
You've probably heard of Amazon's store of the future by now - a shop without cashiers where you can grab what you want and just leave.
But Amazon Go ran into a few problems during its debut in Seattle that suggests the retail giant still has some way to go to perfect its tech.
CNBC journalist Dierdre Bosa, for example, entered the store with pure and legal intentions - but left with a yoghurt she hadn't paid for.
She noticed a problem pretty early on. After all, walking straight out of a shop probably feels a bit like stealing.
Feels like I just stole all this stuff. Also way easier to buy more when you know you’re not gonna see a register.… https://t.co/SjvbDcCZDG— Deirdre Bosa (@Deirdre Bosa) 1516634011
Especially when it is actually stealing.
I think I just shoplifted?? #AmazonGo didn’t charge me for my Siggi’s yogurt 😬 #nolinesnocheckout #freestuff https://t.co/RDPhC5ryXD— Deirdre Bosa (@Deirdre Bosa) 1516634272
The store's state-of-the-art ceiling and electronic sensors are meant to identify each customer, tracking items as they are put in shopping bags.
When you leave the store, any purchases are billed to your credit card - thanks to what Amazon calls 'Just Walk Out' technology - and you are sent a receipt moments later.
Hopefully, this error is actually part of Amazon's next grand plan to pave the way for a moneyless society where everything is free.
People found the whole thing pretty funny.
@dee_bosa https://t.co/Wm8SrLJhAk— Jeremy Krantz (@Jeremy Krantz) 1516716552
Including yoghurt company siggi's.
@dee_bosa oh no! It's ok, that one's on us 😉— siggi's (@siggi's) 1516635496
It appears that Amazon Go is pretty confident in its ability to spot deliberate and accidental shoplifters.
Amazon’s store of the future ready to open to the public in less than an hour. Amazon Go app launched and tutorial… https://t.co/XnzFoG34GD— Deirdre Bosa (@Deirdre Bosa) 1516630420
Amazon Go vice president Gianna Puerini told CNBC:
First and foremost, enjoy the yogurt on us.
It happens so rarely that we didn't even bother building in a feature for customers to tell us it happened. So thanks for being honest and telling us.
I've been doing this a year and I have yet to get an error. So we've tried to make it super easy on the rare occasion that does happen either to remove it or enjoy breakfast on us.