Oh, hello, my vision for the future that I've had for a little over three years and just reiterated on the forums here yesterday. How are you doing?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

Oh, hello, my vision for the future that I've had for a little over three years and just reiterated on the forums here yesterday. How are you doing?

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That's some eerie timing between your post and this article. Do you work for Wal-mart?

This sounds like an awful idea from a merchandise-theft perspective.

"Hey! I've got a cart full of stuff--yeah, it's $150 in groceries and food, and I scanned it on my iPhone! Nah, nevermind that $300 iPod buried in bags and stuff.. I'm honest! I scanned it!"

Now this makes more sense than some articles.

You grab some empty bags, scan and fill them as you go. Get to the self checkout where perhaps he iPhone gives a barcode that transfers it all to the checkout system. Show your Id for the liquor, add your coupons. Put your bags on the scales to be verified they weigh an appropriate amount and then pay as usual.

That actually makes sense. You might have to do something's like by weight produce at the checkout but your milk, toothpaste etc is done.

If they are really smart the app will include being able to make a shopping list that will alert you if you forgot something, show you when your favorite items or brands are on sale, etc

Originally Posted by LighteningKid 
That's some eerie timing between your post and this article. Do you work for Wal-mart?

Oh, heavens no. I've given speeches on that idea years back, and I'm certainly not the only one. I'd say I'd like to think I work for a place benefiting the industry (as a slam to Walmart), but apparently they're the ones pushing it along... 

Mixed up world... 

Originally Posted by Shidell 
...nevermind that $300 iPod buried in bags and stuff.. I'm honest! I scanned it!"

Even the discs in the $1 DVD bin have a metal bar in the case that alerts the system when you walk out with one. No one's stealing an iPod, particularly since they're all behind glass, without someone knowing at exit or during the process via camera.

Originally Posted by charlituna 
Walmart has a real image problem between the whole 'We hate unions', 'killer of the mom and pop store' and sites like this
They want to improve their image come off more hip and cool so they sell the iPhone etc. and they are showing the guts to get out this hip, cool new shopping system that everyone else is too chicken shit to try out.

Well, I care about them not just improving their image but also improving their actual everything in the background, as well. That conversation can get real heated real fast, so I'll leave it at that.

And as for the thread topic, I'm ecstatic that a corporation this large is the one to try it out first. Should they do it right, it'll give some serious penetration to the idea.

I've long since said that EasyPay, Paypal and the like are going to disrupt retail.

I think the secret sauce here is that Walmart already requires all their suppliers to RFID their pallets.   Next up: RFID tagging for all items.  All you need is a usable way for the customer to buy the items - ie, Easypay on iDevice.

With some RFID built-in it would make the "EasyPay == EasyTheft" problem into a non-issue or at least reduce theft to a manageable cost that could be reduced later with better process innovations.