The trial period for Amazon Go (AMZN  ) has been carried out over the past year from its base in Seattle. Amazon Go's public opening was originally slated for early 2017, but has since been postponed due to technical difficulties. These technical difficulties are expected to be resolved shortly, and the company has begun hiring "marketing and promotional staff."

During this beta stage, Amazon has aimed to refine the technology that enables Go customers walk in, pick up items, and then pay for them without needing a cashier. The ultimate goal is for Amazon to transform the brick-and-mortar shopping experience and do away with the checkout line entirely. They hope this will save their customers time and advance their own reputation for convenience and industry disruption.

Amazon has combined its development of Go with its desire to push into the groceries business, which started with Amazon's purchase of Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion this past September. Whole Foods stores are currently in the process of having Amazon's Prime subscription service incorporated into their mechanics.

© Amazon

With Amazon Go, there will be no need for any pre-registration process. Rather, customers simply scan their smartphones before entering the store. Presently, stores contain a basic offering of prepared food, plus grocery staples like bread, cheese, and milk." A combination of shelf sensors and cameras then collaborate to determine which items have been removed and who removed them. No tracking devices will be implemented, and no radio frequency chips are necessary. One of the main points is to allow customers to enter, make purchases from the physical selection, and exit with the items they want. Done correctly, this will not amount to robbery, as the store's sensors will charge all who exit with items accordingly. Amazon has not fully disclosed the mechanics of the technology that enables this, but has said that the store requires a mobile app and makes use of the same sensor technology behind self-driving cars.

So far, this technology has been more competent than one might expect. Amazon employees have attempted to disguise themselves in Pikachu costumes to fool the sensors, but the sensors still correctly identified the individuals and charged the appropriate accounts, though the employee faces were entirely obscured.

© Robert Scoble / Flickr.com

But the technology is still weak in dealing with groups of shoppers containing active and misbehaving children, who might eat an item while wandering around the store. Likewise, it struggles to figure out how to assign charges when a couple shops together, entering and exiting in pairs.

The protocols for in-store returns, spoiled or damaged merchandise, and customer service problems are still being developed. It remains uncertain how quickly Amazon Go can be released. Amazon has already opened 13 brick-and-mortar stores in seven states, and plans to release Amazon Go technology in Whole Foods as well.