded baguettes.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (29)

Advertisem*nt

On your way out there's a station when you can grab sugar, napkins, and sauce, too.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (30)

There was also a bakery section selling fresh bread, doughnuts, and pastries.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (31)

Advertisem*nt

Alcohol was available in a small room at the back of the store. To enter, you had to show a member of staff your ID.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (32)

There were lots of brands I recognized, including Corona, Budweiser, and Stella Artois.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (33)

Advertisem*nt

I struggled to find any Amazon-own alcohol.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (34)

The store also had a small Amazon Hub for order pick-ups and returns.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (35)

Advertisem*nt

Amazon is known for its cheap prices. The store advertised some promotional offers, like two ready meals for £6 ($7.85) ...

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (36)

... and the whole chickens seemed very reasonable at just £4 ($5.25) each.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (37)

Advertisem*nt

Milk cost £1.30 ($1.70) for 4 pints, which is comparable with other UK grocers, and Amazon emphasized that it was from British farms. Overall, prices in Amazon Fresh didn't seem any lower than other stores.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (38)

The store also sold meal deals, which are offered by many British supermarkets. Deals at other outlets usually allow you to get a main, drink, and snack like potato chips or a chocolate bar deals for £3 or £3.50 ($3.90 or $4.60).

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (39)

Advertisem*nt

But at Amazon, you paid for the main and then could add a drink and snack for £1 ($1.30) extra. Because I went for quite an upmarket salad, my meal deal ended up coming to £5.50 ($7.20). I'd never paid that much for a supermarket meal deal before.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (40)

I wasn't entirely sure how to exit the store. There was a green arrow on one of the gates, but I wasn't sure whether I had to press a button.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (41)

Advertisem*nt

As I walked towards it, though, the gate opened.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (42)

The store didn't have baskets or trolleys, and I put all my items straight in my tote bag. I'd picked up and put down a few items, and also placed some ready meals but changed my mind after a while.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (43)

Advertisem*nt

I'd also taken some loose bakery items. I was especially interested to see whether Amazon had identified these correctly because each croissant or cookie varies slightly in appearance.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (44)

A short while after leaving the store, I got a push notification which said how long I'd spent in the store, how much I'd spent, and what they'd come to.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (45)

Advertisem*nt

I was able to view my receipt in the app. Amazon had got everything right – apart from a halloumi, butternut squash, and beetroot salad which I had held in my hand before deciding not buy it and putting it back. I was able to quickly request a refund on Amazon's website, though, and I got an email the next day confirming the refund had been approved.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (46)

"Just Walk Out technology is highly accurate," an Amazon spokesperson told Insider. "On rare occasions where a customer may find a discrepancy on their receipt, they can request a refund through the app or reach out to customer service via email and a team member will be able to assist them."

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (47)

Advertisem*nt

I was impressed by the range of products in the store. Apart from the Amazon Hub and the logos on products, it was easy to forget that the store was operated by the e-commerce giant.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (48)

As someone who rarely orders from Amazon and who had never ordered groceries from Amazon Fresh before, it seemed weird to see so many of its own brand products.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (49)

Advertisem*nt

Even if it didn't get my order entirely right, the experience was fun. I can't imagine making an autonomous store like this part of my regular shopping routine – but I can imagine stores like these will become more widespread in the future because of the convenience and low-staffing costs.

I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (50)

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Amazon London

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I went to a cashierless Amazon store for the first time. It overcharged me $6, but getting a refund was easy. (2024)
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