more people loosing their jobs will be unable to buy products, no matter how cheap, from amazon, hu?
Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
161–170 of 511 posts
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#162Earlier quoted context omitted.
They’ve done this https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=...
No, that's not what Frustration Free Packaging is. "FFP" is just easy to open cardboard product packaging, basically no blister packs. They still put your FFP box into another bigger shipping box.
from the description:
"Amazon.com works with manufacturers to box products in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging, which reduces the overall amount of packing materials used."
Also:
"It’s designed and tested to ship to customers in its own packaging without the need for additional Amazon packaging."
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#163Surprised to find so many modern Luddites in comments. History lessons says that new professions will appear.
And all those middle age workers will, what? Just be retrained? Who's paying for that? What happens when the retraining fails (as it so often does) because you can't magically turn a truck driver into a software engineer?
I don't think any of the comments here are anti-progress. But we do need a social and political plan to handle the automation of a large number of low skill jobs. Failure to plan for this future will result in large numbers of displaced and disaffected people.
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#164Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think HN's tune would be quite different if someone came up with a technology that eliminated half of all programming jobs. Not quite so many people would be saying, "This is great! I for one look forward to technological advancement." I do think the future should involve more automation, I just think we should be -- I dunno, a little less gleeful about it and think about the people it's impacting.
"eliminated half of all programming jobs" Tools to improve speed of development have existed for ages, twice the speed = twice less developers in a blunt way. (that includes even programming languages) Personally I'd consider it an improvement - if I job can be automated, it should be.
Doubling productivity isn't a big deal when an industry is "eating the world".
But what if it's not ?
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#165This sounds like good news. I've read lots of negative stories about the working conditions in Amazon warehouses. It would be great if all the jobs could be automated.
That's the strangest take on this story I've read. Any pearls of wisdom for all those people who are now going to be made redundant?
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#166It's awesome that the boxing machine is not patented by Amazon but is owned by an independent (? for now?) company. It means that others can access this tech and that Amazon won't close it before competitors. If it works, I believe Amazon won't wait for long with the takeover though.
It's great because Google et al tend to keep a lot to themselves, not offering hardware on the market (for example full version of the TPU).
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#167I'm surprised that Amazon still uses boxes. They have the market power to insist manufacturers comply with amazon-specific packaging requirements. Why not just insist that all products be packaged in postal-compatible packaging? Then the amazon warehouse robot need only slap a label on the product and throw it in the shipping bin. Another answer would be to have products packaged in standard, or at lease square, boxe…
Smart dudes have wrestled over those problems for years. I think the strongest case for dropshipping would be new cars. The dealerships have presented a problem for people for years, but they are politically well connected. It's a lot easier for a manufacturer to send a boxcar of toilet paper to a warehouse (Amazon or otherwise) than to mail the case to you. Lacking Amazon or Safeway, they'd probably just recreate a…
> Smart dudes have wrestled over those problems for years. I think the strongest case for dropshipping would be new cars. The dealerships have presented a problem for people for years, but they are politically well connected.
I've been studying this lately, and it really seems to be more than that. Consumers love to compare goods based upon initial purchase price (or even loan payment price) with relatively little regard for the long-term cost of that good.
As evidence, take a look through AutoNation's annual report, in which they clearly make more gross profit on part sales & service, finance, and extended warranties than on actual car sales. It is to the point that it is questionable if the business would be viable only on the basis of new & used car sales alone.
A business that chooses to try to make profit without these addons will ultimately have to sell more expensive cars. Will consumers understand the difference?
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#168I'm surprised that Amazon still uses boxes. They have the market power to insist manufacturers comply with amazon-specific packaging requirements. Why not just insist that all products be packaged in postal-compatible packaging? Then the amazon warehouse robot need only slap a label on the product and throw it in the shipping bin. Another answer would be to have products packaged in standard, or at lease square, boxe…
You mentioned two processes that have been in place with Amazon Vendors/Manufacturers for many years.
1. Amazon Direct Fulfillment (dropship): Order is shipped directly from the manufacturer to the customer. Amazon pays for the shipping label and contractually "own" the item once it leaves the MFR doors. Amazon incentivizes Manufacturers by paying the freight and loosening shipment deadlines. [1]
2. Ships In Own Container (Amazon SIOC) certification puts the responsibility on the manufacturer to certify their products can be shipped without extra packaging. MFR pays for the testing/certification from a third-party. After July 3st 2019, Amazon will charge/fine manufacturers $2/unit received that are NOT SIOC certified and greater than a certain dimensional threshold. [2]
Its a tough economic balance for Amazon because they want to keep shipping stuff, but many MFRs will literally stop selling items to Amazon on July 31st because the costs of SIOC certification are greater than the estimated product profitability.
Source: I am a consultant for Manufacturers that sell to Amazon. [3]
1: https://www.andersonassociates.net/guides/amazon/what-is-dro...
2: https://www.andersonassociates.net/2018/frustration-free/
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#169Earlier quoted context omitted.
> those buying from Amazon Only if there is enough competition.
Which, given the fact that Walmart is experimenting with the exact same robots, it seems like there is.
That's oligopoly. True competition needs to have many different options e.g. food. I can go out to a restaurant, order something or opt-out from the market and buy in a shop and cook it myself. But straight from the farmer or I could even grow it myself.
Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs
#170Earlier quoted context omitted.
We could also reduce the work week and increase taxes to distribute the gains from automation, instead of relying on the goodwill of billionaires. It seems the current political populism environment is best suited for this outcome.
It's going to be an interesting economic situation when the wealth distribution is so skewed towards less than 1% of the population that no one has any money left to make billionaires, billionaires.
That seems fine?