• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, December 6, 2016

Do you remember the IBM TV commercial that ran in 2006, where the shady-looking character took items off a store shelf and stuck them in the pockets of his trench coat? He walks out of the store followed by a security officer who hands him the receipt for the groceries. 

At that time IBM imagined building the technology on radio frequency identification. "Checkout lines. Who needs them," said the voiceover. "This is the future of ebusiness." 

Four years ago, Amazon picked up where IBM left off when the company's researchers began wondering "what would shopping look like if you could walk into a store and just go," so consumers would never need to wait in line.

While that may sound like nirvana, it's not about walking in and out of a grocery store using a phone and technology to purchase products without having to go through a checkout line.

And it's not just any payment system. Amazon has created a payment method that combines traditional point-of-sale systems, online payment technology like PayPal, and mobile apps like Square. The technology can be used at gas stations, bookstores, clothing stores, and any other type of physical or online store that requires the consumer to trade currency for products or services. 

This is not about automated checkout grocery stores, but rather data, advertising and a new payment system that finally integrates all transnational data. 

While Amazon has not said what they will do with the data, bits and bytes from transactions could become a targeting tool for advertisers looking to reach consumers in-store and through online purchases, in my opinion. From there it's just a matter of time before the company builds on its search technology based on the millions of data points collected through transactions. 

Computer vision, deep-learning algorithms, and sensors similar to the ones found in self-driving cars support the experience. Consumers use a mobile app to enter the physical grocery store, which could expand on its delivery service, AmazonFresh. Its fleet of planes and trucks could make sure to get all items delivered on time without having to depend on UPS or Federal Express. 

Amazon Go is being tested at one store in Seattle on 7th Avenue, and will open to the public in early 2017. The 1,800-square-foot store is currently open to Amazon employees.