Amazon Co. and Retail Automation

As a former POS technician and software developer, I am interested to discuss a bit, non proprietary mind you: So, the info you mention is stuck to the cart. How is checkout transacted? At another cashier in the back? Now at self-checkout stations, maybe just enter one's account pin code then scan all items, then sale total. The amount is debited from one's credit/debit card on file. All self-checkout stations already work this way. Just make more self-checkout stations as even their lines get long. Amazon no checkout process using RFID tagging and more sensory imaging is THE way to go. They should pay me for extolling their POS virtues!

Some shelf space could be devoted to example items but may not be a fit for a convenience theme. I recommend strategically placed user-friendly kiosks that display multi-sided photos of these high-end items, of any searchable Amazon or reseller item. Very little cost and will not interfere with a grab and go theme, yet can serve, the usual online ordering process. I suggest a paradigm shift: That the power and SKU numbers available to shoppers online are easily available at much smaller stores, the so-called go Amazon stores. Why go to the store at all? Possible, and in person selection with produce or quick pick snacks, beer wine, liquor is also possible.

If the customer took a can of soda from the shelf, drank it, then disposed of the can in the store, how was the checkout transaction able to detect or know that the soda had been part of the cart at all. More sensors and detectors involved at the shelf than only at the checkout with RFID. If laser beam A trips before laser B beam across the shelf, an item is removed. If laser B beam is tripped before laser A beam, then an item is replaced on the shelf. Now you know from a design by Mike Restivo, POS developer.

Much of the distribution and inventory is in place, right down to the city, as stores of enough area are converted to distribution hubs for food delivery. As food is perishable; requires refrigeration and freezing, special facilities and faster delivery times are needed than dry goods storage and deliveries. Prime FOOD delivery service will be the NORM going forward. A good look at the shelving: just like replenishment of milk bags, slide down into the display. No humans needed, fully automated back end to the shelf. Pick up and return determined by break of 2 laser beams on the shelf to keep inventory accurate. Self-packaging. checkout is automatic by Far field Communications, item cash out/inventory decrement by RFID tagging, no tapping needed, just exit. No cashiers needed also. Over a million cashiers will be soon unemployed, as all major chains complete the in-progress conversion to maximum, (not fully yet) automated store operation as soon as possible.

Here is how to do it easily, based upon decades of retail experience: 1. Individual items/unit items wrapped and RFID tagged for SKU info (lettuce, cucumbers, asparagus, bananas, strawberries (already in quart size boxes, like peaches, plumbs and nectarines). 2. All citrus pre-plastic bagged, minimum 6-12 per bag, weight and SKU info on RFID tag. 3. Larger bulk products, all pre-plastic bagged, weight and SKU info on RFID tag. This arrangement is most particularly suited to any bulk food store where such minimums would easily be expected and accepted. I invite Amazon Co. to contact me for any help in POS, shopping experience and checkout in their stores, including Whole Foods. No need to waste time leaving money on the table. Contact @Mike Restivo as soon as possible. Billions of dollars' gross revenue is at stake!

Would a service clerk take your hand chosen items, from 1 to many, place them in a paper or plastic or biodegradable bag, seal, then weigh them, then apply RFID label? This is easily doable. The automation is in the checkout and payment stage only, not in the selection of produce, fish, flowers and plants, poultry, meats and similar perishable products stage. Shopping experience for item selection would be the same as one is used to.

In the Amazon POS System, there is no checkout operation performed by the customer. Checkout is done automatically and digitally a few feet prior to the exit as the customer is leaving the store. No bagging, no weighing, no cash handling no waiting, no hassles, except if security alarms go off.

What if a container of one potato is placed among containers of various amounts of bananas? the weight remains the same and the larger problem is no authorized RFI tag production. For now, service clerk for produce and other perishable products I previously mentioned: poultry, fish, meat, plants, answers all customer personal handling preferences, while permitting no cashier checkout/ no self checkout.

The question of recouping investment can be debated, however the acceptance of growing impersonalized, automated shopping experience may be counter productive as customers' trends in consumer purchasing may diminish such that the additional cost of store hardware, software are not justifiable. Certainly the only gain, over speed of checkout, is salary savings due to no cashiers. For example 6-10 cashiers would be replaced by equivalent or more (!) service clerks at perhaps slightly less salary per clerk admittedly, more IT staff both in store and remotely at local and national head offices. Technological ability alone is insufficient motivation for consumer shopping changes. That is cart before the horse planning.

It is consumer wants and needs that determine responses by retain stores. Retail automation bears watching and scrutiny as to its viability with respect to consumer preferences and the jury remains out as it were on the success of this seller directed and enforced attempt at shopper preferences change to satisfy the retail store, NOT he consumer. That attitude speaks to an out of consumer touch and trends, rigid mindset that can doom retail automation in the front of the store as opposed to the back end of storage, deliver and sourcing/preparation of product.

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