Amazon Fresh opens 1st till-less store in UK.
Discussion
DaveH23 said:
I'm not sure I understand how this works. The article suggests you scan in then out and that's it.
How do you scan the items you want so it knows what to charge you?
You don't scan anything. You just pick it up and walk out. A combination of sensors, cameras, and proximity detectors on your phone sense that you've picked something up, and it charges it. It's even clever enough to take it off the checkout total if you put it back on the shelf.How do you scan the items you want so it knows what to charge you?
SpeckledJim said:
Gecko1978 said:
SpeckledJim said:
Technology has been steadily making job roles obsolete for hundreds and hundreds of years, but we still all have a job if we want one.
One man with a tractor can do the work of a dozen men without tractors, but the lanes aren't littered with bored unemployed ploughmen. As a job disappears, another arrives.
Oh I agree but what we are seeing now is a jump in technology. So where as before you made the car by hand now you operate the robot arm on the production line, feed the machine with parts drive the end product away.One man with a tractor can do the work of a dozen men without tractors, but the lanes aren't littered with bored unemployed ploughmen. As a job disappears, another arrives.
We are getting closer to low skilled jobs not being needed. So McDonalds self order sceens and the app. Staff still make the burgers but for how long. Amazon still has a man (women etc) deliver the goods in a van....for how long. Trains have drivers which we know they don't need, taxis arent automated yet but will be same with buses. Shops will need less staff. So where as before factory closed and you miced to another low skilled job in retial etc.low skilled jobs are at risk as a whole.
The automatic telephone exchange was a jump in technology. Some people lost their jobs (and went and got other ones) telephone calls got cheaper and more reliable, and life overall got a little bit better.
The McDonalds touch screens are a jump in technology. Some people lost their jobs (and went and got other ones), and a burger is STILL, after all this time and inflation, only 99p.
We should be mainly unemployed by now, such has technology robbed us of employment. But we're not, because people make jobs. There aren't a fixed number of jobs, being ever eroded by machines.
We're going through the 4th industrial revolution at the moment. There's no doubt that this one will end up with us in a better place than before it, just the same as every previous industrial revolution.
The future is always bright, one way or another. We, as humans, have a tendency to only remember the good bits of the old days, romanticising the past and forgetting that in years gone by we died of diseases we've now eradicated and people commonly had to start work at 14yo or younger just to be able to eat, etc.
In reality, each decade is better than the last.
For anyone particularly concerned about where we're heading, Matt Ridley's book 'The Rational Optimist' is a very good read.
You can buy it on Amazon.
Let's see if this takes off.
Amazon are very keen on using technology to solve problems that may or may not exist. I can't imagine they actually want a load of food shops - but probably want to license the technology.
In terms of staffing - I can't really see it being a gamechanger. How many staff jobs do you really think this will take? In a small store like that, you might have one or two staff doing checkouts - but if you look at smaller supermarkets you will see that the staff are not always doing that role. They jump on when needed. Doing other stuff the rest of the time. The other stuff still needs to be done - so very little difference in terms of employment.
They are still going to need someone to check ID for even an energy drink. They are going to need to employ someone to maintain the system. What will they do if the system crashes - lock everyone in? How long do they think they can hold people for? I'm sure they have a system in place to manually take over if needed. Meaning you need some staff to do this anyway.
In theory, it's a good thing - not because it saves money (as I really doubt it will in a significant way) - but because it's convenient for the consumer. Pop in and out with no hassle. I'd shop there if it really did save me time and worked.
Amazon are very keen on using technology to solve problems that may or may not exist. I can't imagine they actually want a load of food shops - but probably want to license the technology.
In terms of staffing - I can't really see it being a gamechanger. How many staff jobs do you really think this will take? In a small store like that, you might have one or two staff doing checkouts - but if you look at smaller supermarkets you will see that the staff are not always doing that role. They jump on when needed. Doing other stuff the rest of the time. The other stuff still needs to be done - so very little difference in terms of employment.
They are still going to need someone to check ID for even an energy drink. They are going to need to employ someone to maintain the system. What will they do if the system crashes - lock everyone in? How long do they think they can hold people for? I'm sure they have a system in place to manually take over if needed. Meaning you need some staff to do this anyway.
In theory, it's a good thing - not because it saves money (as I really doubt it will in a significant way) - but because it's convenient for the consumer. Pop in and out with no hassle. I'd shop there if it really did save me time and worked.
milkround said:
Let's see if this takes off.
Amazon are very keen on using technology to solve problems that may or may not exist. I can't imagine they actually want a load of food shops - but probably want to license the technology.
Amazon have been trying to make inroads into online grocery for a while and not done well. Perhaps they are using the shops to develop a relationship.Amazon are very keen on using technology to solve problems that may or may not exist. I can't imagine they actually want a load of food shops - but probably want to license the technology.
With such large players in the market, margins are low so not sure Amazon can compete on price. So would have to have a usp like no tills.
milkround said:
Let's see if this takes off.
Amazon are very keen on using technology to solve problems that may or may not exist. I can't imagine they actually want a load of food shops - but probably want to license the technology.
In terms of staffing - I can't really see it being a gamechanger. How many staff jobs do you really think this will take? In a small store like that, you might have one or two staff doing checkouts - but if you look at smaller supermarkets you will see that the staff are not always doing that role. They jump on when needed. Doing other stuff the rest of the time. The other stuff still needs to be done - so very little difference in terms of employment.
They are still going to need someone to check ID for even an energy drink. They are going to need to employ someone to maintain the system. What will they do if the system crashes - lock everyone in? How long do they think they can hold people for? I'm sure they have a system in place to manually take over if needed. Meaning you need some staff to do this anyway.
In theory, it's a good thing - not because it saves money (as I really doubt it will in a significant way) - but because it's convenient for the consumer. Pop in and out with no hassle. I'd shop there if it really did save me time and worked.
I wouldn't like leaving the shop without a receipt.Amazon are very keen on using technology to solve problems that may or may not exist. I can't imagine they actually want a load of food shops - but probably want to license the technology.
In terms of staffing - I can't really see it being a gamechanger. How many staff jobs do you really think this will take? In a small store like that, you might have one or two staff doing checkouts - but if you look at smaller supermarkets you will see that the staff are not always doing that role. They jump on when needed. Doing other stuff the rest of the time. The other stuff still needs to be done - so very little difference in terms of employment.
They are still going to need someone to check ID for even an energy drink. They are going to need to employ someone to maintain the system. What will they do if the system crashes - lock everyone in? How long do they think they can hold people for? I'm sure they have a system in place to manually take over if needed. Meaning you need some staff to do this anyway.
In theory, it's a good thing - not because it saves money (as I really doubt it will in a significant way) - but because it's convenient for the consumer. Pop in and out with no hassle. I'd shop there if it really did save me time and worked.
DaveH23 said:
I'm not sure I understand how this works. The article suggests you scan in then out and that's it.
How do you scan the items you want so it knows what to charge you?
Dave, I shouldn't worry.How do you scan the items you want so it knows what to charge you?
In the North East this technology will arrive in about 3 centuries time. I don't think you will still be here.
milkround said:
Let's see if this takes off.
Amazon are very keen on using technology to solve problems that may or may not exist. I can't imagine they actually want a load of food shops - but probably want to license the technology.
In terms of staffing - I can't really see it being a gamechanger. How many staff jobs do you really think this will take? In a small store like that, you might have one or two staff doing checkouts - but if you look at smaller supermarkets you will see that the staff are not always doing that role. They jump on when needed. Doing other stuff the rest of the time. The other stuff still needs to be done - so very little difference in terms of employment.
They are still going to need someone to check ID for even an energy drink. They are going to need to employ someone to maintain the system. What will they do if the system crashes - lock everyone in? How long do they think they can hold people for? I'm sure they have a system in place to manually take over if needed. Meaning you need some staff to do this anyway.
In theory, it's a good thing - not because it saves money (as I really doubt it will in a significant way) - but because it's convenient for the consumer. Pop in and out with no hassle. I'd shop there if it really did save me time and worked.
I will save you having to produce a receipt - eh milky?Amazon are very keen on using technology to solve problems that may or may not exist. I can't imagine they actually want a load of food shops - but probably want to license the technology.
In terms of staffing - I can't really see it being a gamechanger. How many staff jobs do you really think this will take? In a small store like that, you might have one or two staff doing checkouts - but if you look at smaller supermarkets you will see that the staff are not always doing that role. They jump on when needed. Doing other stuff the rest of the time. The other stuff still needs to be done - so very little difference in terms of employment.
They are still going to need someone to check ID for even an energy drink. They are going to need to employ someone to maintain the system. What will they do if the system crashes - lock everyone in? How long do they think they can hold people for? I'm sure they have a system in place to manually take over if needed. Meaning you need some staff to do this anyway.
In theory, it's a good thing - not because it saves money (as I really doubt it will in a significant way) - but because it's convenient for the consumer. Pop in and out with no hassle. I'd shop there if it really did save me time and worked.
What a miserable society where we only deal with machines.
Social media, automated shopkeepers all compounded by Covid driving us all into our houses, WFH, people quite happy for millions of jobs to disappear just so they don't have to speak to a real human.
No wonder mental health issues have skyrocketed.
Social media, automated shopkeepers all compounded by Covid driving us all into our houses, WFH, people quite happy for millions of jobs to disappear just so they don't have to speak to a real human.
No wonder mental health issues have skyrocketed.
citizensm1th said:
CeramicMX5ND2 said:
Part of my week is actually having a chat with someone on the till whilst loading my shopping..
Think I'm getting left behind in an automated world !
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56266494
It is shoppers that stand and chat at the tills in my local coop that make shoppers like me hope that lots of shops start doing thisThink I'm getting left behind in an automated world !
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56266494
If you're busy and want to grab something and get on with your day (and no self service tills like my local co op) then you don't want to be waiting behind someone gassing away with the checkout operator.
Tankrizzo said:
I did a little bit of further reading, looks like the system knows who you are by cameras, and assumes that if you take an item off the shelf and don't return it, that you've bought it..
I wonder if it would know if you take an item, walk around the store, grab more items, decide you don't need the first item and go to put it back. Will it be able to tell? wazztie16 said:
I wonder if it would know if you take an item, walk around the store, grab more items, decide you don't need the first item and go to put it back. Will it be able to tell?
It has cameras watching everything going on and off the shelves. It knows it's you because it tracks you constantly around the store once you identify at the door.
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