Photo taken by a consumer for Field Agent, special to The Packer and Produce Retailer
Given Amazon's success in revolutionizing other industries, the grocery industry has been watching closely for clues about Amazon's ambitions in grocery, so we commissioned shoppers to take a look at the first Amazon Go Grocery location that recently opened in Seattle.
We asked shoppers to take photos of the produce department — check out three 1-minute slideshows over here for a glimpse at layout, assortment, pricing and more — and we asked them a couple of basic questions, too.
The first question we asked was whether they would shop at Amazon Go Grocery again. Here's what they had to say (with some light editing for punctuation and capitalization, for the sake of readability).
“Prices are competitive, but driving here is kind of a hassle.”
“Because it is convenient.”
“Easy 1). Easy to get app and scan into store. 2). Easy to buy product, just put in bag. 3) Easy to check out, just-walk-out store. 4) Easy to shop, prices are clearly on shelf, store well organized.”
“Yes, it's in a convenient location.”
“Probably not, it's pretty expensive. Mandarins are $4+ but $2.99 at Kroger stores.”
“The produce looks amazing! Everything looks fresh and everything is eye catching! It all looks amazing!!!"
“The free parking, the bathrooms, the friendly staff, the free bags, the speed of shopping, and the intuitive placement of products would bring me back. The tight corners and the small selection would keep me from coming back. The advantages are speed, especially if you're the person that can find 100% of what they need here. The disadvantages are crowded areas and limited selection.”
“Not sure... they don't take Amazon gift cards.”
“I think it's a unique supermarket, but the only thing is I never knew that I have to use Amazon Go, so I needed to download Amazon Go at door before I enter. However, the place seems to be full. I spoke to someone here and they told me they like the idea.”
“The ease and convenience of just being able to pick up what you need and walk out is refreshing and new. A change I'm glad has been made.”
“The prices are unbelievably low. Absolutely!”
“I would definitely shop here if it were closer to my house. However, for those living in the neighborhood it's fantastic! Quick easy shopping, great selection of frequently bought items. Nice and clean and easy to access.”
“Price and convenience would bring me back to the store. I probably wouldn't shop this location too much because it's not convenient to my house or my office (Magnolia and downtown Bellevue).”
“It seems easy so far, and things look nice and clean. Not too busy even for being new.”
“I'll because price is cheaper, checkout faster,”
“Yes, it was my first time but found it pretty easy to navigate and I like the concept.”
“The store is very well laid out and has a natural flow. I really enjoyed the cashier-less experience as it made it easy to run in, grab what you need and go. They did not have a full selection, so for a full grocery trip I would need to visit a larger store. I would visit again if I just needed a quick few items.”
“Yes, very streamlined and fun.”
For responses on what shoppers said they liked most about the Amazon Go Grocery experience, check out Part 2 of our coverage here, and see dozens of photos of the produce department here.