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Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

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Re: Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

#181

Post by rpcope1 »

pjc50 wrote: post #97
TeMPOraL wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> (Good) E-commerce has been ruthlessly optimised to get shoppers to products they'll actually buy and then remove all distractions from buying. The only e-commerce site that fits this standard is that old one for buying (IIRC) nuts and bolts or such, that pops up on HN every other year, and whose name sadly escapes me now. Everyone else is ruthlessly optimizing their experience to fuck shoppers over and get them to…

You were thinking of McMaster-Carr, but Digikey is also that good for electronics parametric shopping. Sadly Sigma-Aldrich, the hyphenated retailer for chemistry, appears to have been covered in javascript sludge.

RockAuto also has what some might consider a "dated" interface, but honestly it's light years better than trying to use NAPA's or CarQuest's website or god forbid looking through dealership parts counter websites. I honestly wish regular retailers would have stuck more closely with what worked for more B2B focused ecommerce, i.e. I wish shopping Best Buy or Home Depot was more akin to McMaster, Fastenall or some of the nicer supply house web portals.

Re: Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

#182

Post by LoganDark »

lukan wrote: post #31
LoganDark wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd become afraid to ask that bot anything, not knowing what it would automatically try to purchase for me. Paying for the bot itself is already a lot: $20/mo to $200/mo or more.

20$ for a personal assistant is not much, but no, I surely don't trust those assistants to access my money.

I pay $200/mo for one assistant, from one company. The number of other companies that want the same kind of money for other assistants is increasing. I wish I could pay $200/mo and get all the companies.

Re: Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

#183

Post by ImPostingOnHN »

s3r3nity wrote: post #151
ImPostingOnHN wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe in yours? Someone can want a thing, even very badly, without wanting to put in the work for it. Conversely, someone can work very hard for something they do not want. The linkage between wanting a thing and wanting to do the work to get it is not absolute, or necessary there at all.

Did they stop teaching "actions speak louder than words" in schools, or something?

Did they start teaching that all idioms are always true without nuance in schools, or something?

Re: Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

#186

Post by dpoloncsak »

dylan604 wrote: post #159
s3r3nity wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did they stop teaching "actions speak louder than words" in schools, or something?

"Someone can want a thing, even very badly, without wanting to put in the work for it." Pretty much the impetus behind a lot of theft. Sure, there's thieving because people can't afford food, but that's all theft. There's theft because they are addicts and don't want to sober up long enough to earn money, so they still things. There's others that can't afford something so rather than saving for it, they just take it.

Is 'the work' not reflected in 'consequences' in terms of theft?

I'm not sure how to convey this idea properly...Can't you view the repercussions of theft (Legal action, distrust, etc) as 'work' being put in? Sure, it's a different kind of work, but while I have a lack of motivation to want to work to buy a Lambo as I find them not worth the value, I also have a lack of motivation to steal a Lambo as I find it not worth the consequences.

Re: Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

#187

Post by sumtechguy »

RugnirViking wrote: post #69
cmiles8 wrote: post #67

The idea that AI will suddenly solve e-commerce demonstrates a lack of understanding on everything that has happened in this space over the last 25 years. There’s a lot of this going on in AI at the moment. New folks come in thinking they have a magic solution and then produce a total train wreck as it turns out domain expertise is still a thing.

What would it even mean for an ai to solve e-commerce? Is that a claim made here? Is e-commerce a problem to be solved? It seems like e-commerce does just fine, if plagued by poor quality product, fake reviews, and relentless borderline fraudulent marketing. Was anyone suggesting AI would help with it? It seems from the article that Walmart (presumably experts in e-commerce) themselves willingly collaborated with ope…

That is spot on.

They forgot the first thing. Why would a customer use it and does it help them buy more stuff so I make more money?

Just putting an AI in there for the heck of it is doomed to failure.

I can think of a few different ways AI could be used inside a shopping app especially at the size of a company like walmart. Such as 'hey try our picknick planner?', 'need some sort of DIY project? Ask our bot for help'. Guide the user on what they need for a project and hey look here we have that stuff in stock at your local store today.

The cart experience one of the last places I would put an AI. At that point the customer is 'done' and they want out.

Re: Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

#188

Post by ImPostingOnHN »

dpoloncsak wrote: post #186
dylan604 wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Someone can want a thing, even very badly, without wanting to put in the work for it." Pretty much the impetus behind a lot of theft. Sure, there's thieving because people can't afford food, but that's all theft. There's theft because they are addicts and don't want to sober up long enough to earn money, so they still things. There's others that can't afford something so rather than saving for it, they just take it.

Is 'the work' not reflected in 'consequences' in terms of theft? I'm not sure how to convey this idea properly...Can't you view the repercussions of theft (Legal action, distrust, etc) as 'work' being put in? Sure, it's a different kind of work, but while I have a lack of motivation to want to work to buy a Lambo as I find them not worth the value, I also have a lack of motivation to steal a Lambo as I find it not wo…

I understand what you are saying but nonetheless struggle to view the possibility of maybe getting caught and then maybe getting punished, as "work". It (the abstract concept of something possibly happening) fits into none of the definitions of "work" I have heard. Moreover, many crimes are committed without the perpetrator even thinking of the consequences.

Consider an alternative viewpoint: rather than contorting the definition of "work" in such a way and convincing everyone to accept the new definition, we might instead be content saying "someone can want a thing, even very badly, without wanting to put in the work for it."

Re: Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

#189

Post by dpoloncsak »

ImPostingOnHN wrote: post #188
dpoloncsak wrote: post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is 'the work' not reflected in 'consequences' in terms of theft? I'm not sure how to convey this idea properly...Can't you view the repercussions of theft (Legal action, distrust, etc) as 'work' being put in? Sure, it's a different kind of work, but while I have a lack of motivation to want to work to buy a Lambo as I find them not worth the value, I also have a lack of motivation to steal a Lambo as I find it not wo…

I understand what you are saying but nonetheless struggle to view the possibility of maybe getting caught and then maybe getting punished, as "work". It (the abstract concept of something possibly happening) fits into none of the definitions of "work" I have heard. Moreover, many crimes are committed without the perpetrator even thinking of the consequences. Consider an alternative viewpoint: rather than contorting t…

Oh, I'm with you mate, I'm not trying to die on a hill over here re-defining 'work'. I was just looking from a more esoteric view, "Do you count the risk of consequences as potential effort" I think is at least more proper phrasing.

Re: Walmart: ChatGPT checkout converted 3x worse than website

#190

Post by newsoftheday »

bilekas wrote: post #95

ChatGPT Checkout, a solution looking for a problem. Why would anyone have an extra layer of friction too where things could go wrong, where handing over payment details in another chain. Just let me buy my stuff in peace. Shopping is not the 'killer app' for GenAI.

> Why would anyone have an extra layer of friction too where things could go wrong

It sounds like you're excusing AI, what other systems is AI not suitable for?

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