Amazon is reportedly testing its cashier-less technology in larger stores: The feedback and reaction

Amazon is reportedly testing its cashierless technology in larger store formats, leaving many wondering if it's planning to bring this feature to Whole Foods -- a natural grocery chain that it owns. Amazon currently operates a handful of somewhat small cashierless Go stores within the U.S. (here's what happened when we visited one), and according to TechCrunch, the company is piloting cashierless features in a larger retail space within Seattle, where it's currently headquartered. Read full story >>

E-commerce giant Amazon.com is planning to open cashierless grocery stores as it tests the use of its human worker-eliminating technology on a larger scale, Bloomberg reported, citing "a person familiar with the project."

Amazon is reportedly testing its cashier-less technology in larger stores

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The Wall Street Journal reported Amazon is testing its cashier-less checkout technology, which already is being utilized in some of Amazon's smaller store spaces, in some of the company's larger spaces.

Amazon reportedly plans to open around 3,000 cashier-less stores by 2021, serving as yet another threat to Walmart and Target. The first phases of testing in bigger spaces are taking place in Seattle, the Wall Street Journal reported.

It's hardly a surprise that Amazon is looking to spaces with a bigger footprint. In July, Microsoft was reportedly in talks with Walmart and other retailers around the world to implement automated, cashier-less technology.

The technology that eliminates the checkout line -- including better cameras and smarter algorithms -- has improved in the years since it debuted and can now accommodate larger stores. Future locations could be bigger still, according to Dilip Kumar, vice president of Amazon Go:

Amazon is making big moves into the physical retail space, but it's taking a slow, measured approach to ensure that it's successful. Whatever its ultimate goal, after three years of testing out its technology in smaller stores, Amazon is ready to Go big.

As PYMNTS reported in June, technology of this kind has been becoming more common around the world. In addition to Amazon rolling out cashier-less checkout technology at its Amazon Go, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market stores, grocers ranging from Tesco to Aldi, as well as a range of convenience retailers, have been testing the technology.

With the concept a hit, Amazon is aiming high. Bloomberg, which previously reported Amazon was targeting 3,000 Amazon Go convenience stores by 2021, reported Wednesday that the tech and retail giant plans to open a much larger Amazon Go supermarket next year in Seattle, as well as pop-up shops. It also reported the company is in talks with other companies to license its technology.

Now, Microsoft has shown sample technology that does the same thing to retailers around the world, according to sources cited by Reuters. The tech giant has been in talks with Walmart, which has been testing its own fully-automated stores, about a potential collaboration, according to the report.

Hoping to catch up to Amazon, other retailers and startups are racing to bring similar cashier-less technology to stores. Earlier this month, 7-Eleven said it is testing a cashier-less store for employees inside its offices in Irving, Texas.

Walmart continues to chip away at Amazon by offering cashier-less lanes in test stores cleverly named Scan & Go. Kroger is testing something similar with Scan, Bag, Go. Points to the audience if you guessed the O.G. cashier-less store, Amazon Go. Perhaps they each could benefit from a copywriter. Or a patent lawyer. 2ff7e9595c