Amazon One Palm Readers Coming to Entertainment Venues - Partnership with AXS

Amazon One Expands Beyond Amazon Stores

The Amazon One palm reader, Amazon’s biometric access system for retail environments, is now being deployed outside of the company’s own establishments. An announcement was made today detailing the acquisition of their first third-party client, ticketing provider AXS.

AXS will be integrating the Amazon One system at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado, offering event attendees a contactless entry option. This marks the initial implementation of the system in an entertainment venue and the first use outside of Amazon-owned retail locations.

Implementation at Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Event-goers at Red Rocks will have the opportunity to link their AXS Mobile ID to Amazon One at designated enrollment stations prior to entering the venue. Alternatively, enrollment can be completed inside the amphitheatre for use at subsequent AXS events.

The enrollment procedure is designed to be swift, taking approximately one minute, and allows users to register either one or both palms. Dedicated entry lanes will be available for those utilizing the Amazon One system.

AXS’s Perspective

Bryan Perez, CEO of AXS, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “We are proud to work with Amazon to continue shaping the future of ticketing through cutting-edge innovation.”

He further added, “We are also excited to bring Amazon One to our clients and the industry at a time when there is a need for fast, convenient, and contactless ticketing solutions. AXS is continually deploying new technologies to develop secure and smarter ticketing offerings that improve the fan experience.”

The Evolution of Amazon One

Initially launched in September 2020 amidst the pandemic, Amazon One was conceived as a contactless payment method for Amazon Go stores. Customers initially linked a credit card to their palm print to facilitate transactions.

The system functions by utilizing computer vision technology to generate unique palm signatures. After the initial setup, entry into stores became as simple as hovering one’s palm over the biometric scanner.

Amazon promoted the system as a safer, contactless alternative to traditional payment methods.

Expansion to Additional Stores

Following its initial rollout, Amazon One was extended to a wider range of stores, including additional Amazon Go locations, Amazon Go Grocery stores, Amazon Books, and Amazon 4-star stores.

In April, the system was introduced to select Whole Foods Market locations. To incentivize enrollment, Amazon offered a $10 credit to customers who registered their palm prints.

Customers retain the option to associate their Amazon One ID with their existing Amazon account.

Data Privacy and Security

Data associated with Amazon One is stored securely by Amazon and can be deleted by the customer or automatically after two years of inactivity.

Regarding the AXS partnership, customers enrolling through AXS consent to sharing their email address with Amazon for Amazon One ID creation. However, Amazon clarifies that it does not receive ticket or purchase information from AXS.

Privacy Concerns and Amazon’s Response

Amazon’s history with biometric technologies has prompted privacy concerns, particularly regarding past sales of facial recognition services to law enforcement and related data privacy lawsuits.

Amazon asserts that palm print images are encrypted and stored in a secure cloud environment dedicated to Amazon One. Customers are also provided with the ability to unenroll from the system via a dedicated website, one.amazon.com, after all transactions are completed.

Updated, 9/15/21 with additional details regarding data-sharing practices between AXS and Amazon.