新奇事件簿 亚马逊推出无人智能超市

Amazon just unveiled what it describes as the world's most advanced shopping technology. It is the prime feature of its new-concept grocery store that has no queues or checkout¹ counters. It is called Amazon Go and is being trialled in the company's hometown of Seattle. The technology works via an app on a shopper's mobile device. The app automatically checks in when the shopper enters the store. It lets you shop as normal and then scans what you have bought as you leave the store. Amazon then bills you later and the shopping gets charged to your Amazon account. There is no waiting in line, no cashiers, and no being held up by slow customers, credit card transactions or waiting for change.

亚马逊刚刚披露了据说世界最先进的购物技术。这是其新概念杂货店的首要特征，不需要排队，不需要收银台。这种商店名为Amazon Go，在该公司家乡西雅图试运营。这项技术通过购物者移动设备上一个程序来运作。当购物者进入商店时，程序会自动登记。你可以如常购物，然后当你离开商店时扫描你买了什么。随后亚马逊会给你开账单，通过你的亚马逊账户收费。不需要排队等候，不需要收银员，不会被动作迟缓的顾客耽误，不需要信用卡转账或等待着零钱。

Amazon Go may revolutionize the high street shopping experience and provide a much-needed boost for brick-and-mortar stores. The grocery and convenience store markets are extremely tough nuts to crack. Profit margins² are low and competition is intense. However, Amazon seems confident it can change people's shopping habits. Rumours³ are that the online retail⁴ giant has plans for 2,000 grocery stores across the USA. It could also get involved in selling the software for its shopping technology to retailers⁵ worldwide. Industry analyst⁶ Colin Sebastian suggested Amazon Go could challenge Internet shopping. He said: "It makes it just as convenient, if not more convenient, than online shopping in some cases."

Amazon Go或许会发起街头购物经历的革命，刺激有厂房和店铺商店的生意。杂货店和便利店也面临非常棘手的情况。利润率非常低，竞争非常激烈。然而，亚马逊似乎有信心可以改变人们的购物习惯。有消息称这家在线零售巨头计划在美国各地开设2000家杂货店。杂货店还会向世界各地零售商出售其购物技术软件。行业分析师Colin Sebastian认为Amazon Go可能会挑战互联网购物。他说：“这种购物方式在某种程度上和网上购物一样方便，即使没有更方便。”

1 checkout   

n.（超市等）收银台，付款处

参考例句：

• Could you pay at the checkout.你能在结帐处付款吗。
• A man was wheeling his shopping trolley to the checkout.一个男人正推着购物车向付款台走去。

2 margins   

边( margin的名词复数 )； 利润； 页边空白； 差数

参考例句：

• They have always had to make do with relatively small profit margins. 他们不得不经常设法应付较少的利润额。
• To create more space between the navigation items, add left and right margins to the links. 在每个项目间留更多的空隙，加左或者右的margins来定义链接。

3 rumours   

n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传

参考例句：

• The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
• Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。

4 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

5 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。