Automated Grocery Stores Are Heading to NYC

Amazon Go store opening, Seattle, USA
Amazon Go store opening, Seattle, USA | © Paul Christian Gordon/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock

Tech Editor

Amazon’s completely automated grocery stores are heading to New York amid concern for the future of retail jobs.

Amazon and a host of other companies are working hard to automate the grocery-shopping experience, but at what cost to the cashiers who work for them now?

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CentralAmerica

GORGEOUS GUATEMALA

Gorgeous Guatemala

5 days . Mini
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1. Guatemala

An express adventure for those with limited time off. Prepare yourself incredible experiences. You will hike a volcano, visit mayan temples and witness a ceremony and take in beautiful colonial Antigua.

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CentralAmerica

BEACHY BELIZE

Beachy Belize

5 days . Mini
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2. Belize

A quick trip not too far away for those seeking a relaxing mini break. You will have plenty of free time to relax but also some awesome activities to experience the rainforest and the caribbean sea.
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CentralAmerica

COLONIAL MEXICO

Colonial Mexico

5 days . Mini
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An exciting mini trip exploring the lesser known colonial towns of central Mexico. This is hte perfect trip for someone with limited time off and still wants to turn on explorer mode and do something different.
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ADVENTUROUS ECUADOR

Adventurous Ecuador

8 days . Epic
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A remarkable 8 days adventure through the Andes and the Amazon rainforest. The best choice for adventure seekers wishing to visit the 2 most iconic areas of South America, in only 1 week and no flights.

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SouthAmerica

ANCIENT PERU

Ancient Peru

9 days . Epic
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2. Peru

An alternative itinerary to classic Peru, from Cusco to Arequipa. This itinerary is great combination of highlights Cusco and Machu Picchu with the lesser known Arequipa and Colca Canyon.
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Europe

SEDUCTIVE SOUTHERN ITALY

Seductive Southern Italy

10 days . Epic
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The ultimate Italian experience from the vibrant streets of Naples to the breathtaking sceneries of the Amalfi Coast followed by Matera and down to Puglia with its golden beaches, intense flavours and fascinating destinations.

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Europe

EDINBURGH AND THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS BY TRAIN

Edinburgh And The Scottish Highlands By Train

7 days . Culture
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2. Scotland

Embark on this great adventure starting from London all the way to Scotland with a true Scottish experience made of breathtaking sceneries, whisky tasting and ..lots of fun! Ideal for train lovers and explorers.
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COMPLETE PORTUGAL BY TRAIN

Complete Portugal By Train

8 days . Culture
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A wonderful train journey around Portugal, from the romantic city of Porto to the Douro Valley, to the beautiful Aveiro all the way to Lisbon and Sintra. The perfect trip to train, culinary and culture lovers.
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Asia

SOULFUL SOUTH KOREA

Soulful South Korea

10 days . Epic
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Discover incredible temples, mountains and modern cities on this 10 day adventure. This trip is perfect for those seeking immersion in the cuisine, culture and natural wonders of South Korea.

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THAILAND, CAMBODIA & VIETNAM

Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam

11 days . Epic
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From Bankgok to Angkor Wat to Ho Chi Minh City and everything in between - adventure through the heart of South-East Asia. Taste the delights, see history brought to life and unwind on a Mekong River cruise.
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SECRETS OF SRI LANKA BY TRAIN

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10 days . Culture
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A fantastic adventure that showcases Sri Lanka's fantastic landscapes, wildlife and flavours. With 3 epic rail journeys, 3 UNESCO heritage sites and time to relax, this trip has loads to offer at a great price
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Africa

EPIC MOROCCO

Epic Morocco

11 days . Epic
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An epic journey across Morocco: from Casablanca to Marrakech, through the blue city of Chefchaouen to the wonders of the desert and deep to the High Atlas Mountains - this trip has it all! Ideal for true explorers!

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ULTIMATE EGYPT

Ultimate Egypt

9 days . Epic
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From Cairo to Aswan, this trip brings the land of the pharaohs to life. You'll visit the Pyramids, Valley of the Kings and Luxor Temple and cruise down the Nile in style. This is the perfect way to explore Egypt.
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IMMERSIVE KENYA

Immersive Kenya

8 days . Epic
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3. Kenya

An immersive blend of culture and wildlife for first time travelers to Africa. Learn about Nairobi, sample local coffee in the Aberdares and finish up with a fantastic safari stay in the Masai Mara.
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For most people, grocery shopping is an arduous chore rather than a pleasurable pastime. Those shoppers just want to get their groceries and get out, with minimum hassle. Luckily for them, artificial intelligence and automation are making grocery shopping a lot easier with cashierless stores.

In January 2018, Amazon launched its first cashierless store in Seattle, where shoppers can walk in, place items in their bag and walk out without ever having to take as much as a credit card out of their pocket.

And now the concept is coming to New York City, although the exact location is yet to be announced. A day after the second Amazon Go store opened in Seattle in September, the company confirmed New York would be the next city to enjoy cashier-free grocery shopping.

The automated shopping experience is very simple for customers, but it features some extremely complex technology. Before shoppers enter the store they swipe their phones over a subway-turnstile-type entry, which logs them in to the store with their Amazon account. There are no baskets or carts; users put items into their own bags.

As shoppers pick up items from shelves in the store, they are added to their digital basket on their Amazon account. If an item is returned to the shelf, the item is removed from the online basket.

Amazon Go store opening, Seattle, January 22, 2018

Amazon won’t reveal exactly how this technology works, but there are hundreds of small cameras throughout the store that use computer vision and machine learning to see and track every item.

Amazon may have been the first to open an automated store in both Seattle and New York, but the trillion-dollar company has been beaten to the punch in San Francisco. Standard Cognition, a San Francisco-based start-up, opened a store called Standard Market in September. Users check in to the store with the Standard Cognition app and shop in a similar way to in an Amazon Go.

Details on the Amazon New York location are still sparse, but if the technology is embraced, this could be the first of many stores seemingly designed for the busy lifestyles of New Yorkers.

However, the emergence of these types of stores raises familiar questions over potential job losses caused by automation. In 2017 a report from the World Economic Forum said 30-50 percent of the world’s retail jobs could be in danger if technologies like the automated checkout system were introduced.

Another study in the same year, by Cornerstone Capital Group, predicts that 47 percent of the 16 million Americans working in retail could be made redundant by automation technology. According to that research, in-store roles such as cashiers are most vulnerable.

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