Amazon Go Data: How is the Internet Reacting to the Store of the Future?

What are people most buzzed about?

Within the mentions we took a look at how the various features of the store were being discussed.

Were people most interested in the fact that there are no lines, or that they no longer have to speak to cashiers?

It appears that the cashier-less element is the most hyped aspect of the Amazon Go store, although if you’re heading there in hope of avoiding all aspects of human interaction you should know that there will be some employees in the store preparing food, stocking shelves and helping when you get confused about how this crazy new world works. You’ll also probably be surrounded by customers keen to give the new store a try and document the experience on Snapchat and Instagram and Facebook and Twitter.

If you’re looking for a store that fulfils your need for food and toilet paper and complements your solipsistic mood you may need to wait a few months before the hype dies down. Or, you know, order online.

What’s the internet saying?

Using the topic cloud component in Brandwatch Analytics we surfaced some of the most common words and phrases surrounding the new stores.

There’s an app for that

I was surprised at the popularity of this tweet in the conversation, especially when most of the retweets that happened on Sunday did not come from Seattle.

#AmazonGo opens on Monday, January 22 in Seattle. Get the app to enter the store. See you soon! https://t.co/jt7quQ4rke pic.twitter.com/shIyrifZyk

— Amazon.com (@amazon) January 21, 2018

Regardless of whether all the retweeters from outside Seattle have downloaded the app and are making a journey down to the store, expect a line. People are literally going to get in line for a store that is designed to get rid of lines.

Store of the future

“Future” is an enormous part of the conversation, and there’s no doubt that the opening of Amazon’s pioneering new store marks a turning point in the retail world.

The future of retail via @Amazon Go pic.twitter.com/jVIjnvi6aZ

— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) January 21, 2018

In the name of journalism, I tried to shoplift from Amazon Go, the company’s convenience store of the future. Here’s what happened https://t.co/f3n5L3f6H5

— Nick Wingfield (@nickwingfield) January 21, 2018

High-tech

The technology that’s been developed for the stores no doubt comes at a high price.

Amazon Go, a high-tech version of a 7-Eleven, will finally open on Monday — with no checkout lines and no cashiers https://t.co/KmbEk60yzm

— Amitesh Raikwar (@amiteshraikwar) January 22, 2018

Assuming the store is popular, other retailers will need to invest fast in keeping up, or Amazon’s rapid expansion could spell trouble for their competitors.

That said, whether people will actually enjoy the experience remains to be seen. My guess is that while we’ll see an uptick in rage tweets on job loss and think pieces on these stores being the scissors ready to cut up the already torn fabric of society, consumers will quickly adapt to the experience of seamless purchasing – whether it’s good for their bank balance or not.

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