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Shopping Carts Go Wi-Fi

Posted by michael on from the cleanup-in-aisle-4 dept.

agentk writes "The Boston Globe reports today that area supermarket Stop & Shop is adding computers with Bluetooth barcode scanners, 802.11 networking and infrared positional sensors to shopping carts in one of its stores. 'The Shopping Buddy automatically displays which aisle you're in, what's on sale there, and what you bought the last time you strolled through.' Most Stop & Shop stores already have automated self-checkout lanes. Is this the future of shopping? What will the impact be on privacy, the cash economy, and the experience of shopping in general?"

6 of 246 comments (clear)

  1. The real "danger" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Is when they start dynamically altering prices second to second based on your past purchases, and those of other consumers recently. I wouldn't be surprised if laws are passed saying stores aren't allowed to customize prices.

  2. stop the unions, please by havaloc · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Did you see what the unions had to say about this technology? I'm sick and tired of the whining that 'It'll take away jobs.' I know I'd go to a store that has such a useful technology. I hate waiting in a checkout line so a union checker can check me out. I want to scan my items as I shop so I can leave quickly. Sure, self-checkout is ok, but this is even better.

  3. We've heard this before by diatonic · · Score: 3, Funny

    Shoppers could steal the Shopping Buddies, but there wouldn't be much point. The custom-built devices can't run ordinary computer software; they're good for shopping and nothing else.

    We've heard that before... given a few weeks I'm sure some pimply 16 year old in the netherlands could have a linux kernel on it, using Mozilla to surf the web wirelessly.

  4. Human Contact by phritz · · Score: 4, Interesting
    It occurred to me, as I was reading this article, that in the Shopping Experience of the Future(TM), we're moving increasingly towards a society where we don't have to interact with any other people. In this new model, you can go to the store and don't need to talk to a cashier or the nice man at the butcher counter.

    Does anyone else agree? Thanks to amazon.com and stop & shop, I can now make all of my purchases without talking to another human being ... That seems significant, somehow, although I'm not exactly sure what it means ...

  5. It was a nice idea, but... by Realistic_Dragon · · Score: 3, Funny

    If I look out my window I can see a pyramid of shopping carts 4x5x3 (assembled in a crazy patton to connect the security chains and get the £1 deposit back) collected by my fellow students from under the nose of supermarket security people.

    Now, imagine if said trolles were a cheap source of WiFi parts as well, ideal for putting in your own projects...

    Just need some tin foil to stop them being locatable, and somewhere good to stash the carts after you have removed the WiFi kit - such as the center of your student halls of residence.

    --
    Beep beep.
  6. Tried in the 80s by demaria · · Score: 4, Informative

    This was tried in the late 80s. A chain on long island (Pathmark) installed a grayscale LCD screen on every cart. It communicated wirelessly as well. You could see a store map, your location on the map, search for an item's location, and see aisle specials of the week.

    Didn't last more than a few months. I'm guessing it didn't benefit frequent shoppers too much. Maybe it'll work better today.