Amazon’s Whole Foods Smart Cart Upgraded: Lighter, Bigger, with Tap-to-Pay
▼ Summary
– Amazon is launching an upgraded Dash Cart smart shopping cart to dozens of Whole Foods stores by year’s end.
– The new cart features a more responsive, repositioned scanner, a tap-to-pay NFC reader, and a new scale for accurate pricing.
– It has a 40% larger capacity and is 25% lighter than the previous model by removing large internal sensors.
– The cart displays a store map, syncs with Alexa lists, tracks spending in real-time, and allows for checkout-free exit.
– This launch is part of Amazon’s broader effort to integrate its grocery business, with the cart already in select locations.
Amazon is rolling out a significantly redesigned version of its smart shopping cart, with plans to introduce it to many Whole Foods Market stores before the year ends. The latest Dash Cart model introduces several key improvements aimed at streamlining the checkout-free shopping experience. A more responsive item scanner has been repositioned for easier access, and a new tap-to-pay feature allows for greater payment flexibility beyond just a linked Amazon account.
The most noticeable changes address practical concerns from the earlier design. The scanner, previously located in a less visible spot beneath the handle, now sits conveniently beside the cart’s built-in display. This makes it simpler for shoppers to scan items as they go. Perhaps the most welcome upgrade is the addition of an NFC reader, enabling customers to pay directly with a credit card or mobile wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay. This move away from requiring an Amazon-linked payment method opens the technology to a much broader audience.
Further enhancements focus on accuracy and usability. A new scale integrated into the handle works with on-cart cameras, weight sensors, and machine learning to correctly identify and price produce and other weighted goods. By removing the bulky internal sensors from the first generation, Amazon has managed to make the cart both lighter and roomier. The new Dash Cart boasts a 40 percent larger capacity and is 25 percent lighter than its predecessor, making it easier to maneuver through crowded aisles.
Shoppers using the cart will find familiar smart features. The display provides an interactive store map and can sync with Alexa-created shopping lists. As items are placed in the cart, built-in sensors and computer vision track them in real time, updating the running total on the screen. This allows customers to monitor their spending as they shop. When finished, they can bypass traditional checkout lanes entirely, exiting through a dedicated Dash Cart lane where payment is processed automatically.
This launch comes as Amazon continues to integrate its technology deeper into the grocery sector, further aligning the Whole Foods brand with its ecosystem. The upgraded carts are already in use at select Whole Foods locations in Texas, Virginia, and Massachusetts, as well as in a couple of Amazon Fresh stores, signaling a broader commitment to frictionless retail.
(Source: The Verge)
