Amazon wants to democratize palm payments

As it withdraws its Just Walk Out technology from several stores, Amazon unveils a new feature for Amazon One. Constantly improving since its release in 2020, the palm scan payment solution is now linked to an app to simplify the registration of new users. This development expands Amazon One's use cases, particularly for the enterprise segment, and also shortens the time it takes to register with the solution.

FACTS

• Amazon One, Amazon's palm recognition service, has launched a new application to simplify the registration of new users.

• Since its launch, customers wishing to benefit from Amazon One had to visit a store using the solution and register at a dedicated kiosk. Customers presented one of their hands to the reader, inserted their payment card and registered their telephone number.

• From now on, new users can register directly via the application.

• In concrete terms, users download the application and create a profile by logging in with their Amazon account. He then takes a photo of his palm with his smartphone and registers a means of payment. Registration is validated on the first pass, when the system successfully matches the user's hand with the registered photo.

• In terms of data protection, the company claims that "Palm" images are encrypted and transmitted to a secure Amazon One space in the AWS cloud. Security is also reinforced on the application, and images cannot be downloaded or saved on a cell phone.

• Amazon One has become much more diversified in its use, and can now be used for payments, access control, age verification or even rewards at the relevant Amazon partner stores.

• Indeed, the number of places where Amazon One is accepted has multiplied. The solution is available in 500 Whole Foods Market stores, several Amazon stores and over 150 third-party locations, including stadiums, airports, gyms and more.

• The application is available on IOS and Android.

CHALLENGES

• A technology launched nearly 4 years ago: The patent application and launch of Amazon One were announced in 2020. Since then, the U.S. company has multiplied its improvements in order to roll out its innovation for several use cases and in several of the brand's stores. The arrival of the app opens up additional perspectives, particularly in terms of customer journeys and frictionless solutions.

• Increasing the take-up rate of the enterprise solution: The app also supports Amazon One Enterprise, launched at the end of 2023. The branch is aimed exclusively at businesses, with the aim of offering them a reliable, reinforced access control solution at building entrances. The application will facilitate employee check-in.

• Streamline store checkouts: This new system is also designed to simplify checkout procedures in Amazon stores. In fact, the aim is to make checkout more fluid, even for new users. First-time users will be able to pay in the same way as registered users.

• Overcoming the failure of Just Walk Out: The success of Amazon's innovations needs to be qualified, however. For example, the company is having difficulty gaining acceptance for its checkout-free store technology. In Amazon Fresh stores, Just Walk Out is to be discontinued. Instead, Amazon will offer its intelligent shopping cart, the Dash Cart. This decision was prompted by difficulties with the item recognition technology, and complaints in the USA about the use of biometric identification data without customers' knowledge.

MARKET PERSPECTIVE

• Since its launch, Amazon One has won over many customers. According to Amazon, the solution has been used more than 8 million times. 80% of Amazon One users have also used the solution several times in Amazon and Whole Foods Market stores.

• Technologically, Amazon One relies in particular on the now famous generative AI. AI is used to match a cell phone photo with Amazon One's infrared technology.

• This technology is also used in many Amazon projects, such as Rufus, the shopping assistance robot developed for the Amazon site and presented last February.