Starbucks upgrades frictionless Amazon tech used in two New York stores
Starbucks has added features to its store concept that lets customers bypass the checkout using Amazon “Just Walk Out” technology.
As a result of recent upgrades, customers at two large Starbucks cafes in Manhattan equipped with the Amazon Just Walk Out cashier-less technology platform, which utilizes computer vision, sensor fusion, and machine-learning algorithms for frictionless shopping, can tap into the lounge area and walk out with their purchases without waiting in line.
Customers can also use the Starbucks app to order beverages and food ahead. The stores combine the Starbucks Pickup format, which primarily accepts orders that are placed through the Starbucks app prior to the customer arriving at the store, and the Just Walk Out platform.
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Customers can order a coffee or beverage at the frictionless Starbucks format by pre-ordering (and paying for) their drink on the chain’s mobile app, choosing the location, and then going to the store where the order will be waiting. Orders that are still being processed are noted on a digital screen above the counter.
Starbucks Pickup stores primarily accept orders that are placed through the Starbucks app prior to the customer arriving at the store. Customers can place and pay for their order by selecting the pickup location in the app. Once the customer arrives at the store, they can find the status of their order on a digital screen in the store and then pick up their order directly from a Starbucks barista.
"It has been an epic experience, and I am confident that the learnings will continue in this next chapter," Jessica Mills, senior director, experience innovation, Starbucks Coffee, said in a LinkedIn post announcing the upgrade. "Multi-year, multi-variety, cross-functional, cross-company innovations have brought both joy and challenges in pursuit of an ambitious vision. The best of Starbucks and Amazon worked on this collaboration."
Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Seattle, Starbucks Coffee Company operates more than 38,000 stores worldwide.
