Amazon is closing its physical Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores

Amazon is closing its physical Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores, marking an end to its branded cashierless convenience store experiment. These stores were initially used to develop Amazon’s cashierless technology, which allows customers to shop without traditional checkout lines by tracking items they pick up. However, Amazon stated that despite some positive feedback, the stores did not deliver a distinctive customer experience or an economically viable model for large-scale growth. The company will instead focus on licensing this technology to third parties, such as concession stands at sports venues. Importantly, these closures will not affect Amazon’s grocery delivery services. Rather than exiting physical retail entirely, Amazon is shifting its focus to expanding its Whole Foods Market brand, which enjoys stronger customer loyalty. Since acquiring Whole Foods in 2017, Amazon has seen over 40% sales growth and plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods stores, including smaller “Daily Shop” locations that emphasize convenience and grab-and-go meals. These new formats resemble the concept behind Amazon Go and