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Amazon Go

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Re: Amazon Go

#361

Post by vertex-four »

School-Cotton wrote: post #339
anonbanker wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Upvoted for sensibility. in many rural areas of the United States, it is literally impossible to shop anywhere but Wal-Mart. Nebraska and Kansas had a rather large economic dive in the early 2000's due to the expansion of the Waltons. Their business plan is essentially: 1) Announce intention to move into area 2) woo politicians for financial kickbacks to subsidize expansion 3) launch with prices _far_ lower than all…

Isn't that illegal?

The best bit is that people will argue that it is literally impossible for this to happen.

Re: Amazon Go

#362

Post by mcintyre1994 »

nmeofthestate wrote: post #251
draw_down wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds great if it's not as unbelievably user-hostile as the self checkout machines. Those things are just total crap, every one I've ever tried.

I found it depends on the 'class' of the supermarket. The higher class the supermarket, the less calibrated they are to treat you like a shoplifter.

In Waitrose you can use your own rucksack without getting flagged!

Re: Amazon Go

#363

Post by k-mcgrady »

lorenzhs wrote: post #237
BjoernKW wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tesco also has pushed self scanning tills for years now. However, the number of employees working at the cash register is still the same because those scanners sometimes do not work and most importantly their user experience is deplorable. So, you frequently have to ask someone for help (and I'm in my mid-thirties and very tech-savvy. I can only imagine how someone twice my age would feel when using these scanners).

Don't ever use a Chip + Signature credit card at a Tesco self-checkout, they had to reboot the thing when I accidentally used it instead of my regular UK Debit card. Other than that I really like self-checkouts, usually much quicker and they're excellent for coin disposal (dump all your coins in it and pay the rest by card).

>> Don't ever use a Chip + Signature credit card at a Tesco self-checkout

Are UK banks giving these out? I've never come across them before.

Re: Amazon Go

#364

Post by stevarino »

makecheck wrote: post #229
elicash wrote: post #43

I worked at a grocery store for several years, and one thing I recall is customers CONSTANTLY putting items back in a random aisle, rather than where they found it. I wonder how this tech deals with that? Maybe they figured that out, too. But I was amused in the video when I saw the customer putting it back where it belonged, because that's not how I remember that going... All that said, this is fantastic and excitin…

One interesting benefit of the “detect removal from shelf” concept is that there might finally be a time stamp associated with the removal of the item. Right now, if you see a random perishable item sitting on a shelf, you HAVE to throw it away because it could have been there for a long time. On the other hand, if you can see that some Frozen Peas were only taken off the shelf 2 minutes ago, you can just put them ba…

No plan survives first contact with the customer's kids.

Re: Amazon Go

#365

Post by antoinevg »

TulliusCicero wrote: post #263
maxsilver wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"If you are Amazon, you have to acknowledge that you are slowly corroding the retail sector, which employs many (~4.5 million) people in this country." http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/silicon-valley-ha...

In 1800's - "If you are a farm equipment manufacturer, you have to acknowledge that you are slowly corroding the farming sector, which employs most people in the country." Even if they "acknowledge" it, so what? It's not their job to create extra jobs to replace the ones that they've automated out of existence. It's never been the jobs of the companies creating disruptive technology, like farm equipment or cars or co…

Oookaaayyy… but then you don't get to complain when those people vote Trump into office.

Re: Amazon Go

#366

Post by criley2 »

0xfeba wrote: post #252
makecheck wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One interesting benefit of the “detect removal from shelf” concept is that there might finally be a time stamp associated with the removal of the item. Right now, if you see a random perishable item sitting on a shelf, you HAVE to throw it away because it could have been there for a long time. On the other hand, if you can see that some Frozen Peas were only taken off the shelf 2 minutes ago, you can just put them ba…

> I'm sorry but if you cost the store $25 by leaving a damned ROAST in the cereal aisle, I would be perfectly happy to never let you in the store again. Wouldn't a better solution be to charge the customer for the roast and if they complain, you explain: "sorry, you didn't put it on the proper shelf, the technology considers that as a purchase", and possibly eat the cost in the form of some incentive to come back to…

>Wouldn't a better solution be to charge the customer for the roast and if they complain, you explain: "sorry, you didn't put it on the proper shelf, the technology considers that as a purchase",

It might be legal federally, and in red states, but this sounds like a class action lawsuit in a liberal state with strong consumer protection laws just waiting for hungry lawyers.

Re: Amazon Go

#367

Post by harmegido »

gech wrote: post #120
jtcond13 wrote: post #100

Your periodic reminder that 'retail salesperson' is the most common job in America (~4.5 million). http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/04/the-10-m...

It's just a starter job, people shouldn't rely on them as a career, it's their fault, bootstraps, etc. etc.

don't attempt sarcasm on this site. people take things literally.

Re: Amazon Go

#368

Post by zimbu668 »

digler999 wrote: post #349
Declanomous wrote: post #309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with your point, but at the same time, you should be charged the price of the food if you grab perishable food and place it in an area that renders it unsafe. I worked in retail and at theme parks, and I'm personally of the opinion that it's better for everyone in the long run if you fire entitled customers.

> if you fire entitled customers. That would be fine in the ages before social media. Now everyone "takes to twitter" and tries to organize a social pitchfork campaign. The victimhood mentality is real. People get off on the celebrity from being wronged by a big bad corporation. It wouldn't be long before some jerk posts a video of himself leaving a roast on the cereal aisle and being '86'ed from the store, then post…

Sounds like that place would have lower prices since the costs of customers like that isn't spread around to considerate people, I think I would like to shop there.

Re: Amazon Go

#369

Post by SonicSoul »

I think this could work if cart or your app confirms your selection before checkout. Otherwise people would be too stressed out / unsure about discounted items to roll the dice.

Re: Amazon Go

#370

Post by icebraining »

anonbanker wrote: post #317
djsumdog wrote: post #305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about just not shopping at Wal-Mart? I stopped shopping there in 2009. When I returned to the US, I stopped shopping at Amazon because it had pretty much become the new Wal-Mart; maybe worse even. This is cool tech and I'd want to try it, but I hate shopping anything Amazon. They had sd cards at their brick and mortar store, but I decided to buy one at Office Depot instead, even though it was $10 more.

Upvoted for sensibility. in many rural areas of the United States, it is literally impossible to shop anywhere but Wal-Mart. Nebraska and Kansas had a rather large economic dive in the early 2000's due to the expansion of the Waltons. Their business plan is essentially: 1) Announce intention to move into area 2) woo politicians for financial kickbacks to subsidize expansion 3) launch with prices _far_ lower than all…

Not that I find it hard to believe, but since we don't have them around, is there any data showing (5)?
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