Walmart Will Stock Your Fridge With Groceries While You're Not Home (cnet.com) 164
A new service from Walmart will bring groceries straight from the store to your refrigerator. All that's needed is trust. From a report: As part of Walmart's new InHome Delivery service, the retailer's workers will deliver groceries right into a home or garage refrigerator, the company said Friday. Customers don't have to be home during deliveries. Walmart customers will be able to select the InHome option and a delivery date when ordering groceries online. An employee will then pick up the items at the store, deliver them to the house and place items that require cold storage in the refrigerator, Walmart said. To offer access to the home, customers will need to have a smart device that allows one-time entry. As for concerns over having strangers in the home, Walmart said employees will be equipped with a wearable camera that can be viewed live or accessed at a later time. Deliveries will be made by employees who've worked at the local store for at least a year.
Really. (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah, I'm going to trust some random minimum-wage worker sent from Walmart to have full run of my home.
Anyone with a functioning brain should be able to come up with half a dozen ways to defeat the "security" provided by having the employees wear cameras.
Re:Really. (Score:5, Insightful)
Wealthy people have minimum-wage workers clean their homes, take care of their children, walk their dogs, etc...
While I get your "Random" qualifier as the differentiator but I would expect most of these employees with a functioning brain to defeat the security, will also realize if people complain about stuff will be stolen, their job is probably gone, as well the police digging their homes.
I expect for 99.999% there will be no problems when there is the worst thing they due is track mud into your house, and perhaps someone my have used your bathroom or had a glass of water.
Re:Really. (Score:5, Insightful)
Wealthy people have minimum-wage workers clean their homes, take care of their children, walk their dogs, etc...
Middle-class people pay services for those things. Wealthy people have staff for this, who only work for you and who know they will be held responsible if the silver goes missing (and have a supervisor looking over their shoulder from time to time).
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Wealthy people have staff for this, who only work for you
I went to the Big Island of Hawaii for vacation two years ago, and we stayed in an Airbnb. We arrived early, and the cleaning woman was still there. I chatted with her, and it turned out that she also cleaned Paul Allen's (net worth: $20B) nearby vacation house. She hadn't seen him in years, but his sister visited regularly. So not all billionaires have dedicated staff.
if the silver goes missing ...
Almost nobody uses silver anymore. Stainless steel is superior in every way.
Once reason burglary rates have fallen is that there is les
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Fair point. "Middle class" and "wealthy" are not disjoint sets. I should have said "middle class" and "wealthy upper class".
Most people do have cash or jewelry worth stealing, and guns are also a common find, though I wonder how that balance shifts with Millennials and Digital Natives. It's surprising how often people hide their valuables someplace they think is clever instead of using a lockbox.
The most tempting targets for theft these days are houses in retirement communities, since you'll usually find
Re:Really. (Score:5, Insightful)
While the actual Walmart employee might not be stealing from you, they MAY be casing the joint looking for things of value and passing that information on to groups that might come rob you at a later date.
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Have you never met a Walmart employee?
In the cases you mention, typically the homeowner will meet the people working in their home beforehand. They know who they are, and may have a personal relationship with their workers. In the case of really wealthy employers, they probably went through background checks. Even so, employees stealing from employers is incredibly common.
...I would expect most of these employees with a functioning brain to defeat the security, will also realize if people complain about stuff will be stolen, their job is probably gone, as well the police digging their homes.
They have video "proof" that they didn't take anything, why would they fear losing their job?
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For the most part Walmart Employees have a wide range personality and ability. This is often dictated based on the location of the Walmart. You actually get a lot of nice people in Walmarts in impoverished areas, because it is a more in-demand job so Wallmart can be picker who they choose. While in wealthy areas you get the bottom of the barrel.
Walmart does hire a lot of people with mental disabilities. They can do the job well, but they may not present themselves well. However I would trust these peopl
Re:Really. (Score:4, Interesting)
You actually get a lot of nice people in Walmarts in impoverished areas, because it is a more in-demand job so Wallmart can be picker who they choose.
Because Walmart ran the locally-owned stores out of business, so the friendly locals end up working at Walmart.
Re: Really. (Score:1)
Re: Really. (Score:1)
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So, in summary - he's extending his day job to his personal time.
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They have video "proof" that they didn't take anything, why would they fear losing their job?
The video proof is the part which is clearly questionable. Just have your buddy waiting at the house to enter behind you while you go towards the kitchen. That buddy can then do whatever he wants with no camera.
Then again, all this security is just security theater. If they want to steal from your house, they will. Anyone who doesn't already pay thousands for a very comprehensive security system is just as prone to theft as someone using this Walmart service. A deadbolt can at best deter mischievous teenage
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Even so, employees stealing from employers is incredibly common.
But usually when they have some confidence that it can't be pinned on them. You come, stock the fridge and leave. How long is it between anyone else is there? Is what you find bait? I do have a cleaning company come once a month, got a bit of cash in a place they'd probably look... never been touched. The flip side of regular staff is they probably know what they can get away with.
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Wealthy people have minimum-wage workers clean their homes, take care of their children, walk their dogs, etc..
Sure, because wealthy people don't want to employ people who aren't scared of losing their job, or a lazy, self-entitled millennial who could sue them over a minor disagreement.
It also helps if the workers are genuinely scared of either losing their job or being deported.
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Not minimum wage (Score:2)
Wealthy people have minimum-wage workers clean their homes, take care of their children, walk their dogs, etc...
They do have people to do those sorts of things but they are generally pretty far from minimum wage, at least if they want someone worth hiring. Particularly nannies. You might be able to find someone cheap to clean your house if you don't care about how clean it actually gets. You might find a cheap dog walker (who will do a shit job). But good luck finding a minimum wage nanny you would trust with your children.
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Yes, and these people pick disposable individuals, who are not able to contact lawyers or the police, to fill these roles for a reason. Their is a huge difference between personally hiring someone who you can fire, beat, deport, kill, etc on a whim and allowing a minimum wage worker someone else has hired, and has rights and protections into your house. A Walmart employee can steal weeks of wages from you, and will be punished by collecting pogey.
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Even if you could trust that the delivery service will only hire perfectly responsible and respectful personnel, there's still injury liability, issues with pets (getting let out, bites, allergies, etc.) and the potential for someone to hack/steal the keys from the store itself.
The only place I could see this working is a commons type living situation with the fridge in a quasi-private or shared space (e.g. an assisted living facility, college dorm).
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The only place I could see this working is a commons type living situation with the fridge in a quasi-private or shared space (e.g. an assisted living facility, college dorm).
Really? Prior to the era of big supermarkets and whatnot having someone drop off your groceries or even put them in your fridge was kinda common in a lot of countries in the west. Here in Ontario, pretty much any house built prior to 1970 has either a milkbox or a ice-cooled grocery box built right into the wall. That is if it hasn't been renovated out, or removed because the area has become so unsafe that it became an entry point for burglars.
This type of stuff is making a resurgence mainly because of th
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You would think that Wal Mart would take a holistic look at this and actually start roping in the big suburban home development companies and fridge manufacturers to actually start re-introducing the "milk box" concept, except this time as a double-door fridge that can be opened from the outside.
It doesn't sound super-complicated from the fridge perspective, they might have to get creative with cooling coil locations but otherwise it's just a question of making fridges with backs that can be converted to a
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Or you could just put your groceries in your fridge yourself.
Too weird?
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I mean you're right, but I was just thinking there has to be a way for "we put food in your fridge" to work without the obvious problem of letting random wal mart people into your house.
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Gotta push back and question whether since giant corporation really needs to be involved in every aspect of your life. It's nice for them because as they're opening new opportunities to engage.
Coming this the next year: "Walmart will deliver toilet rolls, put them in the bathroom and also wipe your butt for you."
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Since -> Some
Failure to check auto-'correct'.
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I mean I get it, it's pretty dystopian IMHO, but there's a whole category of people who are "too busy" these days to do anything -- cook, clean, groceries, and want to have this automated somehow.
I mean it's not like 75 years ago the same people who are too busy to do this stuff themselves didn't actually hire a housekeeper to do it for them. That's now way beyond the reach of all but the wealthiest people but corporations are looking to figure out how to provide a similar service.
I'm not a huge fan of gro
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Mmm yep. Feeling that but it seems insurmountable. Either you don't mind having arbitrary-quality produce installed into your fridge - and perhaps in the future pre-digested for you - or you do. I'm not are of a way to have my own OCD approach shared by whomever would pick the produce.
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I'm not super selective about produce, I just try to avoid the obviously bad produce. I'm not sure why there's not more culling of bad produce, especially considering how much must get tossed anyway.
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Fair point. A setup like you mention or a lockable outdoor fridge would work.
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Sure, why not? The yogurt that has been hiding in the back of my fridge finally evolved to a higher life form. I can't think of a better way to feed it fresh meat when I'm not at home. What is a calories in a random walmat drone these days?
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About the size of a bread box.
and if that minimum-wage does an slip and fail you (Score:3)
and if that minimum-wage does an slip and fail you are on the hook for that liability
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If they slip and fall while performing their job duties, wouldn't that be workman's comp?
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and workman comp will sue the homeowner. this is walmart
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/law... [cnn.com]
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Easy solution: Install Walmart cameras throughout your home and give Walmart access to view them.
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Millennials or dumb-ass marketing? (Score:2)
I wonder if Millennials are stupid enough that this is a market that needs to be filled or are marketing idiots just pitching one lame concept after the other. Of course I wouldn't be surprised if both were true.
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They probably wouldn't be a delivery driver if they could.
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Especially this one [youtube.com].
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Yeah, I'd not like any company or employee in my house when I'm away. Hell, not even while I'm there.
Even if not taking into consideration of the privacy and home security issues....I'd not be trusting of a market to choose and pick my produce and meats for me.
I mean, if they're smart, they're gonna be picking out the items that are closest to expiring to allow for item rotation on their best interests.
I p
Pay Attention (Score:5, Insightful)
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Even if you buy a Smart TV today, you can keep the "Smart" features disabled by not connecting it to WiFi. I've never connected any of my TVs to my WiFi. (Roku boxes/sticks, yes. TVs, no.)
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Today, sure. But there are cellular enabled TVs in the immediate horizon.
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Wouldn't you need to link a "cellular TV" up with your wireless account? Otherwise, who would pay for the data use if you streamed Netflix 24/7? If so, you just don't link the TV up to your wireless account. (If there's some bare bones cellular set up that sends usage data back to the company, then let them see that I'm not using the smart features of the TV after I connect my Roku stick and stream from there.)
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who would pay for the data use if you streamed Netflix 24/7?
Who says it is enabled for your use? The people paying could be whomever the viewing data is purchased by. My car has a cellular modem - and I'm not paying for the service, but my car can still be remotely disabled.
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Currently, high-end fridges are distinguished by their lack of high-tech features, often faced by wood paneling that matches your cabinets and in no way calling attention to itself. Mid-range fridges have a freaking TV screen on them so you can stare at the food in your fridge without opening the door (using your phone, on the internet). I can only hope that trend continues, unlike TVs.
Uh...no. (Score:2)
There's not a single walmart employee I'd be willing to trust to load groceries in my car, nevermind coming into my home unattended to load into my fridge.
Not a chance in hell.
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Sorry bruh, I'm coming in to stock your fridge and piss in it, and you can't stop me.
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Wait, you had Walmart Employees offer to help you load groceries in your car?
When I was a Teenager I use to work in a Hardware store, and my Job was to load the heavy stuff into peoples cars and trucks. I don't remember anyone refusing my help, at least because they couldn't trust me to do it, but just because it was a small thing they just didn't want me to bother.
I did get some tough customers, who ordered Cement and wanted it placed carefully in their clean luxury cars. Which I would do my best, but woul
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I am not sure what issues you have with grocery being placed in you car, but perhaps you may be too such to snobbish to think people can help you on a simple job.
I'm happy for people to help me on all sorts of things, but the whole grocery packing thing in America is just plain weird. I mean where else would you use soft fruits to cushion the eggs from the potatoes placed on top?
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Ugh, amen. Without exception, I want the bagger to fuck off and let me pack my own groceries in some kind of sensible fashion.
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Yeah, that's a new one on me as far as Walmart employees go.
Now when I was a teen some of my friends worked as "bag boys" at the local supermarkets bagging groceries and helping housewives load them into their cars. Are there stores that still do that? I haven't seen any in years.
I also remember my grandparent's house had a delivery cupboard with doors on the inside and outside which was meant for grocery delivery. It was big enough that most adults could have squeezed their way into the house with a litt
Walmart Will Stock Your Fridge With Groceries Whil (Score:5, Insightful)
No they won't.
ITT: (Score:2, Insightful)
People who honestly think a Wal-Mart employee wearing a bodycam is going to become a burglar.
And I thought this site was for smart people. It's true what I was told growing up: there's a difference between being 'smart' and being 'intelligent'.
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People who honestly think a Wal-Mart employee wearing a bodycam is going to become a burglar.
And I thought this site was for smart people. It's true what I was told growing up: there's a difference between being 'smart' and being 'intelligent'.
If you really can't figure out some way for a bodycam-wearing employee to successfully steal from the homes they enter, you're not as intelligent as you apparently think you are.
Re:ITT: (Score:5, Insightful)
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Or that body cam could also surreptitiously data mine your home for Bluetooth addresses and WiFi SSIDs to enhance their marketing tracking.
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just have someone follow you into the house
What a criminal mastermind. You're guaranteed to get caught with that plan when the home security camera sees you letting your accomplice in.
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Because the body cameras will never "fail" or "not be turned on."
A burglary doesn't even need the Walmart employee to do it themselves. Walmart employee enters house and stocks fridge. On their way out, they text an accomplice with a code word and "accidentally" leave the front door unlocked. Accomplice (who definitely is NOT wearing a body camera) enters house after Walmart employee is gone, takes some valuables, and locks the door as they leave. Reviewing the footage of the Walmart employee body camera sh
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I'm sure having the house burgled right after their delivery would in no way cast any suspicion on that Wal-Mart employee, especially if it happens more than once.
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And you can share find my phone tracking data, so you never have to send an address to your partner but have a legitimate looking way to hand off the info.
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There is more risk of these guys getting fired because the customer complained about something they had misplaced being stolen. The risk for the employee is actually much higher then the risk to the customer.
Because unless you live in some sort of mansion, you probably don't have much that people will want to steal, that would be worth their jobs.
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Theft isn't that rational. People who would steal at all have already shown poor impulse control and a willingness to risk their future for immediate gain. I worked at a retail store for several years. While most of those I worked alongside were thoughtful, rational and trustworthy people, I don't think being employed there for a year would have been a sufficient barrier to exclude all of those who might steal if an easy opportunity presented itself.
Will the vast majority of the employees be responsible?
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A body cam presumably points forward. Your arms can go in more directions.
No they won't! (Score:1)
I rented a town home and the management company had the water softener people come in when I wasn't there to fill up the tank.
No thanks to that!
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It seems you have some trust issues.
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I had a landlord that wanted to put a coin op washer and dryer in my individual basement and come in whenever to collect the coins I deposit. Yeah, I was the only tenant who negotiated a monthly usage price and skipped leaving home to go get coins when I wanted to do laundry at home.
Old low-tech solution (Score:2)
I think this approach was abandoned during 50-60s 'everything canned' craze that now have passed. There is no reason why similar, only refrigerated, cold box could not be installed today.
Most people would not allow strangers into the house no matter how well tracked/recorded these people a
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the "stranger" will be from their town and after a while everyone will know them. they'll have no police record...so I think many people would be okay with it.
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My house actually has something like this by the rear door. There's a cabinet that can be opened from the outside, have something placed in it, and then have it be retrieved from the inside.
Then again, my house also has a fold-out bench by a "phone storage cabinet" where people would sit as they spoke on the phone.
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Back in the '40s most people would probably know the delivery person personally.
Also there were no laptops/tablets lying around. What would they do? Steal your sofa or dining table?
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Requirements if you want this to happen. (Score:2)
You have to provide a shed with a fridge having a combination lock you can change combination on.
There, fixed it!
When did the NSA invest in Walmart? (Score:2)
Or is a foreign corporation? That they swear is not controlled by the state.
(Note, despite my joke, Wal-mart is about 50% owned by insiders, most of whom are related to Sam Walton, the founder)
Wow (Score:1)
Walmart Identity Theft & House Scouting (Score:1)
What is the next step for lazy Americans? (Score:2, Funny)
Americans are now so lazy, sickly with diabetes and obesity, that the next logical step from here is to have Walmart employees come to their house and feed them while they're lying immobilized under their own weight on the couch.
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A few thoughts (Score:2)
Will they be taking their street shoes off and washing hands with soap before stomping around my house and touching foodstuffs and food contact surfaces?
More to the point, will walmart camera film *inside my home*, and if so - who owns the footage?
And does giving an entire corporation access to one's house constitute, perhaps, a permission to search said house by authorities? If my understanding of law is not too far off, they can follow anyone with authorized access. I am sure walmart will be a great stewa
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It sure does, and not just one. 2 "superwalmarts" in the direct vicinity, both awful. But that's exactly the point. Why would their delivery service be any better than the in-store experience.
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Perhaps they can look around the house (Score:3)
Such as "stylish window treatments - fix up your hovel to impress guests"....
or
"Replace that ghetto fiberboard chest of drawers while our sale lasts..."
Like hell they will (Score:1)
Walmartians are getting nowhere near my house when I'm not home, let alone inside of it.
Uh... (Score:2)
No, they won't.
No they won't. (Score:2)
Not my fridge. Not my house.
hahaha hahahahaha hahahahahahaha (Score:3)
No.
Why would I need Walmart... (Score:3)
Nope (Score:2)
"Walmart Will Stock Your Fridge With Groceries While You're Not Home"
No, they won't.
This is why ... (Score:2)
All their appliances, actually.
Am I the only one? (Score:2)
Am I the only one who feels uneasy about all of these delivery services?
I am talking about services like Door Dash and Grubhub, et al.
I mean.... do people really have no time to do things for themselves any longer?
I can't see myself using any of these services.... I just don't really like the idea of getting other people involved in things that I can do for myself. It makes me feel..... less.... like I am admitting to the deliverer that I am not capable of doing this myself... Is that weird?
Video? (Score:2)
Does Walmart send me a link to the video when an employee comes over for me to view, or do they only review them when a complaint is filed?
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and I assume this doesn't stop the worker from having their buddy come along and rob me blind?
Clean Me! (Score:2)
Criminals are everywhere (Score:1)
Missing the Point. (Score:1)
Why would a company like Wal Mart be willing to incur the litigation that this program would most certainly entail? Because monitoring and micromanaging every single second of low-level workers has reached a point where this is practical. We know the average Wal Mart employee is not sufficiently incented or trained to handle this amount of trust. Wal Mart knows it too. The fact that they are doing this anyway should serve as a chilling sign of the sort of hyper-managed
Re: Like hell they will (Score:1)
You donâ(TM)t get the point, itâ(TM)s a cheap way to provide your wife with fresh meat, if you understand what I mean...