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Amazon Go

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Re: Amazon Go

#561

Post by avar »

Nacraile wrote: post #474
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…

Your situation in Barcelona sounds nice and all, but it is does not describe the typical American's grocery experience at all, and therefore does not really apply to what Amazon is doing in downtown Seattle. The typical grocery store here (i.e. what Go is actually going after) is basically a warehouse, with checkout lanes staffed by apathetic teenagers. The process is already almost entirely devoid of meaningful huma…

The parent is putting Barcelona in an unfairly positive light here. Its supermarkets are fantastic, but Spain has a dismal unemployment rate, which is one reason for why you get such good service at their supermarkets.

It really drives wages down, so they're overstaffed compared to other countries, and instead of it being an entry-level job for teenagers the norm is to have them staffed by 30-60 year olds with lots of experience, but likely few other options when it comes to employment.

So does putting people who work at grocery stores ultimately help things? I'd like to think so, technology advancement is our only hope of getting rid of most menial jobs. Those who rail against it rarely do so with any sensitivity to all the menial jobs we've gotten rid of already, for the good of all.

Re: Amazon Go

#563

Post by mpclark »

jonknee wrote: post #262
saosebastiao wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UPC codes are not uniquely identifiable to the unit, only to the product. You could narrow it down to all of the people who took that item off the shelf, but you'd probably be into surveillance reviews after that. An option is to label all the items with a unique identifier, but that is typically seen as too costly, which is also the reason Amazon hasn't fully fixed the FBA counterfeit problem.

Amazon is boasting it involves "computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning" so there is definitely quite a bit more going on than the UPC code. It also doesn't appear any UPCs are actually being scanned in the first place.

It's certainly buzzword compliant...

Re: Amazon Go

#564

Post by rednerrus »

crazypyro wrote: post #429
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…

Trying to save jobs that are no longer the most efficient way of solving a problem is not the way to promote the value of humanity, in my opinion. People want groceries as cheap and fast as possible. They don't go to the grocery store for social interaction and forcing the majority of people to pay extra for something that only the minority get value out of is not a competitive strategy. If humanity were to take your…

What are you in such a hurry to do? Get home and post on HN?

How much of our lives do we want tech to live for us? Part of what makes life awesome is meeting random people standing in lines.

Re: Amazon Go

#565

Post by spuz »

delegate wrote: post #491
mikeash wrote: post #423

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If that's true, then you have nothing to fear. People will pay extra to shop at stores with human cashiers, and the machine-driven stores will not be able to compete. However, I suspect that when presented with the choice, people will take the machine store in exchange for lower prices. And I suspect that you suspect the same thing, otherwise you wouldn't be concerned.

Yes, I think you're right and that's why I think this is bad. Economically it makes more sense to buy cheaper and faster. But this eats into the fabric of society and offers nothing in exchange. And what are all these people supposed to do then ? Sleep all day ? They will fight back with their votes at first, which they are already doing in the US and Europe.. Then there's the centralisation, control and privacy part…

I think you're incorrectly separating the 'fabric of society' from the economy. The economy describes all things that are valuable to us as a society and that includes interactions with the staff at our local grocery shops. When you say "Economically it makes more sense to buy cheaper and faster" that is obviously not true for you and probably many others who are prepared to pay for the social interactions that local shops provide.

There will still remain room for shops with cashiers in the market just as there is still room for restaurants with waiters, tables and chairs despite the innovation of drive throughs and fast food.

As long as you are part of a large enough group who is willing to pay for traditional style shops then they will continue to exist.

Re: Amazon Go

#566

Post by lsiebert »

I think this potentially ignores the needs of disabled shoppers who rely on supermarket workers.

What if you have mobility issues and need someone to grab items for you? What if you have vision issues and need someone to read an ingredient list?

Re: Amazon Go

#567

Post by ajeet_dhaliwal »

dandr01d wrote: post #321
sevmardi wrote: post #254

Someone cares to explain the technology behind this?

1. Scan your personal barcode with your phone when you walk in. Camera associates your physical self with your code. 2. Cameras track every item you pick up. 3. Cameras note when you leave the store and charge you.

Do you know this for sure or is it a guess? I was wondering if it might be your phone proximity to the items for a period of time but I guess that would be easy to tamper with.

Re: Amazon Go

#568

Post by ash_gti »

delegate wrote: post #491
mikeash wrote: post #423

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If that's true, then you have nothing to fear. People will pay extra to shop at stores with human cashiers, and the machine-driven stores will not be able to compete. However, I suspect that when presented with the choice, people will take the machine store in exchange for lower prices. And I suspect that you suspect the same thing, otherwise you wouldn't be concerned.

Yes, I think you're right and that's why I think this is bad. Economically it makes more sense to buy cheaper and faster. But this eats into the fabric of society and offers nothing in exchange. And what are all these people supposed to do then ? Sleep all day ? They will fight back with their votes at first, which they are already doing in the US and Europe.. Then there's the centralisation, control and privacy part…

    Economically it makes more sense to buy cheaper and faster. But this eats into the fabric of society and offers nothing in exchange.
The same could be said of many previous innovations going back to the industrial revolution. We've always found new jobs for people and generally raised the quality of living.

    Then there's the centralisation, control and privacy part - amazon gets to decide what products your area will be supplied with, it gets to know your eating habits, your walking habits, etc. Will pretty much own you and the neighbourhood.
This is true of many grocery chains though already. They can track that information based off rewards cards and purchase history. I'm pretty sure Amazon won't be the only company to do this technology will either be replicated by other companies or turned into a service for other companies to leverage.

Re: Amazon Go

#569

Post by dazc »

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 currently live in Spain and completely understand your point of view. But, I am from the UK and the difference is of many orders of magnitude.

Supermarkets are not great places to shop or to work. Most employees are working far less hours then they want to on an income that is dependent on welfare top ups in one form or another.

Since there is no chance of UK supermarkets adopting a Spanish philosophy I think these people would be happier, and no worse off, if they were put out of a job tommorow.

For evidence just look at how many people opt to queue in the self service aisle, even when there is no queue at the human alternative.

Re: Amazon Go

#570

Post by SilkRoadie »

djsumdog wrote: post #382
Magnets wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tesco started that back in the late 90s and Sainsburys also did it 5+ years ago, then Tesco seems to have had another go at it recently. edit: Safeway was first, in 1997 The Camden store illustrates the progress Safeway has made in other directions too. As part of its customer friendliness, Safeway was the first of the major food multiples to introduce self-scanning, the system it calls Shop & Go. http://www.manageme…

Huh...I had travelled around the UK/Ireland last year and I don't think I saw any of these. Maybe I was hitting the wrong stores, or people were using them and I didn't recognize them.

It is typically found in very large stores. I only have only seen this in two Tesco stores.
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