New technology coming to stores could stop theft and ease customer access.
Bay Area innovator stops shoplifting, gives shoppers power to open padlocked shelves::New technology coming to stores could stop theft and ease customer access.
“Ashforth showed us how it works: you pay in advance online or at an in-store kiosk.”
Aaannndddd you’ve just re-invented going to someone with a key to go unlock something.
It does look to be a bit better, but considering half of the point they where making was allowing ease of ‘obtainablity’ to customers, you still need to go to someone to ask them for the item.
In the before times you would go to a store and it was essentially a warehouse with a desk. You walk in and the dude behind the counter asked what you wanted and you gave him your list. He’d then rummage around the boxes and get you what you needed, you’d pay, and go. You didn’t pick, you just paid. You could even phone in your order and the store would hold for pickup or deliver cash on delivery with options and take back what you didn’t want.
Moving to a self-pick model involved the risk of theft but most of the studies showed it was cheaper to eat some theft than to employ more pickers or have customers leave because of waiting. And that’s what happened. But theft has continued to rise to where now it’s no longer a viable tradeoff.
Of course the recourse is back to company picking. And we now have reverted back to the old way except prepayment is required and some items can be returned… It’s annoying but I see the need.
Having said that, if I’m in a store to self pick, if what I need is locked away I just leave anything else I collected there and walk out. I’m not dealing with that.
Great, so now they can fire all their on-site staff and force their customers to use some shitty, proprietary app/software that 100% grabs as much of their personal data as possible. All while the only people who save money in the long run is the corporation that puts these in, and the company selling it to them.
I’m sure the corpos that install these will lower their prices once they recoup the losses they have from the stealing right?..right?..
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“Ashforth showed us how it works: you pay in advance online or at an in-store kiosk.” Aaannndddd you’ve just re-invented going to someone with a key to go unlock something. It does look to be a bit better, but considering half of the point they where making was allowing ease of ‘obtainablity’ to customers, you still need to go to someone to ask them for the item.
If I see a store doing this (or any other locking up of basic goods) I am never shopping there ever again. Also: Sledgehammer.
You want to stop shoplifting? Stop charging nearly double for everything.
In the before times you would go to a store and it was essentially a warehouse with a desk. You walk in and the dude behind the counter asked what you wanted and you gave him your list. He’d then rummage around the boxes and get you what you needed, you’d pay, and go. You didn’t pick, you just paid. You could even phone in your order and the store would hold for pickup or deliver cash on delivery with options and take back what you didn’t want.
Moving to a self-pick model involved the risk of theft but most of the studies showed it was cheaper to eat some theft than to employ more pickers or have customers leave because of waiting. And that’s what happened. But theft has continued to rise to where now it’s no longer a viable tradeoff.
Of course the recourse is back to company picking. And we now have reverted back to the old way except prepayment is required and some items can be returned… It’s annoying but I see the need.
Having said that, if I’m in a store to self pick, if what I need is locked away I just leave anything else I collected there and walk out. I’m not dealing with that.
Average retail shrink is less than 2% of sales, and theft is only 65% of that 2% so it’s still a viable trade off. (https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-09-26/retail-theft-2022-112-billion-losses) They’re just realizing they can go back to the warehouse and replace the person at the desk with technology.
I love technology too but I’d hate dealing with all that too
lol
Are we talking St Andrew’s bay? Largo bay?
Simply require people to shop naked. Bam! Problem solved.
Great, so now they can fire all their on-site staff and force their customers to use some shitty, proprietary app/software that 100% grabs as much of their personal data as possible. All while the only people who save money in the long run is the corporation that puts these in, and the company selling it to them.
I’m sure the corpos that install these will lower their prices once they recoup the losses they have from the stealing right?..right?..
The cyberpunk corpo dystopia is upon us already.
The video showed people breaking glass displays to rob a store; how do these vending machines prevent that issue?
The article says that some retailers are interested in customizing the machines with bullet proof glass.
That’s not exactly the vending machines being a solution then, is it?
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Just read the fucking article next time