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Do these actually reduce labor costs though? I frequently use the Amazon Go store in Seattle right next to the Spheres, and there seem to be as many if not more

Do these actually reduce labor costs though? I frequently use the Amazon Go store in Seattle right next to the Spheres, and there seem to be as many if not more employees there than at an ordinary convenience store: there's always one person by the liquor area to check IDs, one or two people walking around the store restocking the shelves and helping the clueless tourists download the app, and several people in the kitchen making sandwiches and whatnot. I don't see any labor savings over a regular 7-11.

anoonmoose 7y ago
If there are no savings to be had from using this, people won't use it.
shadowgovt 7y ago
This sounds like the kind of thing that works better at scale. Against a regular 7-11, probably not. But what stops the model in question from being applied to a warehouse-style store with still only four employees needed?
- rhino369 7y ago
  Even for costco, most employees aren't cashiers--which is only job really affected by this tech.
  - derefr 7y ago
    Don’t forget “loss prevention officers” (i.e. security.) In the bad parts of my city, and especially at night, convenience store staffing is 50% security (= one clerk at the counter; one guard at the door.) And that staffing, unlike the clerks, can’t be done on minimum wage.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
bookofjoe 7y ago
At my neighborhood 7-11, there are often 5-10 people waiting in line with one clerk at checkout. One person buying lottery tickets brings things to a complete halt.
- dazc 7y ago
  There is always someone buying multiple lottery tickets/scratch cards in UK local stores and, yes, it does bring everything to a standstill. Other regular delays seem to come from staff being perplexed by the complexity of the checkout system. Also, mostly middle aged women being taken by complete surprise they are being asked to pay for stuff which leads to much fumbling around looking for purses and wallets and then they'll insist on counting out the exact change. Then the constant 'Do you need a bag?', 'Do you want a receipt?' 'Do you have a stupid loyalty card?' routine. Bring on automation please and make the world a much more happier place!
londons_explore 7y ago
Id checking can probably be done through the app. Most online bank accounts simply require a 30 second video call with a person showing their face and their passport and the account becomes 'verified'. You only ever have to do that once, so very cheap. Restocking is already a cost stores have to do. Restocking is also something which isn't too time sensitive - you can do more restocking at night if needed. It's also possible to design the shop to require less restocking, by for example having deeper shelving units where products slide towards the front. Helping people use the app won't be needed as soon as it becomes universal. The only remaining cost becomes store security, but if everyone has an attached account which has been verified by a passport, even security might no longer be needed. Just bill people for the items they take, ban them if they don't pay the bill, and call the police and ban anyone who is violent.

anoonmoose 7y ago

If there are no savings to be had from using this, people won't use it.

shadowgovt 7y ago

This sounds like the kind of thing that works better at scale. Against a regular 7-11, probably not. But what stops the model in question from being applied to a warehouse-style store with still only four employees needed?

rhino369 7y ago
Even for costco, most employees aren't cashiers--which is only job really affected by this tech.
- derefr 7y ago
  Don’t forget “loss prevention officers” (i.e. security.) In the bad parts of my city, and especially at night, convenience store staffing is 50% security (= one clerk at the counter; one guard at the door.) And that staffing, unlike the clerks, can’t be done on minimum wage.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]

bookofjoe 7y ago

At my neighborhood 7-11, there are often 5-10 people waiting in line with one clerk at checkout. One person buying lottery tickets brings things to a complete halt.

dazc 7y ago
There is always someone buying multiple lottery tickets/scratch cards in UK local stores and, yes, it does bring everything to a standstill. Other regular delays seem to come from staff being perplexed by the complexity of the checkout system. Also, mostly middle aged women being taken by complete surprise they are being asked to pay for stuff which leads to much fumbling around looking for purses and wallets and then they'll insist on counting out the exact change. Then the constant 'Do you need a bag?', 'Do you want a receipt?' 'Do you have a stupid loyalty card?' routine. Bring on automation please and make the world a much more happier place!

londons_explore 7y ago

Id checking can probably be done through the app. Most online bank accounts simply require a 30 second video call with a person showing their face and their passport and the account becomes 'verified'. You only ever have to do that once, so very cheap. Restocking is already a cost stores have to do. Restocking is also something which isn't too time sensitive - you can do more restocking at night if needed. It's also possible to design the shop to require less restocking, by for example having deeper shelving units where products slide towards the front. Helping people use the app won't be needed as soon as it becomes universal. The only remaining cost becomes store security, but if everyone has an attached account which has been verified by a passport, even security might no longer be needed. Just bill people for the items they take, ban them if they don't pay the bill, and call the police and ban anyone who is violent.