Amazon One users can now pay for alcohol with their palms without showing their IDs to prove their age
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The palm-scanning contactless identity and payment service Amazon One has added another benefit for its customers allowing them to buy age-sensitive items with just hovering their hand over the payment terminal.
The new age verification capabilities would enable buyers to shop for alcohol and other products that require certain age to be purchased without actually showing their IDs, simplifying the entire checkout process.
The bartenders or shop assistants at participating retail outlets and restaurants will see a “21+” message along with the customer-uploaded selfie on the screen, when the clients hover their palms over the scanner. Not only does it simplify authorizing the purchase, but also prevents using fake IDs by teenagers to buy alcohol.
The feature will be available to customers already enrolled in Amazon One can one they go online and upload a photo of the front and back of their government-issued ID supplemented with a selfie. The company stresses that it won’t be storing the ID information, which will be verified by an ISO 27001-certified identity verification provider.
The initiative is already finding its supporters. Thus, Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball team, will be the first public location to offer the age verification capability by Amazon One, looking for faster service and more convenient guest experience along with responsible alcohol sales.
Being first introduced in 2020, Amazon One has gained some traction as a payment option recently. Amazon’s palm-scanning payment tech launched at dozens of Whole Foods locations in late 2022, while Panera Bread piloted palm reading tech by Amazon this March.
Therefore, Amazon has continued expanding its palm scan payments in bid for grocery shopper loyalty, adding pay-by-palm and smart carts to an increasing number of grocery stores in April.
