Amazon Fresh Opens in Cerritos Nov. 18

By Brian Hews

 Trying to eliminate employees as fast as it can, Amazon Fresh unveiled their ‘just walk out’ technology in Cerritos – a first for California.

 Shoppers who opt for Just Walk Out shopping can enter the store in three ways: by scanning the QR code in their Amazon app, using Amazon One to scan their palm or inserting a credit or debit card linked to their Amazon account. Each option will open the Just Walk Out gates.

 Once inside the store, any products shoppers take off the shelf is automatically added to their virtual cart, and anything they put back on the shelf comes out of their virtual cart. When finished, customers shopping with the Just Walk Out experience scan or insert their entry method again to exit.

Shoppers not yet comfortable with the sci-fi-meets-supermarket experience have other payment options. Staffed checkout lanes are available to pay with cash, credit or debit card, Amazon One, the In-Store code in the Amazon App, or SNAP EBT.

It all makes for a digital, hands-free shopping experience. But Amazon officials stress that employees will still be on hand for customers who want to shop the traditional way with a live checkout clerk.

Some are concerned about job loss. In a 2020 statement, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union described the technology as “part of a ruthless strategy to eliminate as many good jobs as possible.”

 “Let there be no doubt that Amazon represents a direct threat to 16 million American retail jobs and is part of a ruthless strategy to eliminate as many good jobs as possible.

This so-called cashier-less technology is nothing but a trojan horse that will let Amazon control and monopolize competing retailers and give Jeff Bezos direct access to their customer data. It is time for regulators and our elected leaders to act before Amazon does lasting damage to our already-fragile economy.”

Others think it will allow stores to be more competitive and add jobs elsewhere in the store.

The new market is located at 11340 South St. in Landmark Square.

After reading the story Amazon commented, “We wanted to share background that Amazon Fresh has hired hundreds of employees for this store, which is comparable to other major grocers. Getting rid of checkout lines is great for shoppers and allows store teams to focus on tasks that will make the biggest impact in helping to deliver a great experience for their customers. Adding Just Walk Out technology to this store simply shifts where some of our employees spend their time, for example, it enables our employees to assist customers throughout the store, stock inventory, shop/pick for pick-up orders and more.”