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Amazon Go

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Re: Amazon Go

#391

Post by anonbanker »

icebraining wrote: post #370
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…

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

Here's a few:

EDIT: Multiple lawsuits for predatory pricing: https://ilsr.org/walmart-charged-predatory-pricing/

http://www.academia.edu/1511858/The_Effect_of_Wal-Mart_on_Sm...

http://business.time.com/2014/02/24/walmarts-big-push-to-go-...

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/study-proves-wa...

here's a few directly related to wage fraud:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/18/walmart_n_4466850.h...

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-low-wage-employers-cost-taxp...

Re: Amazon Go

#392

Post by pshc »

MAGZine wrote: post #311
bluelu wrote: post #81

Maybe they also weight you when enter and leave the store. They can then cross check your weight with the weight of the items you have bought.

and if you use the restroom?

You get a receipt. (hat tip Douglas Adams)

Re: Amazon Go

#393

Post by JackFr »

Shanea93 wrote: post #228
JackFr wrote: post #128

What do you do with your children? What about your non-Amazon co workers who came out with you to get lunch? Do they stand on the sidewalk while you shop? Do you swipe them in? Do they get swiped in as guests (who then shoplift cupcakes?) Don't get me wrong -- this is exciting and impressive -- but needing to swipe in to enter a store is, I think, a very significant change to how we think of stores as public places.

> but needing to swipe in to enter a store is, I think, a very significant change to how we think of stores as public places. CostCo rule #6: Your membership card must be shown on entering the warehouse and at the tills. I don't think it's really that much of a change, this is already par for the course when it comes to bulk-purchase stores. Another one of CostCo's rules: > Parents are responsible for their children.…

That's a good point -- but in general, CostCo or any similar discount club I've been to doesn't really prevent physical access -- there's no turnstile. (Though my experience is limited - I'm not a member - so I typically am with friends or family.)

Re: Amazon Go

#394

Post by kristofferR »

It's really weird that the prices are printed on paper labels. Why aren't they digital?

I guess it's not that big of an issue though, since this is a single store and not a chain. The employees need stuff to do.

Re: Amazon Go

#395

Post by hx87 »

elicash wrote: post #295
jonknee wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But I'd also have been more impressed with the video if they showed stressed-out parents with crying kids and their hands full as they've got their cell phones tucked between their heads and shoulders, rather than young people quietly grabbing a single item and leaving. It's an 1,800 square foot convenience store in a yuppie area stocked with what appears Whole Foods like take and go food, not a Wal Mart Supercente…

That's fair. Although yuppies have kids, too!

It's not the kids that cause trouble--it's the carts with 250 items, the arguments over price, and the paying by check.

Re: Amazon Go

#397

Post by 8draco8 »

Looks cool but one major question:

Who can go in to the store? If only people that have phone + app then technically I can't go in with my wife, allow her to pick and choose her yogurt while I'm looking for a coffee, put our groceries in to one bag and pay for it from my account.

Re: Amazon Go

#398

Post by lmkg »

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…

Unless you make it "your thing." Take for example the Alamo Drafthouse, a chain of movies theaters that are aggressive in removing patrons that disrupt other viewers' experience. In the few times that people have tried to complain, the company has generally come out of it for the better.

I will admit this strategy won't work for everyone. Most corporations are not willing to respond to a complaint by using social media to (accurately) call the complainer an obnoxious asshole.

Re: Amazon Go

#399

Post by deegles »

jerf wrote: post #83
the_duke wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you eat lot's of unhealthy stuff? While we are covering your high blood pressure medication? Well, I guess we'll just increase your rates then...

That's no change. Between customer loyalty cards and the easy ability to tie purchases to credit cards, if they wanted to do that they already could. I'm not sure it buys them anything, though. That's a very noisy signal against the loud-and-clear signal of what the measurements say when you come in to the doctor. Who cares what your shopping habits say when you come in with high blood pressure and morbid obesity, or…

If I knew my loyalty card was being used for insurance, I'd have two: one for healthy stuff linked to my real name, and another for everything else (linked to a fake name).

Re: Amazon Go

#400

Post by IanDrake »

delegate wrote: post #387

Look, I know this might not be a popular view here on HN, but I think this is useless. And bad. I'm not talking about the technology behind it (I think it's an amazing achievement).. I live in Barcelona and I have at least 5 medium-sized supermarkets within 5 minutes walking distance from my home. Plus there are several smaller shops that sell fruits and vegetables. I know all the people who work in these supermarket…

I would love to live in your bubble.

Checkouts in my area are either super slow self checkout machines or done by a super slow unmotivated clerk. I could do without either.

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