Walmart testing fully-automated store with no cashiers or checkouts

[ZiprHead]

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/walmart-testing-fully-automated-store-with-no-cashiers-or-checkouts/

"Walmart is testing an automated physical store concept, Recode reported Wednesday.

Similar to the Amazon Go store idea, Walmart's concept, dubbed Project Kepler, reportedly uses computer vision to track and automatically bill customers' purchases, eliminating the need for human cashiers."

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

What can possibly go wrong? A shoplifter's paradise!

 

[humbleman]

What can possibly go wrong? A shoplifter's paradise!

I think will be like this old IBM commercial video but without attendants. The security personnel can't be discarded by any means and will be there just in case... you know... we are humans... no robots... Lol...

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eob532iEpqk[/YOUTUBE]

 

[barbos]

What can possibly go wrong? A shoplifter's paradise!

With cameras everywhere shoplifting is becoming increasingly stupid. They could simply ban stupid people from entering.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

They could simply ban stupid people from entering.

At Walmart? They would go bankrupt by noon.

 

[DBT]

Without reading the article, I'd assume that the purchase items are scan-able even if secreted in pockets, underwear or wherever, so all items are registered on the purchase docket and have to be paid for.....or an alarm goes off and/or some sort of action against the would be shoplifter is taken.

 

[TSwizzle]

Without reading the article, I'd assume that the purchase items are scan-able even if secreted in pockets, underwear or wherever, so all items are registered on the purchase docket and have to be paid for.....or an alarm goes off and/or some sort of action against the would be shoplifter is taken.

Probably uses RFID technology. Walmart have been pushing for this for years.

 

[James Brown]

And you can't even walk in without having some account with a credit card that will get charged based on what's scanned on you as you walk out.

Didn't Amazon try this a couple of years ago?

 

[barbos]

Well, you can always have Faraday cage pockets
I was thinking more in terms of cameras with AI watching what these useless sacks of meat doing inside the shop
Either way, by simply recording everything and running face ID later can let you easily determine serial shoplifters.

 

[AdamWho]

They can test all they want but the demographics for Walmart stores mean that they will not allow customers without supervision.

 

[Opoponax]

Sometimes I do this weird thing where I pick up an item to look at it because I'm not sure I want it. If I don't want it, I put it back. I'm sure that's just me though.

Seriously though, what if I'm looking at something, hand it to someone else to look at (wife, kid, friend, etc.), and then they put it back, but they don't have an account/are an unknown to the store?

Bah. Smarter people than me have thought about this, but it does seem rife with potential problems.

 

[DBT]

Seems to be another nail in the coffin for cash. What if you walk into Walmart with a wad of cash but no credit cards?

 

[LordKiran]

Now just imagine when all the other department stores, malls, gas stations, convenient stores, dollar stores, and fast food/drink establishments begin to follow suit. You know Walmart is the No. 1 employer in most southern states.

Get rekt, south.

This takeover will happen soon and fast depending on how long it takes to make the tech reliable. physical stores are pressured by market forces to cut every conceivable cost they can and that includes the bulk of their employment.

 

[DBT]

If or when this happens, who will have the money to spend in these automated stores......

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

At least this means the cashiers aren't being underpaid.

 

[thebeave]

Walmart has been the subject of much scorn and shame by liberals for their employee wage and benefits policies, so I guess Walmart finally got off its ass and decided to do something about it. I guess everyone's happy now?!

 

[lpetrich]

Walmart has been the subject of much scorn and shame by liberals for their employee wage and benefits policies, so I guess Walmart finally got off its ass and decided to do something about it. I guess everyone's happy now?!

Snicker all you want, but if your job gets automated away and you can't find another one, where are you going to turn?

 

[DBT]

Walmart has been the subject of much scorn and shame by liberals for their employee wage and benefits policies, so I guess Walmart finally got off its ass and decided to do something about it. I guess everyone's happy now?!

In the process of automation, proceeding to erode the incomes of its own customer base....the incomes of their former employees and their families.

 

[barbos]

Walmart has been the subject of much scorn and shame by liberals for their employee wage and benefits policies, so I guess Walmart finally got off its ass and decided to do something about it. I guess everyone's happy now?!

In the process of automation, proceeding to erode the incomes of its own customer base....the incomes of their former employees and their families.

Without people being able to buy their stuff Walmart will go bankrupt - problem solved

 

[DBT]

A strange World we live in.....