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7-Eleven Tests Cashier-Free Shopping In 14 Stores (techspot.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the brick-and-mortar dept.

7-Eleven is testing cashier-less shopping systems, similar to Amazon's "Go" stores that use an array of cameras and machine-learning technology to determine what customers are buying. According to TechSpot, "customers can simply pick up select items, scan the barcode, pay through their phone, and leave; there is no need to wait in line or even speak to another human being." From the report: As previously stated, this is just a test right now. There's no guarantee that 7-Eleven will actually ditch its cashiers anytime soon; particularly not while it continues to serve age-restricted beverages and drugs. For now, this scan-and-go system is purely serving as an augmentation to its current way of handling customers. Furthermore, there's a catch: customers who want to use the new shopping method will need to have 7-Eleven's rewards app.

51 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. Not the same by UsuallyReasonable · · Score: 2

    That's not the same as Amazon at all.

    1. Re: Not the same by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yeah you canâ(TM)t buy beer and cigarettes at Amazon

    2. Re:Not the same by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      That's not the same as Amazon at all.

      Indeed. What is described in TFA is no different from what every grocery store has already been doing for years.

      Amazon is doing something completely different:
      1. You pickup the goods.
      2. You just walk out.

      Of course you need to already be a Prime member.

    3. Re:Not the same by jtara · · Score: 1

      As stated above, it's not at all like Amazon.

      So, they are putting in a self-checkout station.

      Just like Ralph's (and probably every other supermarket chain) has, and CVS had and abandoned.

    4. Re: Not the same by arth1 · · Score: 1

      Yeah you canÃ(TM)t buy beer and cigarettes at Amazon

      Sure you can - beer, at least.
      (For cigarettes, only herbal varieties.)

    5. Re:Not the same by jtara · · Score: 2

      Oh. You "scan" with your phone.

      Sorry, but: no.

      I do not want to screw around taking photos of barcodes with my phone.

      It's enough that now I go to Whole Foods and the isles are overrun with slow-ass "pickers" screwing around taking photos of barcodes with their phones.

  2. It's the human interaction, see? by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

    But if I don't talk with a grody cashier while buying a poorly-mixed and watered down dier Pepsie Super Big Gulp, what kind of life will I have left?

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    1. Re:It's the human interaction, see? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If I can't pay cash for the Slurp-n-Go, instead of having credit-card company scum and Microsoft scum knowing how many I buy a week and selling this data to my hellth insurance company, what kind of privacy will I have left?

    2. Re:It's the human interaction, see? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Move to a country without an exploitative privately run health system. You have a lot of options; basically every other developed country.

    3. Re:It's the human interaction, see? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      I have that option. You have this option. Sadly, not everyone has the option of immigration for various reasons.

    4. Re:It's the human interaction, see? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      But I have been reliably informed that immigration restrictions of any kind are literal naziism and that to be a civilized, decent nation one must fling open the doors and grant citizenship to anyone who manages to make it over the border (and send boats to pick up the ones who can't).

  3. Scan and go? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    Isn't this just a cash-free (aka privacy-free) version of the "self-checkout" machines in many stores today? Welcome to 2008.

    1. Re: Scan and go? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      It requires an appitty-app on a smartphoine, which means it's tied to your phone, and thus your past locations and identity. Cash isn't good enough with this level of automation.

    2. Re: Scan and go? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      The quality of most security footage is terrible to absymal. Also, facial matching is only done AFTER a serious crime is committed, so 99.999% of purchases won't ever end up in a database linked to an ID.

  4. THE local Stop and Rob by Zorro · · Score: 1

    So how would that stop your average criminal that robs the thing every other week?

    They are just going to steal all the booze and cigarettes and smash the glass to get out.

    1. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Well, it doesn't do anything to stop them.
      Those enriched stores shut down early and nobody speaks of them except in hushed tones.

    2. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Well we heard from the resident lawless antifag and nuevo blackish panther.

      Anyone with a brain want to chime in, or should we start the beatings now.

    3. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by desdinova+216 · · Score: 2

      I think you left out nuking it from orbit, it is the only way to be sure

    4. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      last I checked cash stores took credit cards, had reward card, etc. that also identified customers.

      these 7-11 stores also will continue to take cash

      so, what's your beef.

    5. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      still need human to take ID for buying those by law... so no different than now really.

    6. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      Communist? A "Communist" would love a society where everything and everyone is tracked 24/7/365. Cash is more of an anarchist product. Thanks for playing, though.

    7. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      Outsource it to a biometric ID firm. Insert your papers, please, and stick your hand on the glass scanner or look into the iris scanner to buy booze or ciggies.

    8. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      if they do that just wait till the neighborhood punks see a certain Demolition Man scene on youtube.

    9. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

      You misspelled 'bleating'.

    10. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by bn-7bc · · Score: 1

      hmm I dissagre, personally dealing with cash is a hassle, you always end op with loose change, I also volunteer at a small concert venue and unless people have exact amounts (which almost never happens) this slows the transaction down, a card transaction(unless there is a technical problem, a rather infrequent assurance) is quick and a consistent time which helps move the line at the door forward,- Personally , from both sides of the till, cash can't disappear soon enough. And for the ooh I'm being tracked crowd, the only thing that (as far as I know) is beeing sent to the bank is time,date, amount, and cc number, no details about what was purchased, the only place that is stored is in the pos(so unless the cloud provider is hacked within 2 years (I think this is how long they are requiered to keep records) no details of what is purchased will be leaked. An unless there is legitemet case for the authorities to access the details, they will not get them. Well this is in Norway things might be different in the US.

    11. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by bn-7bc · · Score: 1

      hmm this turned into a bit of a rant, that was not my intention at all

    12. Re:THE local Stop and Rob by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      The point is to deny the authorities the information, EVEN IF they have a legitimate case. The idea is to enable crime and immorality, and make the enforcement of the state's idea of morality more difficult. A cash economy makes things like drug and prostitution laws harder to enforce. A cash economy makes things like adultery easier and "safer" from shark lawyers.

  5. What? by skam240 · · Score: 1

    So the one guy running the entire store will be in charge of running the cash register and making sure those walking out the front door paid for their product? Yeah, this sounds like a great idea.

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    1. Re:What? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      Yeah, this sounds like a great idea.

      Wow, you sound really smart. This must be why no grocery stores have self check-out. Thanks for explaining why it can't possibly work.

    2. Re:What? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      Nothing keeps some bum from using a purloined credit card in the entry slot to get in

      ... except for that fact that you can't get in with a credit card.

      You need a smart phone, with Amazon's app, linked to a Prime account, and you need to know the PIN.

    3. Re:What? by skam240 · · Score: 1

      Wow, you sound really smart. Every grocery store self checkout I've been to has had a person whose singular job was to watch the customers self check. In fact, those same stores shut down their self checkout lines during odd store hours because it's not worth their money to have some one standing there watching the customers when they could be checking.

      Multitasking that at an establishment that tends to locate itself to questionable neighborhoods and you have a recipe for amazing.

      But I'm sure a classy person like you who is ready to talk shit at the drop of a dime has already thought that all through and has a solid rebuttal.

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    4. Re:What? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      Or the thief goes in when someone exits.

      The exit is narrow like a turnstile in a subway station. Two people can't pass through it in opposite directions.

      Here is a photo of the entrance/exit.

      If you pass through (in either direction) without scanning your phone, the cameras will see it and sound an alarm, and possibly call the police.

      Of course you can run in, grab stuff, and run out with it, but you can already do that at any store. The staff is unlikely to physically confront you. The main difference at Amazon Go is that everything you do will be recorded, making it easier for you to be apprehended and prosecuted.

      Most criminals have better things to do than stealing a bag of chips from a grocery store. Also most retail "shrinkage" comes from employee theft, not customer theft, so by reducing the number of employees, Amazon Go will likely have less of a theft problem than traditional shops.

    5. Re:What? by skam240 · · Score: 1

      Wow, still pedaling your bullshit, just not responding to my post because you can't

      "The exit is narrow like a turnstile in a subway station. Two people can't pass through it in opposite directions.

      Here is a photo of the entrance/exit [medium.com].

      If you pass through (in either direction) without scanning your phone, the cameras will see it and sound an alarm, and possibly call the police."

      So how would that work with cash registers without some one watching? Honor system?

      "Of course you can run in, grab stuff, and run out with it, but you can already do that at any store. The staff is unlikely to physically confront you. The main difference at Amazon Go is that everything you do will be recorded, making it easier for you to be apprehended and prosecuted."

      So people who shoplift from a 7-11 care about such things? Virtually all grocery stores have security cameras and yet their human powered security still have lively jobs.

      "Most criminals have better things to do than stealing a bag of chips from a grocery store. Also most retail "shrinkage" comes from employee theft, not customer theft, so by reducing the number of employees, Amazon Go will likely have less of a theft problem than traditional shops."

      Please site numbers because I do IT for a small local chain of grocery stores and can say from personal experience that that is simply not true. We catch multiple people weekly stealing in each store thanks to our security cameras and personnel and yet the number of employees fired for such offences are few and far between.

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  6. You don't by rsilvergun · · Score: 3, Interesting

    it's called a "Beer Run". Walk in, grab beer, leave. In most jurisdictions you can't by alcohol after a certain time of day. So folks who want booze just take it. It's too common and too expensive to prosecute. The guys running the till are instructed to just let it happen and then fill out the paperwork. Every now and then one of 'em gets uppity about it and gets the crap kicked out of them, resulting in a workers comp claim (or worse if the Beer runner had a gun).

    Go ahead and steal. If you do it a lot their Id you and prosecute. If you do it occasionally you won't impact their bottom line. Especially when you consider the cost/benefit analysis of not having employees.

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    1. Re:You don't by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 1

      In most jurisdictions you can't by alcohol after a certain time of day.

      Strange, I've been in most US states and always thought the opposite was the case. But I haven't drank alcohol much for a good many years now. So I don't really pay attention that closely anymore. Perhaps it was different a couple decades ago. Other than the states with large Mormon populations, I didn't think this was the case in most states.

    2. Re:You don't by PrimaryConsult · · Score: 1

      Connecticut is like this, 10 or 10:30 pm is the cutoff for alcohol sales. To avoid theft and confusion independent convenience stores have padlocks on the beer fridges.

  7. Anyone Simpson prediction come true. by will_die · · Score: 1

    The Simpsons removes the cashier at Kwik-Mart now 7-11 is doing it in the real world.

  8. Japan by jon3k · · Score: 1

    This would make sense for the Japanese market where people won't steal at anything approaching the rate they would in the US. There are over 20,000 7-Eleven stores in Japan, more than anywhere else in the world. It is a huge market for them.

  9. Sam's Club already does this by Registered+Coward+v2 · · Score: 1

    Called Scan and Go, you scan each barcode, checkout with credit card and it displays a barcode that's scanned at checkout. Only limit is you have to pay for alcohol in person.

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  10. Having worked at 7-Eleven by OrangeTide · · Score: 4, Interesting

    there is no need to wait in line or even speak to another human being.

    Having worked at 7-Eleven for four months, I can attest that most customers don't think we're human beings. Or at least that awareness is not terribly high on their priorities.

    The job has its perks though, I can casually ignore customers after the 10 seconds it takes to complete the transaction. Third shift has its drama, but it also has a long peaceful period after the midnight drunks are gone and some generally nice people in the A.M. Money-wise it sucks, but you can get a lot of O.T. taking the third shift and covering for other shifts once in a while, nobody wants to cover for third shifters but first and second need to be covered all the time.

    --
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    1. Re:Having worked at 7-Eleven by arth1 · · Score: 1

      Having worked at 7-Eleven for four months, I can attest that most customers don't think we're human beings.

      There could be at least two reasons for that.

    2. Re:Having worked at 7-Eleven by OrangeTide · · Score: 1, Funny

      There could be at least two reasons for that.

      Certainly depends on your point of view, for example you could be a piece of shit and substituted "we" for "I". But I won't take your dysfunction personally.

      --
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    3. Re:Having worked at 7-Eleven by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      I... didn't get the job.

      Then they didn't understand the kinds of messes that customers of a convenience store leave behind. I often wondered how people grew up barely house trained, but then I remembered there is little difference between a drunk and a toddler.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  11. Nothing like technology by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 1

    no need to wait in line or even speak to another human being.

    There's nothing like technology for bringing people together. I guess I'm guess getting old, but I thought part of living in a society was to talk with other people. It's bad enough that we can now get all of our news from sources that reinforce our viewpoint and don't introduce us to different opinions. But something like this means the start of not even needing to worry about taking to anyone that we don't' want to. Perhaps this is also part of the reason that autism is on the rise. It certainly won't help if we can start ignoring even more people.

    1. Re:Nothing like technology by nukenerd · · Score: 1

      Why do you need to talk to the cashier? You just need to pay them.

      As for waiting in line, my supermarket has self-scanning checkouts as well as cashier checkouts, and there are queues at both types. The self-scanners have a permanent overseer and a lot of talking to them goes on because the self-scanners don't always work properly. In fact there is not only a queue for the self-scanners, there is also a wait to talk to the overseer. I find the touch screen does not work for me half the time - seems I have the wrong sort of conductivity.

      The cashier checkouts are quicker.

  12. kids will make a mess of the soda fountain with no by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    kids will make a mess of the soda fountain with no staff to stop them.

  13. Great - we need housing for the homeless! by jtara · · Score: 1

    Now the homeless can just move indoors at the 7-11s! Great community support move by 7-11!

    Every 7-11 in my area is a magnet for homeless and petty criminals. Hot spots for drug sales, fencing stolen goods, and the ever-present Shakey's Bike Shop popups. (Locations all over town, on a street corner near you!)

    My local 7-11 is "cooperating" with the police and the clerks are supposed to report loitering and suspicious activities. But it seems that they don't, or it's just an impossible task. It's on the first floor of a condo building, and the HOA keeps fining them, but to no avail. The HOA does not want them, but it is a commercial "condo unit". (Owner rents to the 7-11 franchise.)

    How do you get a 7-11 to move out of your neighborhood?

    P.S. I have nothing against the homeless. It's just their condition, and public efforts to help are thin and ineffective. In particular, it is really shitty how we treat disabled veterans, so many of whom wind up on the streets. The homeless are as often the victims of crime than perpetrators - there is a criminal element that preys on the homeless community, and so unfortunately that means that any business is wise to shoo them away. If a location becomes a known hangout, then the drug dealers and fences and sellers of stolen goods are sure to follow, in order to victimize them.

    1. Re:Great - we need housing for the homeless! by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      In particular, it is really shitty how we treat disabled veterans, so many of whom wind up on the streets.

      As a disabled vet, not homeless, I'd like to thank you for recognizing how badly some of us are treated. However, I do have one question to ask: what are you doing to help homeless vets to get the treatment they need?

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    2. Re:Great - we need housing for the homeless! by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      I'm no expert on such things, but I'd think that finding out why they're homeless would be a good place to start.

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  14. It must be working.... by ZoomieDood · · Score: 1

    Apu is no longer going to be seen at his store.

    Wait.... wasn't that a different chain?

  15. But Japan has it better. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Not only does it appear 711's in Japan started doing this about 1.5 years ago but they don't require you to scan anything. They have a camera and it just calculates everything it identifies in the basket.

    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/18/business/tech/japan-introduce-self-checkout-system-convenience-stores-reads-items/