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Under Pressure, Amazon Plans To Accept Cash at Cashierless 'Go' Stores (cnn.com)

Posted by msmash on from the change-of-heart dept.

Bowing to growing pressure from opponents who say that cashless stores leave out low-income Americans, Amazon plans to take cash at its 10 cashierless "Go" stores. From a report: Amazon Go stores, located in San Francisco, Chicago and Seattle, use AI and cameras to check out customers. Amazon reportedly is considering opening up to to 3,000 by 2021. "We are working to accept cash," a spokesperson for Amazon said Wednesday. "Paying cash at Amazon Go will work as you would expect: you'll check out, pay with cash, and then get your change." Amazon did not say when Go stores will begin accepting cash. Amazon also said its bookstores will start taking cash, but did not share any details.

Steve Kessel, Amazon's senior vice president of physical stores, told employees last month that Go stores would add "additional payment mechanisms," CNBC reported earlier on Wednesday. Kessel was responding to a question about how Amazon plans to address "discrimination and elitism" at cashierless stores, according to the report. Further reading: As More Retailers Ban Paper Money, It's Making Things Awkward For Customers Without Plastic.

6 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. Prevasive tracking by sinij · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is not about low-income, rather about keeping alternative to payment processors widely accepted and available.

    Just consider the power VISA would have if there was no ready alternatives to paying with VISA. Without alternatives they would have an effective power to implement VAT-like tax on everyone worldwide. At least for now, ability to pay with cash keep them in check - if they get too greedy merchants would stop accepting plastic.

    1. Re:Prevasive tracking by PrimaryConsult · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Japan did it right. For various reasons they were very, very slow to accept credit cards. It is not uncommon for people to spend the equivalent of several thousand USD in cash for large purchases. When convenience was desired for small purchases, prepaid cards came into the picture that had nothing to do with credit cards and could be refilled for cash at kiosks located in department stores, train stations, hotels, etc. They can be anonymous or registered with a protected balance, are tied to rewards programs, etc. The end result was the big credit card companies had to beg merchants to accept their cards, and you're still much more likely to find EDY or a transit pass accepted at a merchant or vending machine than you will a credit card.

  2. Costco by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    How is this any different than Costco requiring that you have a membership to shop at their stores? The membership keeps low income people from shopping there. Amazon shouldn't cave to SJW pressure like this.

  3. Re:The "low-income" excuse by sinij · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Do you understand why "if you have nothing to hide..." argument is flawed? Well, your "Paid under every proverbial table." is exactly the same.

  4. Cash is king by cordovaCon83 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    legal tender
    noun
    Denomination of a country's currency that, by law, must be accepted as a medium for commercial exchange and payment for a money debt.

    Sounds to me like Amazon is making the right move. I don't see much room for interpretation for the definition of 'legal tender' here.

  5. Re: Low-income Americans are holding us back. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    I still frequently find myself shopping with crypto-accepting merchants

    Most of us don't shop for drugs, stolen credit cards, or child porn, so cryptocurrency is rather worthless to us.