On Canada Day, I had ten minutes before the boarding process was about to start for my flight to Winnipeg. I needed a drink and a snack. I found The Goods Express. It was different. I wanted to try it out.
If you don't want to interact with a human, or want to quickly pay for items and go, this store is for you. The concept is that you tap your credit or debit card at this store's entrance. Once payment is verified, you go into the store, select the items that you want to purchase, and then walk out.
This store uses Amazon's Just Walk Out technology. As soon as you tap or insert your payment card, sensors and facial recognition are in place. I wouldn't be surprised if artificial intelligence (AI) also plays a factor these days. When you walk out with your items, these details work together to determine the customer's card to charge.
Maybe I'm more nerdy than I think I am. I saw a similar store at Xcel Energy Center. The entire concept fascinated me, but have yet to make a purchase there, mainly because my usual cookies and popcorn aren't available at this pay-grab-and-go store. Instead, I go elsewhere and have a human help me with payment.
This store had everything from neck pillows and earbuds, to expensive bags of pistachios and protein bars.
I got a bottle of Pure Leaf raspberry tea and a Kind nuts with sea salt and dark chocolate bar. I walked out of the store with these two items. No alarms. It felt weird, but it was cool to go through this experience for the first time.
It was a good, new experience. I had enough time to eat my bar before it was my turn to board and casually drink my raspberry tea on a successful travel day. I'd drop by this store again at Pearson's Terminal 1 - domestic departures.
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