Amazon Palm-Paying Tech Now Accepts Alcohol Purchases

Friction is introduced when customers must produce a government-issued ID for age verification, according to Amazon.

May 24, 2023

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Amazon’s palm-paying technology, called Amazon One, will now allow people to purchase alcohol with a swipe of their hand, reports CNBC.

Amazon One users must upload a government-issued ID on the Amazon One website in order to purchase alcohol. The company says it does not store the IDs, and the information is verified by a third-party provider. The retailer will be able to verify the purchaser is over the age of 21 through a “21+” message that appears when the purchaser swipes their palm. They also must do a visual match of the user with a user-uploaded photo that shows on the screen.

According to Amazon, Amazon One was launched to remove friction from transactions and create a faster and more convenient way for people to pay or enter a location; however, when it comes to purchasing alcohol, friction is reintroduced as customers must produce a government-issued ID for age verification.

Coors Field will be the first location to use Amazon One for age verification, and the technology will be rolled out to additional establishments in the coming months.

"Hearing from Amazon One customers across the country, we understand that they love the convenience it delivers: shorter wait times, quick access to buildings and locations, being able to link their loyalty memberships, and now an easy way to grab their beer,” said John McKay, senior director, foodservice operations and development, Colorado Rockies.

Amazon One is available at more than 100 Whole Foods Market stores as well as other locations.

TruAge, developed by NACS, is a revolutionary digital age-verification tool that helps customers securely show proof of age when purchasing age-restricted products. It's in use in select stores right now, with a wider launch planned for Q4 2023.

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