Page 29 - Article-1

So, is this the wave of the future? It might be. People do a lot of their shopping online. But groceries are
different. Most people still like to buy them in person. So business experts decided to bring some technology
into the grocery store experience to make it easier. A few other retailers are also working on technology similar
to Amazon's. For example, the convenience chain 7-Eleven is currently testing a cashierless store for employees
only. The store is inside 7-Eleven's offices in Texas.
But not everyone thinks cashierless stores are a great idea. Some people point out that the technology replaces
cashiers, which means fewer jobs. (The store does employ people to restock shelves and greet customers.) Also,
lawmakers and others say the stores discriminate against low-income shoppers who may not have the credit
card or bank account needed to use the smartphone app. Amazon points out that customers have the option
to enter the store without the app. They can alert a worker to let them in. They can then pay with cash.

Some people also argue that cashierless stores lack some of the joys of going to the supermarket. That is, some
customers enjoy interacting with cashiers and other workers.

"Just walk out technology is kind of cool, in theory," said David Bishop. Bishop is a partner at retail consultancy
Brick Meets Click. He says shoppers don't necessarily decide where to shop based on how quickly they can get
in and out of the store. They may consider other factors instead.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.