Photo taken by a consumer for Field Agent, special to The Packer and Produce Retailer
Interested in the new Amazon Go Grocery but no time to head to Seattle for an in-person look? We've got you covered.
We commissioned a small-scale research project to get photos from shoppers of the produce department at the recently opened store with just-walk-out technology, and we asked them about what they liked most about the store and whether they'd come back. (You can check out their feedback on those questions in parts 1 and 2 of our article "Asking shoppers about Amazon Go Grocery.")
With the photos from those shoppers, we put together three 1-minute slideshows so you can get a feel for the store layout, assortment, pricing and merchandising in Amazon's newest food retail format.
As you look through these photos, keep an eye out for the following elements:
The look
It's pretty obvious that Amazon is going for a fresh, connected-with-the-farm feel here. You've got lots of green, some wood-look pieces on the fixtures, signage that says, "Fresh veggies that change with the seasons" and high-graphic boxes under the displays with local-sounding labels that feature dogs dressed like farmers and say "Tasha Farms," "MeliAnne's" and "Roxie's."
The pricing
"Per each" pricing allows Amazon Go Grocery to skip the scale, which only makes sense given one of the key objectives of the format is to be quick and easy. No basic math required — silly as it sounds, not having to do that simple calculation might be a subconscious plus for some shoppers. It could also contribute to a more positive price perception because it could make direct comparisons with other stores less obvious to shoppers in real time.
The assortment
You've got the basics, you've got lots of convenience options, and you've got some little surprise items. Of course there are apples, bananas, onions, potatoes, bagged salads and other staples. There are also chopped vegetables, cut fruit and meal kits. The assortment also featured a few items that one might not necessarily expect from an Amazon Go Grocery — colored cauliflower, shallots, Sumo mandarins, Asian pears and more.
You'll notice that the stocking levels vary throughout the photos — these were taken over the span of about 10 days, so you get a look at the department at different moments in time. Enjoy!