Amazon One now has age verification built in to its palm-based Amazon One Identity service.
The company announced on Monday that the feature of age verification is being implemented at Coors Field. This is the home to the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball team.
At the ballpark, customers ages 21 and over can purchase alcoholic beverages by simply hovering their palm over an Amazon One device — as long as they’ve previously enrolled in the Amazon One program.
Consumers already enrolled in the program can add the age-verification feature to their account by going to the one.amazon.com website, uploading a photo of the front and back of a government-issued ID — such as a driver’s license — and a selfie.
Amazon One can be enrolled online and in kiosks at ballparks, as well as at other locations.
After enrolling, consumers can hover their palms over an Amazon One device to verify the 21+ message. You can pay for a purchase with a palm hover and linked credit card.
Enjoy Friction Free Experience
Dilip Kumar, AWS Applications’ Vice President, explained this on Amazon’s News website.
He continued, “This leads to longer transaction time and strains employee productivity.” Amazon One’s age verification capability addresses these challenges and alleviates the burden — and time — of manual ID verification.
John McKay said, “We have always put the customer first at Coors Field,” in a Rockies statement.
He added that “as the first stadium to use cutting-edge technology such as Amazon One to verify age, we are providing a frictionless and seamless experience for Colorado Rockies’ fans to help them get back to their game quicker.”
Eduardo Azanza is the CEO of Veridas, a provider of global biometric identity and authentication solutions.
“With an accurate and reliable way to confirm ages, businesses will be able to comply with age-related laws, reduce the risk of unauthorised access and offer a more enjoyable experience for customers with shorter lines and faster service,” he said in the E-Commerce Times.
He continued, “Coors Field will be the first venue and organization to implement this type of biometric system.” “Convenience is key to a great user experience. And businesses are always seeking the most cost-effective, streamlined approach.”
This development is likely going to influence verification practices across different industries. It will encourage the adoption and use of biometrics while also stressing the importance of strong data privacy standards. “Simple, convenient, and secure is the future. Businesses need to jump on board to remain competitive.”
The Waves of Regulation are on the Wings
Age verification may only be useful at physical locations that sell alcohol. “Biometrics has not been widely adopted yet, so its use cases are limited.” Forrester Research Analyst Sucharita Kodali tells the E-Commerce Times.
Azanza stated that “while this technology is fascinating in the physical realm, we are seeing more and need for this type technology in online verifying.”
He added that “the online industry needs such a system to ensure age verification is seamless and secure.”
This will be true in particular as the age restrictions on online websites become more strict.
Bloomberg Law reports that dozens of state proposals are currently pending to regulate the online experience for children. Many would rely solely on companies like Meta Alphabet TikTok and TikTok in order to determine the age range of their users.
Fines could range from US$2,500 up to $250,000.
Online, many activities that in the real world require a valid ID to prove your age can be completed with just a click of a button. Azanza stated that there is a large gap between digital and physical requirements.
Privacy Challenges
A stricter age determination policy for online services can lead to the collection of more sensitive information about a person’s identity.
Do you want Amazon, a commercial company that has a database of information on everyone in the world, to scan your license and combine it with theirs? “Do you really want a commercial entity like Amazon to have a scan of your driver’s license, especially one that could go crazy combining that information with the rest of their astonishing database on each one us?” Micah SolomonA customer service and experience consultant in Seattle.
Amazon says that after the IDs are verified by a provider ISO 27001 certified for identity verification, it will not store the images of government IDs.
Solomon told E-Commerce Times that the level of comfort customers feel should be based on whether they believe Amazon when they say they don’t keep these IDs. Solomon said that customers seem to be ok with having their IDs photocopied at places like the front desks of doctors’ offices.
Craving a Warm Experience
Solomon said that Amazon One could be the ultimate friction reducer for a physical environment. However, reducing friction is only part of it.
“I strongly advise my clients who are in the customer experience consulting business that reducing friction doesn’t have to be the end goal. “A great customer service is what we are after,” he said.
“In a context where all that customers want out of a provider is for them to get out of the way — which is certainly the case when it comes to age verification — reducing friction is a great thing to focus on,” he explained.
“But in other contexts, where you want a warmer experience — the front lobby of a great, or even decent, hotel, or, ideally, an auto dealer — it’s never going to be the complete experience that customers crave,” he added.
A business that is forward-thinking can provide the warmth clients crave by reducing friction at the time of money exchange.
He said: “If you go to any Amazon Fresh stores, you will see for yourself that this does not happen.” “The only employees even remotely trained and managed to interact with customers warmly — and not nearly run them over with their restocking carts — are the fabulous people at the cash registers.”
He said that the Amazon One technology has made it so that the cash registers were rarely used. “The warmth of the experience was pretty much lost,” he stated.
Amazon One can be found at over 100 Whole Foods Market locations, selected Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh Stores, as well as multiple third-party retailers, such Panera Bread restaurants and sports stadiums and entertainment venues.
Amazon has announced that age verification will be available at Coors Field and other venues in the near future.
