Campus ID News
Card, mobile credential, payment and security
FEATURED
PARTNERS

Pitt to launch Amazon’s Just Walk Out on campus for frictionless convenience store shopping

New convenience store will enable 24/7 purchasing without need for staff or payment terminal

CampusIDNews Staff   ||   Aug 10, 2023  ||   , ,

In collaboration with Transact and Chartwells, the University of Pittsburgh will give students a contactless, checkout-less shopping experience by deploying Amazon’s Just Walk Out on campus. A new on-campus convenience store will allow shoppers to walk in, select items and walk out without interfacing with an employee or point-of-sale system.

Pitt uses Transact’s mobile ordering app that allows students, faculty and staff to place food orders at an array of on-campus dining locations. The Transact app and transaction system are key to the Just Walk Out solution at the university.

While shopping, Just Walk Out detects what is taken from or returned to shelves. When done, the shopper walks out, and the Transact system automatically deducts the total from the customer’s campus funds

“We are excited to collaborate with Pitt to introduce Amazon's Just Walk Out technology. Transact’s goal is to redefine the student experience by eliminating checkout lines and accelerating transaction speed,” said Laura Newell-McLaughlin, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Integrated Payments and Campus Commerce at Transact. “With the integration of Transact Mobile Ordering for store entry and payments, we’re taking significant strides in streamlining daily campus life.”

Amazon’s Just Walk Out on campus

At the entrance to the store, the customer scans the mobile ordering app. While shopping, Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology detects what is taken from or returned to the shelves. When done shopping, the customer leaves without having to wait in line or physically pay for the items. The Transact Mobile app automatically deducts the total from the customer’s available campus funds (e.g., Dining Dollars, Panther Funds, or Pitt Cash).

According to an article in the Pitt’s University Times, employees can also use the Transact app and link their Panther Card or a credit card.

Just Walk Out uses artificial intelligence, computer vision and deep learning to pinpoint which customer took what items in any retail environment. It eliminates checkout lines, saves customers time and reduces staffing requirements. At Pitt, the store will be staffed at times and operate partially unattended 24 hours a day, providing access to food and other essentials day or night.

The solution is part of Pitt’s multimillion-dollar renovation of its main dining facility, The Eatery. Together with Chartwells, its on-campus dining partner, the facility features nine dining concepts and state-of-the-art technology integrations. The entire renovation is scheduled for completion in Fall 2024, but it will occur in phases so that the facility can continue to serve the campus community.

“As one of the first universities in the United States to integrate Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, Pitt is elevating the student experience by making shopping faster, easier, and more convenient,” says Matthew Sterne, Vice Chancellor of Business Services at Pitt.

For a view into how the Amazon Just Walk Out solution works, check out the video at the top of the page.

 

Related Posts

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

RECENT ARTICLES

Feb 06, 25 / ,

Amazon stores remove their company’s own Just Walk Out technology

While Amazon Just Walk Out technology seems to be succeeding in campus c-stores and stadiums, the retail giant has failed to make a go of it in its company-owned stores. Just Walk Out is a cashierless shopping solution that allows customers to enter a store, pick up items, and leave without stopping at a checkout […]
Phone with dead battery
Feb 05, 25 / ,

Student ID in Express Mode lets mobile credentials work even when phone dies

Ever since student IDs were stored in Apple Wallet, perhaps the most frequent question was “what happens when the battery dies?” Administrators were rightfully concerned about how their students were going to buy a meal or access their dorm rooms. The answer to the question is found in two important iOS concepts, Power Reserve and […]
Lady showing a digital ID in car

Digital IDs and mobile driver’s licenses take cues from college campuses

We are on the verge of a digital ID revolution that will bring enhanced convenience and security across industries. Government-issued digital credentials will enable online service delivery with massively enhanced security levels that can help eliminate fraud and make it easier on users. Mobile driver’s licenses will be more than just a replacement for a […]
CIDN logo reversed
The only publication dedicated to the use of campus cards, mobile credentials, identity and security technology in the education market. CampusIDNews – formerly CR80News – has served more than 6,500 subscribers for more than two decades.
Twitter

Attn: friends in the biometrics space. Nominations close Friday for the annual Women in Biometrics Awards. Take five minutes to recognize a colleague or even yourself. http://WomenInBiometrics.com

Feb. 1 webinar explores how mobile ordering enhanced campus life, increased sales at UVA and Central Washington @Grubhub @CBORD

Load More...
Contact
CampusIDNews is published by AVISIAN Publishing
315 E. Georgia St.
Tallahassee, FL 32301
www.AVISIAN.com[email protected]
Use our contact form to submit tips, corrections, or questions to our team.
©2025 CampusIDNews. All rights reserved.