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Two Ex-Googlers Want To Make Bodegas And Mom-And-Pop Corner Stores Obsolete (fastcompany.com)
Elizabeth Segran, writing for FastCompany: While it sometimes feels like we do all of our shopping on the internet, government data shows that actually less than 10% of all retail transactions happen online. In a world where we get our groceries delivered in just two hours through Instacart or Amazon Fresh, the humble corner store -- or bodega, as they are known in New York and Los Angeles -- still performs a valuable function. No matter how organized you are, you're bound to run out of milk or diapers in the middle of the night and need to make a quick visit to your neighborhood retailer. Paul McDonald, who spent 13 years as a product manager at Google, wants to make this corner store a thing of the past. Today, he is launching a new concept called Bodega with his cofounder Ashwath Rajan, another Google veteran. Bodega sets up five-foot-wide pantry boxes filled with non-perishable items you might pick up at a convenience store. An app will allow you to unlock the box and cameras powered with computer vision will register what you've picked up, automatically charging your credit card. The entire process happens without a person actually manning the "store." Bodega's logo is a cat, a nod to the popular bodega cat meme on social media -- although if the duo gets their way, real felines won't have brick-and-mortar shops to saunter around and take naps in much longer. "The vision here is much bigger than the box itself," McDonald says. "Eventually, centralized shopping locations won't be necessary, because there will be 100,000 Bodegas spread out, with one always 100 feet away from you."
They've invented the Vending Machine! Stop the presses! This will change the world!
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
Meh. I couldn't care less if they piss off a pack of SJWs with the name, I'm just disgusted that they could get funding for such trivial shit.
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
Exactly. This is one of those ideas that "looks good on paper" and is certainly designed to attract venture capitalists, but will really fall flat for a number of reasons.
As you mentioned, they won't be able to sell any forms of alcohol or tobacco through these cabinets. They also probably won't be able to sell any types of lottery tickets.
They almost certainly won't have any sort of products that require freezing or refrigeration, as that significantly ups the power requirements and size of the unit.
Forget any fresh produce, or anything with a very limited shelf life. Or freshly made sandwiches.
So, already they're not replacing a lot of things that people go to bodegas for.
Now, and it's possible they've already thought about this, but what's their "return" policy? You see, at an actual bodega (or any store, for that matter), I could be shopping, and put something in my cart, and then decide "Nah, I really don't need this." and put it back on the shelf.
What happens when you do that here? Do you confirm your purchases? What do they have in place for loss prevention (i.e. the five-finger discount)?
What do they have in place for if someone accidentally knocks something off the shelf when reaching in for something else? Are you charged for that?
What do they have in place for requesting products that aren't in the cabinet at all? How easily can that be manipulated to, say, have every cabinet stock up on products that won't sell, because someone decided to troll their request service? (Even assuming that they have something like that set up.)
Mr. Hu is not a ninja.
I'm a big opponent of racism. I am all for equal opportunities and reforming society.
This whole concept of "cultural appropriation" is just ridiculous though. Culture and ideas have always been passed from one culture to another throughout history and that's a good thing.
When one culture does something good that others want to copy, that's a good thing. Sure, something like wearing cornrows in your hair may not necessarily advance society, but there have been times when certain cultural aspects have. Whether it's more practical clothing passed from one culture to another, or Native Americans passing harvesting and agricultural ideas on to colonists, stirrups making their way down from the steppe, the list is endless.
If we strictly enforce the "cultural appropriation is bad" angle, immigrants shouldn't try to fit into their new country because that is appropriating the culture of their hosts. They should keep to their own kind, their own traditions, language, etc, and isolate themselves.
This is all ludicrous! If I like Indian food, I don't see why I shouldn't have a curry. If I like big hair, I would grow an afro. Heck, I may wear a mandarin collar, or walk around wearing tennis shoes with jeans like an American. I like and appreciate many things from many cultures, it shouldn't be frowned upon me showing appreciation for them.
This whole "cultural appropriation is bad" movement is really counter-productive and stupid.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
Misappropriation? What, are they cheating on their taxes?
The SJW term they want is "cultural appropriation", as in, "STOP APPROPRIATING MY CULTURE!". Which is an entirely bullshit concept. Should the Germans raise hell about cultural appropriation every time a non German has a Christmas tree? Should Mexicans not serve/sell Mexican food to non Mexicans? Cultural appropriation is what this country of immigrants is all about. Do you want to ban all "X-Y-fusion" cuisine? Cut off the weebs from their anime? (Or cut off the Japanese from their anime because they "appropriated" US comics % Donald Duck to create it?)
Why do the SJWs love to remind us that we're ALL immigrants, but now seem to hate when anyone shares, adopts, or is influenced by other cultures? Do they want us all living in different enclaves, hating each other? (Yes, they do. Decades ago the official metaphor was a melting pot. Now it's a stew. Because in a melting pot, you lose the "identity" of individual ingredients as they blend.)
The earliest modern claim of "cultural appropriation" I can remember is people saying whites stole music (like jazz) from blacks to make their own (like rock and roll). WTF kind of sense does that make? At least save such criticisms for when it actually makes sense, like the 80s and 90s miasma of white suburbanites pretending to be urban blacks. But hey, I guess a bunch of MTV execs made tons of money off of it, so it gets a pass?
People are right to hate on this "Bodega" startup. Not because it poses a threat to small businesses. Not because it's appropriating culture. But because it'll be a shitty, manufactured, mockery of a small market.