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Amazon Go

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Re: Amazon Go

#881

Post by chei0iaV »

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.

Welcome to the Skinner Box.

If you take a slice of cake, hold it for 12 second, frown, put it back, spin clockwise three times and buy a lowfat plain yogurt, you will get a discount for sugar-free pastry on your next visit... if you did it just right.

Re: Amazon Go

#882

Post by swah »

smellycat wrote: post #699
crazypyro wrote: post #429

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

This doesn't take into account the value of forced social interaction. Seeing a human at the grocery, exercising patience if the line is a little longer than I would perhaps like, being forced to engage in conversation with my neighbor...There is a value to these social behaviors and value to how they shape psychological development. I worry about the world where everything is catered to Me and I, and I can go about…

You're both right, of course. Also, there are apps for that...

Re: Amazon Go

#883

Post by iainmerrick »

rtkwe wrote: post #738
intrasight wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Why? You're already recorded pretty heavily in every chain store you go into for loss prevention.

Right, but it's not typically tied directly to your online account (as far as I know!)

Retailers are definitely pushing in that direction with things like Bluetooth LE beacons that talk to your phone. Plus store loyalty cards and the like, which have been around for decades. But those schemes have mostly been opt-out, apart from those weird stores that require membership cards.

Re: Amazon Go

#884

Post by shaydoc »

Seriously, this will basically make lots of low skill workers redundant. Yes it fabulous innovation, but surely automation along these lines is dangerous for the fabric of society. When I say this, I mean, whats the plan for dealing with all the lay offs caused by tech automation ?

Re: Amazon Go

#886

Post by tekklloneer »

pshc wrote: post #680
tekklloneer wrote: post #529

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's why coffee shops haven't been made obsolete by vending machines I really don't think that's why. Vending machines can't compete with humans still for freshly produced goods. There have been a few shots across the bow, but producing food that requires adjustment is still beyond the range of our sensors. I can't imagine a robot "dialing in" an espresso machine based on taste like a barista would, at least for an…

But I go to coffee shops for the productive atmosphere. I think baristas (and bartenders and sommeliers) will always have a place even in a post-work world.

How does a barista offer that, versus simply visiting an interface (app, browser), clicking a button, and having it delivered to your table by a robot within five minutes?

I don't think the "productive atmosphere" concept is fully realized yet. Imagine how happy starbucks would be if they could reclaim all of that bar area for more seating (and more customers ordering more drinks!) or less area and less rent.

Re: Amazon Go

#887

Post by findjashua »

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…

"These people like their jobs"

I doubt that sentiment would be shared by most cashiers at Walmart and other retail chains.

Re: Amazon Go

#888

Post by mmanfrin »

preordained wrote: post #850
mmanfrin wrote: post #608

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are 3.5 million truckers in America. I welcome self-driving trucks, however.

You welcome them how soon? If all those workers were displaced tomorrow, is that good?

Because automation is an instantaneous occurrence that we have to talk about if an industry vanishes overnight?

Re: Amazon Go

#889

Post by euyyn »

Clamhead wrote: post #775
pavanred wrote: post #717

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does automation really remove jobs or just displace them? Honest question. I mean, in this instance, I see perhaps jobs of 10 cashiers in a store replaced with 1-2 monitoring the store and rest done by automation. But, then this gives rise to a whole set of new jobs and industries too, the engineers that design these systems, the ones that build these machines, industries supplying manufacturing of hardware for these…

It's definitely not going to be one to one job replacement, not even close. Software can be write once, run everywhere. You could replace thousands of cashiers with software written by a team of 10 software engineers. Maintenance of hardware/software could be taken care of by a few people running to multiple stores throughout the day. Example would be Starbucks in San Francisco. There is a Starbucks nearly every bloc…

That big decrease in cost allows the company to capture more market with a lower price, increasing profit. The profit goes to repay the investors that up-fronted the money to develop this. But the savings in everybody else's pockets eventually boost the economy, creating jobs.

Re: Amazon Go

#890

Post by pwinnski »

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.…

One person in a group must have a CostCo card. The turnstile in the video suggests that all people in a group must have the Amazon Go app running.

I'm not installing Amazon Go on devices for each my children, so does Amazon Go let them in, or not?

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