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Wireless Shopping Carts Run Windows CE
An anonymous reader writes "Fujitsu has introduced a self-service retail scanner that could make long checkout lines a relic of the past. The U-Scan Shopper is a ruggedized XScale-based wireless computer with an integral bar code scanner, running Windows CE 4.2, and mounted on a shopping cart. The company even suggests that customers might upload a shopping list to the store's website before leaving home, and then download the list to the shopping cart upon arriving at the store."
All the grocery stores here in Columbia, SC have had systems like this for at least a year and a half... and being south carolina, surely we're well behind the curve.
When a buffer overflow occurs a trap door on the underside of the cart is triggered and all your groceries spill out onto the floor.
Absolutely no Beowulf Clusters.
Everyone will start to cheer when you put on your sailin' shoes.
So now Cities that have fines for shopping cart being off the premises, can fine a business for Toxic Materials being improperly stored, retained or looked after. On the other hand, the homeless can really look forward to retasking the devices and get internet access.
My cat's picked up a Hammer. HEY! Put down that Hammer. Put Down that Hamm...THUNK!
Yup, if I saw one at my local supermarket, I'd gladly give up a £1 coin (many UK supermarkets make you put a £1 coin into them as a "deposit") to steal one. For £1, it's a bargain for sure!
Right. Let them know you're coming. They're sure to have a 'special' just for you, their 'select' customer.
You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
When are they actually going to come up with something that will save you money at the grocery store.
It's not about saving you money, it's about saving them money.
I work part-time at a grocery store (and 9 credits short of a masters', too), and I know how unreliable cashiers are. They call out sick. A lot. Or they simply don't show up. And then there's the whole thing about having to provide benefits--these are all expenses, and the food industry (outside of 5 star restaurants) is notoriously low margin. They have to save money where they can.
To further compound the situation, the grocery industry is facing increased competition from WalMart, everyone's "favorite" discount store. I'm in an area that's, for now at least, immune to behometh, but other areas aren't.
Perhaps you remember the prolonged grocery store workers' strike that occurred last year in California? It was because they simply can't afford to have that many workers on the books. The UPC revolutionized the industry and enormously increased the efficiency of the average cashier. Here's a technology that'll produce even more savings (for the store, of course). Even if a few less-than desirable people use it as an opportunity to walk out of the store with unpaid food, they'll still probably make out in the end.
Oh, and the reason for the open coolers? The stores have to be air-conditioned anyway (heat does evil things to food), so it doesn't make much sense to put doors on any of the cases except the frozen products, especially when lazy people object to having to put forth the effort required to continuously open doors.
An effective signature identifies a particular user amongst a base of thousands.
The other problem with the system is bagging. When do things get bagged?
You do realize both the article AND THE PARENT POST said Self-scanning in aisle -- costumers can scan and bag items while shopping, right? I mean, missing the article I can understand, but the post you just read?
Okay , im speaking here from the point of view of all UK shoppers, especially the experience of Tescos.
.....
:] do you have a store card ? no would you like on e ? but you get x% off or points ? are you sure ... okay okay ill take that throbbing vein as a no ...
......
.. how about card ? okay good ?
...
... no questions, no blaring adverts no constant changing of locations and product layout and no annoying after purchase snail mail spam ......
You go into the store, and are carefully guided and directed up and down and around the aisles your ears assaulted by many multimedia adverts selectively displaying the choice supplemented goodies in the aisle of your choice. Your constantly distracted from the choices your trying to make or the effort of finding the item on your list.
When complete your cart is pushed towards one of 30 ( maybe more ) tills. now you have to locate and define the correct till for your shopping choices. Basket only ? express lane ? wide till ? 5 items or less ? cash only the choices go on
Now finnally you unpack, repack , and wait to pay.... here, and here I say is where my blood really boils , is where you cannot possibly leave until youve answered the instore 20 questions before payment is taken..
[till clerk
Would you like school vouchers, petrol vouchers, sports voucers, money off vouchers ? sir sir sir , no sir put down the bread stick
How will you be paying ? cash ? oh dear thats a little difficult ive not been trained how to count !
would you like cash back ? do you have vouchers ? did i mention the store card ?
okay do you know your pin, good ? could you enter the card pin note this fixed openly visible pin taking device enables the whole world to see you pin number ( please ignore the cctv trained to the overhead view of this till , yes it can see you pin also ! ). okay sir thanks for your pin... have a nice day ?
[end]
You know what I really want from a shopping experience ?
I go in , i put the items in the cart, i unpack, pack and pay and just leave
Could those stores possibly save on the bottom line if instead of finding new ways to get between the customers and the purchase they just let you buy and go ?
okay rant over, nothing to see here , move along now !
And thats why Firecrackers and kittens don't mix.