Amazon Fresh supermarkets are in the works at three locations on Long Island: Oceanside, Plainview, and now East Setauket.
Newsday reported last week that Amazon Retail LLC has applied for a state liquor authority license at the former Waldbaum’s at 4054 Nesconset Hwy. in East Setauket. Previously, it was reported that there will be Amazon Fresh stores at a former Waldbaum’s at 3620 Long Beach Rd. in Oceanside and at the former Fairway Market in Manetto Hill Plaza in Plainview.
Amazon is rolling out the Amazon Fresh stores nationwide with a smart shopping concept. Customers use smart shopping carts called Amazon Dash Carts that tally the total cost as they place items in the cart. Then, shoppers “just walk out,” and the credit card connected with their Amazon.com account is automatically charged.
“Sign in to the cart using a QR code on your Amazon app, place your bags in the cart, shop, and when you’re done, exit through the store’s Dash Cart lane,” the Amazon website states. “The cart uses a combination of computer vision algorithms and sensor fusion to identify items put into the cart.”
Amazon Fresh stores also offer an order-ahead option.
“You can request Order Ahead items from the deli, meat, and seafood counters as well as whole pizzas via the Amazon app when you arrive in store, or even on the way there,” the Amazon website states. “You can shop while your Order Ahead items are being prepared, and then be notified when your items are ready for pickup at the service counter so you don’t need to wait in line.”
There are currently 22 of Amazon’s no-line supermarkets in the United States, but none in New York. Amazon says the grocery stores are designed to help customers save time and money. Shoppers can interact with Alexa kiosks to discover which aisle to find items, and the company says it offers groceries, fresh produce, and other food products at the low prices people have come to expect from Amazon.com.
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