Here come 'smart stores' with robots, interactive shelves

Actually not really happy with where this is going, yes it might be convenient but as I see now, when I rent a video at Tsutaya, they have these DIY counters where one has to scan their own stuff, etc. It actually takes more time because some people dont know how to use them and I miss the interaction with the staff. I always liked to make a quick chat and be on my way. I also think online shopping will grow even bigger, more people are getting lazier to get out of the house and delivery is also getting faster.

all these automations just put people out of work and add to frustrations for the consumer.

The self-checkout machines for a book store at London's Heathrow airport seems to always have 2 or 3 staff helping customers checkout and pay, as their interfaces are so badly designed. Waiting staff (!) direct you to them, then end up having to come over and help you. Like others, I like to have a brief chat with the staff.

Here's my prediction for what the 'smart shelf' pricing labels will soon be used for, changing prices based on the time you're shopping. If you're doing your shopping on the way home from work or a similarly busy time, you're almost certainly going to be less price sensitive and more time sensitive, and so willing to pay more rather than make another stop to save a little. On the other hand, if you're shopping at an off peak time, odds are good that you will be willing and able to go to the competition over the smallest of price differences. And given how big a difference to the bottom line of the retailer only competing on prices when it'll make a difference in the volume of sales will represent, that's what will change quickly and widely.

Talk about sucking the life out of the shopping experience...

Just don't talk. At all.

With no more mom and pop stores there's even less reason to be a patron. You're not directly supporting anyone's family or anything in the community in which you live, just some company's shareholder "value". You're being told to be a bit. No better than a drone

Please frequent stores for humans by humans. Otherwise if your only sense of value is the price embrace your robot overlords

Please frequent stores for humans by humans. Otherwise if your only sense of value is the price embrace your robot overlords

One thing that has always bothered me about Japanese people in general, is the wish to go to big box stores, rather than making an effort to support small retailers. Of course some people do, or there would be no small retailers, but for the most part, that idea of being willing to spend a little more to support a local business is nothing compared to what I've seen in other countries.

One thing that has always bothered me about Japanese people in general, is the wish to go to big box stores, rather than making an effort to support small retailers

That's too bad. I've had nice conversations with clerks and owners of shops in Japan. It struck me as odd that the youth never struck up a chat but it was always the seasoned clerk or owner who did.

I hope French store owners will deploy Robot shop attendants instead of hiring human shop attendants in their stores.

My local UK supermarket introduced a points card that would enable them to get to know what sort of products I buy, perhaps to target me with tempting offers. Checking their Ts and Cs however, I was aghast to see that they would "attempt to deduce my religion" based on what I bought. Given the possibility that lists of Jews, Muslims etc might be of interest to hackers, I decided they could keep their loyalty card, and I'd stick to paying with hard cash. It makes me wonder what Amazon etc will do with the data they collect using these new technologies.