News

Amazon Go stores to start taking cash

April 11, 2019

Amazon's Go stores, which let shoppers buy without a cashier checkout experience, will reportedly begin accepting cash.

The move, according to CNBC, is related to potential discrimination issues which are increasingly being heard with the advent of cashierless commerce.

Several states and legislative bodies have proposed banning cashierless retail operations citing it's discriminatory for the unbanked consumer population that don't have access to mobile and online banking services. A 2017 FDIC report stated the unbanked  account for 6.5% of U.S. households.

As Retail Customer Experience reported New Jerseyis the latest to take action with Gov. Phil Murphy signing legislation that requires retailers and restaurants to accept cash, effectively banning merchants in the state from joining a cashless trend emerging in markets across the U.S.

CNBC said Steve Kessel, who oversees Amazon's physical store operations, announced during an all-hands company meeting in April that Amazon Go stores will add “additional payment mechanisms.” CNBC stated it confirmed the cash payment move via an email with an Amazon spokesperson.

Amazon has already launched Amazon Cash, which lets shoppers add funds to digital accounts via local stores as well as a pilot involving the acceptance of government subsidy benefit programs, reported CNBC.

Amazon operates 10 Go stores and is planning to open several thousand within the next few years, according to a Bloomberg report.

"We're in earlier days but it's an important focus for us and we'll continue to extend those methods with our stores," Kessel said at the all-hands meeting, a recording of which was heard by CNBC.