Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

The e-commerce technology company announced on Monday a new Seattle location, Amazon Go, that has no registers. Instead, shoppers scan into the store with their free Amazon Go app, shop as normal, and leave the store with the items billed to their Amazon.com account.

While some stores have used a wedding-registry technique to allow this kind of shopping, Amazon takes it one step further. Using computer vision — the kind of technology that lets self-driving cars “see” — the store recognizes the user, making it unnecessary to individually scan items.

According to the Seattle Times, the 1,800 square-foot store, featuring ready-to-eat meals and snacks, is open to Amazon employees participating in a testing program. The store will open to the public in early 2017....

It’s easy to have missed some interesting innovations in retail with the past few weeks focused on Black Friday sales. Today, we’ve got a roundup of retail innovators and news to keep you up-to-speed on who’s getting industry and consumer attention.

First, we start with the announcement of Amazon Go – the online leader’s latest retail innovation which lets consumers pick up grocery products at an Amazon convenience store, pay by mobile app with their Amazon account and leave without a check out lineup thanks to innovative technology. Amazon also opens a drive through store concept early in 2017 in addition to new retail bookstores. With 2,000 or more stores on the horizon, that’s the sound of retail competitors shivering and the industry buzz is enormous.

Walmart is building new warehouse distribution centers and investing in new technology in order to keep up with Amazon.  Not to be left behind, Target is developing and planning to open hundreds of new smaller-format stores in urban centers and college towns. Toys “R” Us launched a fourth new interactive toy store in Santa Ana, CA with interactive in-store displays including video screens, sound effects and motion-sensor lights.

Nike used the launch of its $720 HyperAdapt high-tech, self-lacing sneakers to generate consumer buzz and store visits. Ace Hardware and online marketplace The Grommet launched a “makers” initiative to sell 20 unique US-made products exclusively in its 160 stores. What’s ahead for retail in 2017? Social is king and influences everything. And of course, Amazon will continue to innovate and be the elephant in the shopping centers....