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Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

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Re: Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

#11
post #8

So they've spent an extra year with people who fit the demographics of an Amazon employee trying to trick their systems. That should protect them from people who fit the demographics of an Amazon employee. There still seem to be many of the issues people brought up a year ago, such as how this depends on the presence of a phone with the appropriate app installed, or what happens with groups of people in which only on…

I presume you can check your cart via the app before checking out... in terms of overcharging, how do you know when you’re overcharged at the store when the cashier checks you out if you have more than 10 or so items? Do you remember all the prices of each item?

Re: Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

#12
You know what I find convenient? Cash. You just take it out of your wallet and hand it over in exchange for goods. No tracking, no receipt emails, no machine learning of my behavior to figure out when my partner is pregnant or whatever, no extra apps, no facial recognition, no 2-4% charge for businesses that only doesn't apply if you're an international monopoly.

Oh, my phone is out of batteries. Guess I'll just give up and head home.

Oops, looks like a hurricane/forest fire/proletarian uprising has knocked out local infrastructure. (Luckily, this almost never happens anymore!) Man, it would be great if we had a medium of exchange that would work under these adverse conditions. Guess I'll just barter my Harry's razors and other hipster goods to get some formula for my baby!

Re: Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

#13

You know what I find convenient? Cash. You just take it out of your wallet and hand it over in exchange for goods. No tracking, no receipt emails, no machine learning of my behavior to figure out when my partner is pregnant or whatever, no extra apps, no facial recognition, no 2-4% charge for businesses that only doesn't apply if you're an international monopoly. Oh, my phone is out of batteries. Guess I'll just give…

My grandparents always got cash out of the ATM machine then bought stuff with their cash. I always thought this was weird, but as an adult I wish I could be bothered to do this.

Re: Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

#14

You know what I find convenient? Cash. You just take it out of your wallet and hand it over in exchange for goods. No tracking, no receipt emails, no machine learning of my behavior to figure out when my partner is pregnant or whatever, no extra apps, no facial recognition, no 2-4% charge for businesses that only doesn't apply if you're an international monopoly. Oh, my phone is out of batteries. Guess I'll just give…

I love cash. By far the most convenient payment method for face to face transactions.

Re: Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

#15
post #11
post #8

So they've spent an extra year with people who fit the demographics of an Amazon employee trying to trick their systems. That should protect them from people who fit the demographics of an Amazon employee. There still seem to be many of the issues people brought up a year ago, such as how this depends on the presence of a phone with the appropriate app installed, or what happens with groups of people in which only on…

I presume you can check your cart via the app before checking out... in terms of overcharging, how do you know when you’re overcharged at the store when the cashier checks you out if you have more than 10 or so items? Do you remember all the prices of each item?

Yes. People who care remember the prices.

Re: Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

#17
post #8

So they've spent an extra year with people who fit the demographics of an Amazon employee trying to trick their systems. That should protect them from people who fit the demographics of an Amazon employee. There still seem to be many of the issues people brought up a year ago, such as how this depends on the presence of a phone with the appropriate app installed, or what happens with groups of people in which only on…

Pretty sure you get notifications each time the app charges you, like to your smart watch if you have one.

This is hugely beneficial to individual shoppers. Lining up is such a PITA. Walk in / walk out would be awesome.

They should just have a rule that kids aren't allowed to come along. I can tell you that rule alone will have a zillion mothers crying out in gratitude.

Re: Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

#18

You know what I find convenient? Cash. You just take it out of your wallet and hand it over in exchange for goods. No tracking, no receipt emails, no machine learning of my behavior to figure out when my partner is pregnant or whatever, no extra apps, no facial recognition, no 2-4% charge for businesses that only doesn't apply if you're an international monopoly. Oh, my phone is out of batteries. Guess I'll just give…

Cash is somewhat ok until you buy something. It's fine to carry around say £100 in a few notes, but then you buy something and you get back £5 and £10 notes and a handful of change and now it's a big jingly mess of shrapnel. I think contactless credit cards are the best right now. You don't need to hand anything over, get anything back, or enter anything, just wave the card.

Re: Amazon’s Cashierless Store Is Almost Ready for Prime Time

#19
post #4

There's a YC company also working on the same thing, here's their demo from 3 months ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeS8TJwBAFs https://www.standardcognition.com/

That's pretty awesome. The demo video would have been even better if they embedded the sku/price for the item on the overlay video.
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