Forbes reports that airport retailer Hudson has struck a deal with Amazon to use its Amazon Go checkout-free technology in some of its stores, starting with one at Dallas Love Field Airport.
According to the story, the test store will be called Hudson Nonstop. "If the Nonstop trial goes well, Hudson - which has gradually been reopening shuttered units across North America - plans a wider rollout at U.S. airports under the new fascia."
That could be a big deal, since Hudson has "more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs and tourist destinations across North America. Eliminating checkout lines and waiting times at more of them could be appealing to consumers worried about Covid-19 in enclosed spots like shops."
- KC's View:
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Amazon has said that in addition to the continued rollout of Amazon Go stores, it is open to licensing the technology to other retailers. The pandemic, with all the havoc it has wrought on most retail segments, probably has slowed down this development, but I suspect we'll see more of these kinds of deals in 2021.
