Cashierless stores are popping up at gas stations, stadiums and even Dunkin':
Pretty soon you might find Amazon Go-like concepts just about everywhere.
Mastercard on Friday said it's joining the effort to create more of these kinds of cashierless stores, unveiling a platform it calls Shop Anywhere. It teamed up with retail tech company Accel Robotics to create a handful of new test concepts that let customers check into a store, grab what they want and walk out.
[...] For instance, the team created a new self-service Dunkin' store that allows people to check in at a kiosk, get doughnuts and coffee, and leave without stopping at a cashier. The store will be staffed with workers to restock items and provide customer service, but there won't be a register.
[...] The payment network pitched these concepts as more flexible than Amazon Go, with Shop Anywhere capable of going into all kinds of locations and being retrofitted into existing stores -- something Amazon Go hasn't yet done. Both Shop Anywhere and Amazon Go are powered by a series of cameras that are kitted with computer vision and AI.
Customers will no longer have to interact with proprietors or employees.
(Score: 4, Touché) by requerdanos on Friday August 28 2020, @11:53PM (7 children)
Although this only happens in a few very specific locations, to wit, those that have this paticular
(which makes sense), they seem to be promoting it as some universal thing...
... which makes much less sense. It's the opposite of everywhere, and doesn't let you "shop" anything like "anywhere." Wonder why this focus?
(Score: 2) by driverless on Saturday August 29 2020, @04:47AM (5 children)
We've had this at McPlastics for some years now, all touchscreen interfaces and contactless payments. It's awful, the only time you interact with a human is when they hand you your soggy cardboard and the box that it comes in.
(Score: 2) by acid andy on Saturday August 29 2020, @12:21PM (4 children)
Then why do you go there?
If a cat has kittens, does a rat have rittens, a bat bittens and a mat mittens?
(Score: 2) by driverless on Saturday August 29 2020, @12:43PM (3 children)
Only once. Friend of mine has young kids...
(Score: 2) by acid andy on Saturday August 29 2020, @12:56PM (2 children)
Ah yeah, I got dragged into those places a handful of times by peers as well in the past. I won't consume anything there again though. I'm a lot more stubborn these days.
If a cat has kittens, does a rat have rittens, a bat bittens and a mat mittens?
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Saturday August 29 2020, @07:01PM (1 child)
It used to be my favorite place as a kid. Now it makes me sick to eat their food; I suspect it's because they have replaced all the real food with fillers.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 30 2020, @12:17AM
I'm not allowed to go there anymore, since they had their "365Black" campaign, where they're only for black people 365 days of the year. I'm not black, so I can't go there any day of the year. Except Leap Day. I have to admit I don't miss it, though.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by captain normal on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:47AM
"Wonder why this is the focus?"
Because it makes it much easier to keep track of how much you spend, what you spend it on and where you spend it.
When life isn't going right, go left.