If there were ever an entity that required absolutely no introduction, then chances are, it would be Amazon. At risk, then, of waxing lyrical, Amazon is (at the time of writing ) a trillion dollar, multinational retailer and cloud services supplier. From TV and movie streaming, to ensuring that we get our books and gadgets delivered within twenty-four hours of placing that impulse order, this giant represents a defining face of what it means to live and work within the twenty-first century.
Never one to remain still for long, Amazon has recently demonstrated plenty of interest in expanding its operations beyond the traditional ‘format’ of order and delivery. Some projects seem a little more ‘far out’ than others – for instance, the company is progressing on with plans to offer drone delivery services, which will see our packages landing delicately on our doorsteps in the coming years.
Others represent modern twists on old ways. For instance, the concept of creating a line of contactless convenience stores named Amazon Go has been on our radars now since 2018.
Unlike their online storefront, these locations do not boast quite the array of products – and won’t sprawl across acres like their infamous warehouses. Rather, they will offer an incredibly efficient way of shopping for those looking to pick up the basics with minimal human interaction.
And now, as of 2021, the UK has officially welcomed its flagship Amazon Go store. But will it catch on, and take over like the giant’s digital storefront? Read more below.
2021, and ‘Ultra’ Convenience
Our old definition of convenience is, for lack of a better term, dead and gone. Now, a new definition is rising to take its place in our ultra-digital age.
We can see this everywhere – not just in the realm of commerce. While the online casino was once billed as a convenient alternative to physical destinations, a new wave of games like GGPoker Flip & Go have been devised to make the process of logging in and jumping into gameplay even more rapid. In the world of movie streaming, someone from the early 2000s would be hard-pushed to envisage anything more efficient than storing an entire Blockbuster within our TVs and computers – and yet, SaaS giants like Netflix and Amazon are consistently working to transform the user experience with highly advanced algorithms designed to eliminate the need for scrolling – a definitive twenty-first century problem.
These are, of course, just two examples, but it is indicative of quite how infatuated with efficiency we have become.
The term ‘convenience store’ was being used to describe physical stores, believe it or not, way back in the early- to mid-twentieth century. The name was no doubt inspired by the ease with which patrons could enter, find their essentials, pay, and leave – and it stuck.
Now, however, that old definition of convenience sets a low standard.
Amazon Go stores are supported by cutting edge shopping technology, that eliminates the need for queueing, scanning, and payment. Patrons can simply walk out with the items they choose, and payment will be drawn automatically from their account.
More than a Novelty?
These new, ultra-convenient services being offered to us may, at first, seem like novelties that seek to boost efficiency in areas that are, for the most part, efficient enough – but there is a reason why they catch on.
From shopping to consuming entertainment, we are apt to grow accustomed to those processes which make our experience smoother and more efficient. What that entails is that processes that may once have seemed unnecessary become necessary, and efficiencies that once seemed pointless take on their own meaning in modern life.
