Amazon Go • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon Go

#41

Post by bbrks » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:30 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #18

Companies have been discussing "checkout-less" stores since forever, but nobody has been brave enough to do it due to the perceived threat of shoplifting. And while shoplifting is a legitimate threat, are non-shoplifters going to be turned into shoplifters without a checkout? Are normal shoplifters stopped by checkouts? These are the core questions, and until it is tested nobody will know for sure. Target is getting…

In the UK, Tesco have been running a 'Scan as you Shop'[0] thing for a couple of years now. Customers pick up a scanner as they enter, scan their items as they go into their cart, and they have special checkouts which read your scanner.

There's a random chance that your scanner will be audited by a human against the contents of your shopping cart. Usually the first time you use it, then it backs off.

[0] http://www.tesco.com/scan-as-you-shop/

Re: Amazon Go

#42

Post by intrasight » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:30 PM UTC

helipad wrote: post #10

Technology aside, shoppers are going to feel so weird doing this at the beginning. There's already social anxiety when people pay for things and walk past a security guard, or a security barrier. Whether it's an airport, or a clothes store, or a ticket barrier, there's always a nervousness about being called out. It's bad enough in the Apple Store where you can pay and walk out, this will take some real getting used…

What they should feel weird about is the battery of security cameras that will watch your every move.

Re: Amazon Go

#43

Post by elicash » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:31 PM UTC

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 exciting.

Edit: I also hope they're already thinking about EBT cards and WIC.

Re: Amazon Go

#44

Post by erelde » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:31 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #18

Companies have been discussing "checkout-less" stores since forever, but nobody has been brave enough to do it due to the perceived threat of shoplifting. And while shoplifting is a legitimate threat, are non-shoplifters going to be turned into shoplifters without a checkout? Are normal shoplifters stopped by checkouts? These are the core questions, and until it is tested nobody will know for sure. Target is getting…

I'll admit, my first thoughts were "How can I exploit this system? How would I place sensors? What kind of sensors? Pressure plates? Cameras? IR trackers?" etc etc.

And I'm no shoplifter, never done that, I just tinker with stuff all the time. It's a kind of occupational psychosis. Same with lockpicks.

Re: Amazon Go

#45

Post by JorgeGT » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:31 PM UTC

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #22

My first thought is: I don't have a supported smartphone. The current checkout process entails the acceptance of common legal tender, but this process will require I have their app, and presumably allow it quite a bit of tracking permission. A cool demo, sure, but I think I'll stick to shopping like the normal folks.

It's interesting that they talk abut a supported smartphone. If it was just computer vision looking at what you grab you would only need a printed card with the QR that the folk in the video uses to check-in.

So, probably there's something needed from the phone as well: NFC, low energy Bluetooth, inertial location tracking? I guess that we will see when we look at the supported devices list.

Re: Amazon Go

#46

Post by intrasight » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:31 PM UTC

TurboHaskal wrote: post #40

vyrotek wrote: post #29

They will most certainly be tracking a lot more than just you picking up your item. The data they collect about shopping behavior will be interesting. Like, how long I hesitated before I picked up something, what I had already in my "cart" at the time, what deals I looked at but passed on, etc.

Insurance companies will love it the most.

explain

Re: Amazon Go

#47

Post by comboy » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:31 PM UTC

vyrotek wrote: post #29

They will most certainly be tracking a lot more than just you picking up your item. The data they collect about shopping behavior will be interesting. Like, how long I hesitated before I picked up something, what I had already in my "cart" at the time, what deals I looked at but passed on, etc.

As far as I know supermarkets are already able to track customers paths using their smarthphones thanks to your WIFI announcement of known networks.

Re: Amazon Go

#48

Post by golergka » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:31 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #18

Companies have been discussing "checkout-less" stores since forever, but nobody has been brave enough to do it due to the perceived threat of shoplifting. And while shoplifting is a legitimate threat, are non-shoplifters going to be turned into shoplifters without a checkout? Are normal shoplifters stopped by checkouts? These are the core questions, and until it is tested nobody will know for sure. Target is getting…

> perceived threat of shoplifting

If that's the problem, couldn't these companies just test it? I mean, even if all the items in the single pilot store were stolen, would it really be such a big cost for Wallmart R&D department to have exact empiric knowledge as opposed to "perceived threat"?

Re: Amazon Go

#49

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:31 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #18

Companies have been discussing "checkout-less" stores since forever, but nobody has been brave enough to do it due to the perceived threat of shoplifting. And while shoplifting is a legitimate threat, are non-shoplifters going to be turned into shoplifters without a checkout? Are normal shoplifters stopped by checkouts? These are the core questions, and until it is tested nobody will know for sure. Target is getting…

[deleted]

Re: Amazon Go

#50

Post by jdmichal » Mon, Dec 05, 2016, 3:32 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #18

Companies have been discussing "checkout-less" stores since forever, but nobody has been brave enough to do it due to the perceived threat of shoplifting. And while shoplifting is a legitimate threat, are non-shoplifters going to be turned into shoplifters without a checkout? Are normal shoplifters stopped by checkouts? These are the core questions, and until it is tested nobody will know for sure. Target is getting…

I actually read this completely differently with regards to shoplifting. How can you shoplift when you have multitudes of cameras watching your every movement and automatically assigning to you any products you take off the shelf? This is the dream anti-shoplifting system; it's automated loss prevention personnel.