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Walmart Testing iPhone-Based Self-Checkout System for Retail Stores
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If it seems impractical to scan a cart full of groceries on a 1 x 1ft scanner area with only two bag sections, and it takes longer for you to check yourself out than to have a checker check you out...it probably is. Honestly use some common sense. Those self check-outs are designed for people with a couple of items so help speed things up. Not so that people can slow other people down, taking 20 minutes to do a 5 minute check-out job.
I am "voting with my dollars". I'm voting that I would prefer to spend less money, and save more for future investment in my own personal future and my families future. You want social and economic change? That's at the voting booth, not the cash register.
You see two items on eBay of the same description and quality, one is $50, the other is $75. Which are you going to buy?
You see two items on Amazon, both new, one is priced at $20, the other is priced at $25. Which are you going to buy?
You see two cars, identical by all appearances, one is $20,000 and the other is $25,000. Which are you going to buy?
That's not what I'm stating or how it works. Those are items, not corporations. Those are small pictures, this is big picture.
This is an over-simplification of a much more complex web of corporate spending allowed by the Justice Roberts 5-4 ruling allowing corporations to provide unlimited financial support to any politician or political figure they wish, thereby placing divested corporate interests even further into our government (such as oil companies dictating foreign policy through lobbyists and politicians they support(ed)). By spending your money in Walmart you're agreeing with their "business strategies" that have put hundreds of American corporations out of business, or forced many (such as Rubbermaid) to produce their product in China or they pull it, then opening a Walmart in cities Rubbermaid and other businesses used to employ with larger salaries, benefits, etc. for minimum wage thereby systematically resulting in an overall lower standard of living as people earn less, work more and are educated at lower and lower rates by a lack of federal and state funding and a lack of financial resources to afford that college fund you mentioned.
It's fantastic that Samuel Moore Walton was able to grow Walmart into a successful business. However, just like governments, corporations can run unchecked and thus begin dictating social policy and structure. Walmart is able to supply "cheaper" goods due to their capital; they can buy 1,000,000 pens at $.20/pen in bulk versus a small business who can only afford 1,000 pens at $.50/pen. Now, Walmart claims to save you money. As Ronald Reagan stated, "Trust, but verify". Many have shown that Walmart doesn't actually save enough long term in a person's annual income as they may believe. It's a great marketing tool, but a dangerous one.
If this continues, just as "Ma Bell", Walmart may dictate pricing. By putting competition out of business, Walmart has already established a monopoly of sorts in small towns where other stores are not available (such as another commenter stated in Vermont). In those area's in which only Walmart sells a particular good, they can dictate the price on that good and have been shown to charge more than in another city/area which has local competition (even online this has been demonstrated). Again, online isn't an option for many in these area's. As Walmart grows, more businesses close and soon Walmart, such as Ma Bell, can declare a monopoly. Those "savings" are now gone as Walmart can, and has, increased the prices on goods only they provide. Soon, Walmart, BestBuy, Sam's Club - these "box stores" will dictate what you pay. Interesting how this works.
As you stated, it's all cyclical and intertwined. What seems simple is far from it. Just as government, there needs to be a checks and balances system in place for businesses. Small and large businesses should co-exist, they will keep each other in check. The less competition, the less choice for consumers, the more opportunity for monopolies and businesses to dictate their prices and profit margins (and also, some businesses may get together and dictate pricing, such as what some power companies did and Apple, with cohesions in jacking up kw/hr pricing, it's a 'win/win"). It may seem as simple as spending less at a large corporation, but those pennies you save on a box of pencils goes into a system that has been established in dictating the lower quality of life we "accept" as the "cards we are dealt".
Re-read my comment(s), I truly mean no personal offense at all, honestly, I'm merely trying to help.
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Thank you. Christ, the Apple snobbery rears its head at the mention of Wal-Mart, which sells the iPhone.
As a statistician (who occasionally shops at Wal-Mart), I especially laughed at an earlier comment that 'the majority of Wal-Mart shoppers don't own an iPhone'. This is true. What is also true is that the majority of Americans, humans in general, do not own an iPhone.
But to the point of the article, I would like this feature. And, the run down WM I stop by still has self checkout!
I'm confused. So you're saying that Apple users are snobby? I typically get such behavior and name-calling from non-Apple users caused by a deep sense of jealousy that they can't afford a quality-designed and built product, justifying it as "having more choice". haha
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I choose self-checkout whenever it's available. Prefer the convenience. Kinda wish there was a price incentive, though.
Wow... some one has no clue. 200 dollars is not a very small amount of money for some one with low income. There are people living from paycheck to paycheck who are just trying to be able to afford food on the table.
You really think they have a spare 200 dollars when they can barely afford food? 200 dollars could be at least two or more weeks of groceries (That they can barely afford.. and you think they can afford to spend 2+ weeks of groceries on a luxury item?)
You're really naive when you think that 200 dollars is a very small amount of money for anyone. I wish I was in your situation that I never have had to be aware that 200 dollars was hard to come by. Must be nice.
The Walmarts are great here in Fayetteville/Bentonville.
Gee I wonder why?
You do know that the iPhone 4 and 3GS are still available right? $99 and .99 with a two year contract.
Fine, they can get an old one... and then they still have to pay that data plan. When it comes to trying to scrounge up the money for rent and bills, every bit extra is still a luxury. I think the poster I responded to actually had it right in another comment of his, if you can't afford the 200 dollars you can't really afford the smartphone and you should just get either a dumbphone or just a landline (which ever has a cheaper monthly cost).
Hell, I know of at least one person I worked with who even having a phone was a luxury (she couldn't even afford that and just used the phone at work).
WalMart is not Ma Bell. Ma Bell was given explicit power by the Federal Government to exist. In fact, you can't name a single example of a company in the US that was able to run out its competition and raise prices that wasn't explicitly protected by the government, a la 'Ma Bell'. Before people whined about Walmart they were crying about Sears and Roebuck.
You picked one comment in that post and ran with it, dismissing the rest on a less salient (and irrelevant) point. I never stated Walmart was "Ma Bell", I used a well known example for those who may not know others. Also overseen is the point that corporations are now regarded as "persons/people", which allows them (per the Supreme Court) to supply unlimited corporate funds to any politician or political figure/group, thus blurring corporate/governments sects. If you truly believe that Walmart and oil companies aren't supported or involved with lobbyists and our Federal Government (and by proxy influence policy), you're kidding yourself. I'm surprised the AT&T and t-Mobile merger was declined. Regardless, it's a system that exists, has for a long time, and we're the ones responsible
Yup!
While the rest of the MR comments are about the rich/poor, savvy/snobbish, etc., here is a video related to the subject in question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P_97_nfBjQ
While the rest of the MR comments are about the rich/poor, savvy/snobbish, etc., here is a video related to the subject in question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P_97_nfBjQ
high end android phones are the same price as the iphone bro...
apple's excessive pricing stereotype comes from the mac lines...
Do your fellow citizens a favor and DO NOT use self checkout. If you encounter a line at the staffed checkout, complain at the customer service desk.
This is getting scary. We are building a permanent underclass with no job opportunities.
This is getting scary. We are building a permanent underclass with no job opportunities.
other articles are clearer on this. You still pay at the regular self checkout so your bags are weighed just like if you scanned stuff there. Somehow your list is sent to the terminal etc
I would imagine some things like produce still have to be scanned there to be weighed.
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finish it? He didn't start it. And he knows it.
That he was given a bag is moot. Epecially in the fifth ave store where can be easily 1000 folks in there. Apple assumes positive intent after all.
And we haven't heard the LP staffs version of the story. They likely have other reasons they were keeping an eye on the guy. They may have even told the staff if he asks to give him a bag Without asking because they needed him to think he was in the clear and hit the door so they could nail him. he didn't know that the staff are likely alerted when folks are using the app so they knew he didn't pay. He didn't count on this or them asking for his receipt
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I understand what you're getting at, but Wal-Mart is not my one-stop-shop for *everything*. I save money. If I want to save money on milk and eggs, I go to Food4Less. When I want to save money on diapers, I buy in bulk from Amazon.com. When I want to save money on a "SUPERKEWLNEWPURCHASE!" I usually buy from craigslist, a pawn shop, or some second hand place where I can save money. I save as much money as I can, period. I don't buy everything from Wal-Mart. But I will not boycott it either. I'm not at a point in my life where I have the freedom to do that. Maybe when I've doubled my salary I'll have that privilege, but in the here and now, where I make $24k a year, support a wife that doesn't work and two children... I need to watch my dollars.
I appreciate your opinion, and respect what you're saying. I do understand that the "Wal-Mart business model" has butt-****ed countless businesses in America. And there's nothing I can do about that right now. Your words don't fall on deaf or ignorant ears.
What could possibly go wrong?
I thought by now there'd be an RFID chip on everything, and you'd just roll your cart by the reader, pay, and get your receipt.
Scanning items individually with your phone is almost old school, and a lot of trouble if you have more than a couple of items.
I thought by now there'd be an RFID chip on everything, and you'd just roll your cart by the reader, pay, and get your receipt.
Scanning items individually with your phone is almost old school, and a lot of trouble if you have more than a couple of items.
Sorry, I get carried away at times and let my passion cloud my sense of compassion, and sitting in front of a computer working on dissertations all day can get one riled up. Thanks for the response and here's hoping for a better future, for everyone
Walmart really should just Call IBM and order one of their Self Checkout POS systems. They have them at BJ's wholesale club and they work pretty smoothly. I use to work there and supervise them and they really helped especially during busy times. Scanning barcodes with a phone camera is still much more of a pain compared to a dedicated scanner.