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I saw this company (Cooler Screens) pop up on a job board and I really really did not get it. What problem is being solved by replacing a clear panel with a tv

by samtho 5y ago

I saw this company (Cooler Screens) pop up on a job board and I really really did not get it. What problem is being solved by replacing a clear panel with a tv screen only to have to track inventory using shoddy computer vision? Are they trying to save energy by preventing excess opens/closes? Customers already do not trust the “In Stock” status on stores’ websites, if they see an item out of stock on the screen, they will open it to see for themselves and there will be instances where the customer was right to look, further reinforcing this behavior. This entire product seems like a thinly veiled effort to push more unwanted and intrusive ads. The technologist in me wants to believe there is more to this so I would be happy to be proven wrong, if anyone else has some insight.

sofixa 5y ago
> What problem is being solved by replacing a clear panel with a tv screen only to have to track inventory using shoddy computer vision? Ads. They can make you look at an add at eye level on something you need to look at ( because you want to know if there's pizza or whatever there). It's a potentially pretty valuable ad for "super discount on X" or even regular crap.
- userbinator 5y ago
  because you want to know if there's pizza or whatever there I'll just open the door.
  - CamperBob2 5y ago
    Not before drinking a verification can, you won't.
blihp 5y ago
You're not seeing the bigger picture... Once most of the retailers have installed the product obscuring screens, another startup can produce an Augmented Reality 'x-ray' app that lets you see what's behind the screen by using your smartphone/smart glasses/whatever. They'll make money by selling ads, of course. Another ad-tech company will help a competing retailer place an ad in the AR app telling you about their store down the street that has installed these miraculous glass doors that let you just see their products. The store you're in will pay an analytics company big bucks to determine (in part, from a data feed from the AR app) their customer abandonment rate due to the screens. This data, combined with their competitor down the street taking customers, will allow a consultant to make bank recommending the original retailer install transparent doors. Ah, the virtuous cycle of tech.
barnbuilder 5y ago
The "problem" being solved is that the manufacturers of the products sold at Walgreens (presumably) profit from their sale, which means there is room for Walgreens (and an accomplice) to shake them down for a fee and still leave everyone willing to continue the relationship. This is already done through methods like selling prime shelf space (e.g. eye level) but this only works to a certain extent. Cooler Screens and Walgreens are pioneering a new system where video screens and advertisements are used to further manipulate shoppers towards certain products. Manufacturers who play the game are able to maintain their existing level of sales or even slightly grow them, minus the additional rent they are paying Walgreens and Cooler Screens, at the expense of manufacturers who don't play the game. This could backfire if the video screens both increase store costs (for the reasons you described) and reduce store revenues from upset customers who no longer wish to shop in such a hostile environment. On the other hand, Walgreens is apparently betting that they have capacity to harass their customers without losing too many of them.

by samtho 5y ago

sofixa 5y ago

> What problem is being solved by replacing a clear panel with a tv screen only to have to track inventory using shoddy computer vision? Ads. They can make you look at an add at eye level on something you need to look at ( because you want to know if there's pizza or whatever there). It's a potentially pretty valuable ad for "super discount on X" or even regular crap.

userbinator 5y ago
because you want to know if there's pizza or whatever there I'll just open the door.
- CamperBob2 5y ago
  Not before drinking a verification can, you won't.

blihp 5y ago

You're not seeing the bigger picture... Once most of the retailers have installed the product obscuring screens, another startup can produce an Augmented Reality 'x-ray' app that lets you see what's behind the screen by using your smartphone/smart glasses/whatever. They'll make money by selling ads, of course. Another ad-tech company will help a competing retailer place an ad in the AR app telling you about their store down the street that has installed these miraculous glass doors that let you just see their products. The store you're in will pay an analytics company big bucks to determine (in part, from a data feed from the AR app) their customer abandonment rate due to the screens. This data, combined with their competitor down the street taking customers, will allow a consultant to make bank recommending the original retailer install transparent doors. Ah, the virtuous cycle of tech.

barnbuilder 5y ago

The "problem" being solved is that the manufacturers of the products sold at Walgreens (presumably) profit from their sale, which means there is room for Walgreens (and an accomplice) to shake them down for a fee and still leave everyone willing to continue the relationship. This is already done through methods like selling prime shelf space (e.g. eye level) but this only works to a certain extent. Cooler Screens and Walgreens are pioneering a new system where video screens and advertisements are used to further manipulate shoppers towards certain products. Manufacturers who play the game are able to maintain their existing level of sales or even slightly grow them, minus the additional rent they are paying Walgreens and Cooler Screens, at the expense of manufacturers who don't play the game. This could backfire if the video screens both increase store costs (for the reasons you described) and reduce store revenues from upset customers who no longer wish to shop in such a hostile environment. On the other hand, Walgreens is apparently betting that they have capacity to harass their customers without losing too many of them.