Amazon has opened its first Amazon Go store in Seattle. Amazon Go is an attempt to take the friction out of shopping, making lines and checkouts a thing of the past. The store IS staffed, but the online shopping giant is relying on technology to keep everything running smoothly.

Amazon dominates the online shopping space, with Amazon Prime, Amazon Fresh, and other efforts locking people into its ecosystem. And, having opened physical bookstores in various locations, Amazon is now muscling in on grocery stores and supermarkets. Amazon Go is here.

Amazon Go Is Now Open to the Public

The first Amazon Go store is located 2131 7th Avenue in Seattle, Washington. It's open every weekday between 7am and 9pm, and customers are free to walk in and out at leisure. The only prerequisites are an Amazon account, and the Amazon Go app available on Android or on iOS.

The store has opened to the public a year later than expected. When Amazon first announced Amazon Go in December 2016, the company stated it would open at the beginning of 2017. It's rumored that issues with the technology led to the delay, but Amazon has denied this.

There's no denying that the technology is all-important though. Customers walk in, browse, pick up the items they want, and walk out. You'll then be charged via your Amazon account, with no need to get in line to checkout. This is made possible by a combination of cameras and sensors.

There are still humans working at the store, but they're stocking the shelves, checking IDs, offering buying advice, and preparing food in the kitchens. Unfortunately for people currently looking for work, Amazon thinks cashiers are no longer required. Which sucks for cashiers.

Amazon Go Means Fewer Jobs for Humans

This makes Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods make more sense. It also marks the first step towards the automation experts have been warning us about for years. So while it might make shopping a more seamless experience, it means fewer jobs for us mere humans. Which is scary.

What do you think of the idea behind Amazon Go? Do you hate waiting in line at the checkout? Or do you accept it as part of the shopping experience? If an Amazon Go store opens near you, are you likely to go shopping there? If not, why not? Please let us know in the comments below!