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Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

gizmodo.com

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Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#181

Post by whyenot »

noodlesUK wrote: post #6

I think that the scan-as-you-shop style systems are definitely the next realistic step for grocery stores. I really like using them, as they allow me to put stuff directly into my bags as I go. I think a further improvement on a system like that would be to use the cheap RFID tech (UHF EPC) so that when you walk through the anti-theft barriers, the system knows exactly what you got, and then there's no need to scan a…

How would this cheap RFID system work for produce and other items sold without packaging or by weight? (for example fruit/veg)

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#182

Post by JohnFen »

graemep wrote: post #115
weinzierl wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a German it is always a culture shock to see how popular self checkout is in the UK, even though I see it used more often recently in Germany too. I think Germany is about a decade behind...

I hate self-checkout. As far as I am concerned you are a decade behind us in a decline!

I hate self-checkout as well.

The frustrating thing is that stores have fewer cashiers, so there's always a line. But often that line is shorter than the one for self-checkout.

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#183

Post by whyenot »

asdff wrote: post #177
noodlesUK wrote: post #6

I think that the scan-as-you-shop style systems are definitely the next realistic step for grocery stores. I really like using them, as they allow me to put stuff directly into my bags as I go. I think a further improvement on a system like that would be to use the cheap RFID tech (UHF EPC) so that when you walk through the anti-theft barriers, the system knows exactly what you got, and then there's no need to scan a…

I can't wait for food to be expensive and the ewaste from supplying an rfid chip with every tomato and potato

peel off the RFID tags from the expensive vine ripened tomatoes and replace them with tags from the really cheap ones (people already do this with the plastic stickers)

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#184

Post by JohnFen »

dxbydt wrote: post #103
drusepth wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait until you see how popular it is in the US! I can't remember the last time I saw someone use a manned checkout line; my local grocery store has 1 manned lane and 12 self checkout lanes, and the manned one is almost always empty.

> 1 manned lane and 12 self checkout lanes, and the manned one is almost always empty its empty because it’s considered rude to burden the poorly paid checkout person when you can self-service. Once all of the self-service lanes are occupied, the sentiment shifts and customers uneasily queue up in the manned lane, frantically watching if the self-service lane clears up so they can jump out of the manned lane. One of…

> it’s considered rude to burden the poorly paid checkout person when you can self-service.

It is?? I missed that memo. But in my part of the US, the manned cashiers always have a line for them, too.

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#185

Post by Shank »

omgbear wrote: post #113

There was one in London I used to walk past all the time. It was a neat experience to shop there once, but the selection was very slim and ocado was even more convenient. I'd always peek through the windows and it never had any shoppers.

> I'd always peek through the windows and it never had any shoppers.

My experience using these locations is that I entered, grabbed the items I wanted and just left. Because they were closer to convenience stores, I was basically speedrunning it. A drink and a sandwich? Maybe 30 seconds tops. There wasn't any point in lingering. I wonder how much of that changed the dynamics of how many people were inside?

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#186

Post by financypants »

whyenot wrote: post #183
asdff wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't wait for food to be expensive and the ewaste from supplying an rfid chip with every tomato and potato

peel off the RFID tags from the expensive vine ripened tomatoes and replace them with tags from the really cheap ones (people already do this with the plastic stickers)

Even easier to scan organic tomatoes as regular ones, similarly with other fruit/vegetables. The “self check out discount”

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#187

Post by JohnFen »

michaelt wrote: post #91
noodlesUK wrote: post #6

I think that the scan-as-you-shop style systems are definitely the next realistic step for grocery stores. I really like using them, as they allow me to put stuff directly into my bags as I go. I think a further improvement on a system like that would be to use the cheap RFID tech (UHF EPC) so that when you walk through the anti-theft barriers, the system knows exactly what you got, and then there's no need to scan a…

> I think a further improvement on a system like that would be to use the cheap RFID tech Unfortunately I doubt you'll ever see this happen. Sure, it's supposedly possible to buy an RFID chip for 1p - but you can buy a can of beans for 23p so that 1p is probably their entire profit margin. I've also worked with a variety of RFID readers; none of them can provide reliable reading, even in favourable conditions.

I think there's another technical issue with using RFID. If you have a basket of a few dozen different RFID chips, there's going to be a lot of collisions in the data they transmit, further reducing reliability.

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#188

Post by kylehotchkiss »

I wish Target would add computers to their carts. For most people, it'd be a nice alternative towards the self checkout area with limited space to place things.

For the more unsavory customers, it could offer video evidence that they're stealing stuff, lock the wheels at the door if more than $X isn't paid for, and create GPS reports of where all the stolen carts end up.

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#189

Post by skywhopper »

jonnycat wrote: post #89

Can we start a list of technological magic that is actually "1000 people in India watching and labeling videos" (or functional equivalent)?

Quite a few of the current LLM chatbots from big players are at least partially trained in this way.

Re: Amazon ditches 'just walk out' checkouts at its grocery stores

#190

Post by bilalq »

This is pretty sad to read. Before Covid, the Amazon Go store experience was phenomenal. All the convenience of a 7-Eleven but with the pricing of a normal grocery store. The food options were really good and the BlueApron style meal-kits were amazing. The Alexa integration was also nice for being able to just verbally ask what's the next step on a recipe while you're busy stirring or chopping things.

When it rolled out to Amazon Fresh stores, it was a breadth of fresh air. The painful clunkiness of self-checkout was gone. The slow and pointless exercise of unloading and reloading your cart was gone. You could just bring your reusable shopping bags, throw stuff in, and walk home. By far the most hassle-free shopping experience to be had.

Scan as you shop is a big step backwards and feels like you've got the annoying self-checkout experience looming over you the entire time you're there.

The selection and operating hours both took a hit during covid and never recovered.

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