Amazon Fresh opens 10th Southern California store

A new Amazon Fresh grocery store is now open in La Habra, Calif., becoming the sixth of Amazon’s grocery stores to offer Just Walk Out technology. The 40,000-square-foot location is the tenth Amazon Fresh store to open in Southern California, and its 23rd overall.

To celebrate the La Habra store’s grand opening, Amazon Fresh customers can take advantage of a coupon for $10 off an order of $20 or more, or $20 off an order of $50 or more found in their weekly Amazon Fresh circular for shopping trips made at the store until December 26. Customers may use the paper coupon at the Just Walk Out exit or at the traditional checkout.

Amazon Fresh has a wide assortment of national brands and high-quality produce, meat and seafood, as well as a range of prepared foods made fresh in-store every day — from fresh-baked bread and made-to-order pizzas, to rotisserie chickens and hot sandwiches. The store offers 365 by Whole Foods Market organics; local brands like Pizza Port Brewing, CoolHaus Ice Cream and Rockenwagner Bakery; regional favorites like Duke’s Mayo and Ellenos Yogurt; and new Amazon exclusive brands like Aplenty and Cursive.

Amazon’s proprietary Just Walk Out system uses overhead computer-vision cameras, weight sensors and deep-learning technology to detect merchandise that shoppers take from or return to shelves and track items selected in a virtual cart. At the store’s automated entry gates, customers are prompted to select Just Walk Out shopping or use the traditional checkout lanes. Those choosing Just Walk Out enter the store by scanning the QR code in the Amazon mobile app, scanning their palm on the Amazon One palm signature device, or inserting a credit/debit card linked to their Amazon account. When shoppers exit the store, using the same method for entry, the Just Walk Out technology automatically debits their Amazon account for the items they take and then sends a receipt to the app.

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Alternatively, customers can opt to shop using traditional checkout lanes staffed by employees, who are also available throughout the store for assistance.

The Just Walk Out system uses overhead computer-vision cameras, weight sensors and deep-learning technology to detect merchandise that shoppers take from or return to shelves and track items selected in a virtual cart.

The cashierless technology was pioneered in the company’s smaller Amazon Go convenience stores, and made its debut in Amazon Fresh this past June at a new store in Bellevue, Wash. Just Walk Out is now available in six Amazon Fresh locations.

The first Amazon Fresh, in Woodland Hills, Calif., made its debut in late August 2020. Since then, Amazon has opened nine more stores in California, six in Illinois, three in Washington state and one each in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Related:The real threat of Amazon Fresh lies in delivery, says Brick Meets Click’s Bill Bishop

As observed by industry expert Bill Bishop of Brick Meets Click, most Amazon Fresh locations make second use of existing buildings and have smaller footprints than most newer supermarkets at 32,000-45,000 square feet.

“These stores are located to raise awareness with a large number of customers and alert them that Amazon Fresh now has a physical presence in the market that meets a broad range of shopper needs,” said Bishop in a column for Supermarket News in March. “This physical presence gives them 24/7 visibility and provides confidence — for those shoppers who need it — that when they’re shopping online they are working with a real grocery store, not just an anonymous online provider.”

He added, “From a shopper’s point of view, [Amazon Fresh] has a lot to like. It will probably appeal most to Millennial shoppers who sense how the layout of the store and products tilt toward their lifestyle preferences — think of it as bigger than a Trader Joe’s but smaller than a typical supermarket with enough product and brand choice to satisfy most customers, along with more technology-delivered customer service.”