Amazon Go, equipped with the cashierless Just Walk Out system, was heralded as a marvel when the first location opened to the public at Amazon’s Seattle headquarters building in 2018. Efforts to deploy the expensive array of ceiling-mounted cameras and sophisticated software to full-sized Fresh and Whole Foods stores were a bust.

Through its brick-and-mortar trials, Amazon realized its customers have a stronger brand affinity with Whole Foods Market than they do with Amazon Go or Amazon Fresh convenience stores. Fully closing these concepts allows the company to consolidate its brick-and-mortar strategy entirely around Whole Foods.