Tesco, One of the World's Largest Supermarket Operators, Is Testing Cashierless Stores Solely Dependent On Cameras (moneymaven.io) 89
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Wall Street Journal: Tesco, one of the world's largest supermarket operators, is one of several grocers testing cashierless stores with cameras that track what shoppers pick (Warning: source paywalled; alternative source), so they pay by simply walking out the door. The retailers hope the technology -- similar to that pioneered by Amazon.com Inc. in its Amazon Go stores in the U.S. -- will allow them to cut costs and alleviate lines as they face an evolving threat from the e-commerce giant.
Tesco plans to open its self-styled "pick and go" or "frictionless shopping" store to the public next year after testing with employees. Eventually it wants to use the technology, developed by Israeli startup Trigo Vision, in more of its smaller grocery stores. Tesco's 4,000-square-foot test store uses 150 ceiling-mounted cameras to generate a three-dimensional view of products as they are taken off shelves. In its recent demo, Tesco's system detected shoppers as they walked around the store. It also identified a group of products when a person holding them stood in front of a screen, tallying up their total price. Tesco is considering identifying shoppers through an app or loyalty card when they enter the store and then charging their app when they leave. Tesco told investors its method costs one-tenth of systems used by its competitors, partly because it only uses cameras. Amazon Go uses cameras and sensors to track what shoppers pick. Amazon customers scan a QR code at a gate when they enter a store, then walk out when finished. While Tesco will track the movements of their customers, the company says the system used in its trial doesn't recognize faces.
Tesco plans to open its self-styled "pick and go" or "frictionless shopping" store to the public next year after testing with employees. Eventually it wants to use the technology, developed by Israeli startup Trigo Vision, in more of its smaller grocery stores. Tesco's 4,000-square-foot test store uses 150 ceiling-mounted cameras to generate a three-dimensional view of products as they are taken off shelves. In its recent demo, Tesco's system detected shoppers as they walked around the store. It also identified a group of products when a person holding them stood in front of a screen, tallying up their total price. Tesco is considering identifying shoppers through an app or loyalty card when they enter the store and then charging their app when they leave. Tesco told investors its method costs one-tenth of systems used by its competitors, partly because it only uses cameras. Amazon Go uses cameras and sensors to track what shoppers pick. Amazon customers scan a QR code at a gate when they enter a store, then walk out when finished. While Tesco will track the movements of their customers, the company says the system used in its trial doesn't recognize faces.
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Re:That's facial recognition payment, eh (Score:5, Informative)
Re:That's facial recognition payment, eh (Score:4, Insightful)
It's not exactly an insurmountable problem.
It also isn't a new problem. You can put on a balaclava and run into a normal grocery store and grab some stuff too. It is unlikely anyone will try to tackle you.
Believe it or not, it isn't a big problem, because few people are willing to risk jail time and a permanent criminal record just to steal a bag of potato chips.
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It's not exactly an insurmountable problem.
It also isn't a new problem. You can put on a balaclava and run into a normal grocery store and grab some stuff too. It is unlikely anyone will try to tackle you.
Believe it or not, it isn't a big problem, because few people are willing to risk jail time and a permanent criminal record just to steal a bag of potato chips.
Crisps in the UK dear boy, they're called crisps here.
Now you're right that dealing with people wearing balaclavas or other face coverings is already an issue that is being dealt with, mainly by a large bloke in an official looking cheap suit and clip on tie.
However in the UK, supermarkets sell alcohol and that is a far more tempting target than a bag of crisps. A bottle of JD is about £18 but can only be sold to you if you're over 18, so to a teenage scroat that is a very tempting item an
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The average person isn't willing to risk getting caught shoplifting because it's high risk... But they aren't averse to putting an avocado on the scale and pressing "Onions" on the screen when they think no-one is looking.
That's why (so far) produce bags have been transparent plastic bags, so that there is plenty of opportunity to let supermarket personnel casually notice this.
Unfortunately, with the recent move to ecologically friendly bags, some supermarkets now use opaque paper bags for produce... which makes this fraud much easier to pull off. Unless they leave a clear plastic window in that paper bag, which again makes the bag less eco-friendly and just makes this whole movement against plastic bags look ridiculous.
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They could use cellophane, which is biodegradable yet transparent.
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They said 'cashierless', not 'staffless'. There'll still be plenty of people working there, including security staff.
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Do grocery stores have security staff now? My mom worked as a cashier for two decades at three major chains...never had security.
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The stores in my neighborhood have armed guards!
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Interesting. I grew up in Detroit. You must live in a bad place...lol.
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Tesco superstores are the size of a large Walmart. Yes, they have security staff.
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So what're they gonna do when you leave the store with a cart fulla steak & beer wearing a balaclava? Inquisitive minds want to know.
Report it to the police? You know like exactly what they would do right now.
What do we want? (Score:5, Informative)
Just what we want. To be identified when entering a store and watched every millisecond. And then maybe, hopefully, it will figure out what we ACTUALLY put in our carts/baskets. Did it notice I put it back on the shelf? Did it notice that guy who put it on the wrong shelf? But we will have to stop and check our receipt just to make sure. Oh, probably can't pay with cash, either. Creepy, invasive, and punitive (to those who value at least SOME degree of privacy or anonymity).
Meanwhile.... I find the self-checkouts at Walmart work just fantastically now. Fast, easy, done. That was NOT the case when they first went in- the first models were horrible and EVERYONE hated them. "Unexpected item in bagging area", "please wait for assistance", scanners that didn't work half the time. So they were ripped out and reintroduced a few years later. Now it is fast, can process the prices in my head as I scan and bag. Can pay with card or cash, can bag how I like, don't have to interact with a person, don't get my dozen eggs squashed, get an easy-to-read and reconcile paper receipt if I want. Oh, and no spy-cards... I mean "loyalty cards". Almost as good at Target, too.
Same benefit as self-check out I think (Score:2)
Meanwhile.... I find the self-checkouts at Walmart work just fantastically now.
I think of these monitor what you take systems as being very close to that, I mean after all you are going to be on camera checking out at a self checkout so I don't see a ton of difference.
The only difference is not being able to pay with cash, but I mostly reserve cash for paying smaller places with instead of larger chains.
P.S. I had exactly the same issues as you reported with Target self-checkout machines to the point I just
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Not sure if Target ever fixed that
Target's self-checkout system is much improved over even a year ago.
You may want to give it another try.
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>"I think of these monitor what you take systems as being very close to that, I mean after all you are going to be on camera checking out at a self checkout so I don't see a ton of difference."
You don't think there is no difference being monitored, in detail, every second of an hour-long shopping trip compared to a minute during checkout? Someone or something examining every item you LOOK at or touch, not just selected?
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the first models were horrible and EVERYONE hated them.
Yeah, I never understood how they fucked that up. UPC bar code scanning has been a thing since 1974, how can they still be screwing that up 45 years later?
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I hate to admit this, but you are correct about Wally World.
In the affluent areas, on top of the staffed self-checkout area, they have regular lanes open for self-check out without a person around. I'm sure someone is watching via cameras, but that's OK. Having a hand scanner and not needing to put everything on a scale based meter is really nice (local grocery does the scale thing, pain in the a**).
I do only go there when I need a bunch of bulk items.
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Did it notice I put it back on the shelf? Did it notice that guy who put it on the wrong shelf?
Yeah I'm sure they didn't consider such incredible edge cases. Clearly they need an armchair warrior to help them with their project.
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The Walmart self-checkout is much less whiny than it used to be, true -- so much less whiny that it didn't complain at all when I accidentally bagged something (heavy) I hadn't scanned, the other day. I scanned and rebagged it once I realized this and it still didn't complain. I guess they save more on cashiers than they lose in shrink.
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It might have complained later when you finished tried to finish the transaction? I don't know. I just know I have been using them way over a year now (or is it two?) and I am constantly amazed that Walmart, of all places, could have something like this that works so well. About my only complaint is when there aren't enough open/free checkouts... but at least it is a fair, SINGLE QUEUE line to that area, which is also the correct way to handle such things.
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Supposedly, customers dislike single queues, which is the reason they're not normally employed (although I have seen them employed at some places like Michael's and Best Buy.)
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>"Supposedly, customers dislike single queues, which is the reason they're not normally employed"
Fascinating. I have never heard of that before. It makes no sense to prefer multiple lines because it is far less fair, less predictable, harder to manage, harder to monitor, less efficient, and more frustrating and stressful. I guess most people are just irrational?
what are the age checking laws like in the UK? (Score:2)
what are the age checking laws like in the UK?
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Re: what are the age checking laws like in the UK? (Score:2)
Trust the Retailer? (Score:3)
Re:Trust the Retailer? (Score:4, Funny)
Do you really want to trust the store to tally it up and send you a bill later?
I'll double check the first few times. If there are no mistakes, I'll soon stop checking and just trust the system.
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For the rare times such mistakes are made it's well and truly not worth your time to stop and check, and that is before you remove a silly fallible human from the loop.
Twins? (Score:2)
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They'd probably have to specially code for it, but if two+ people enter with the same face, and if you're one of those people, then to check out you have to present your app again, as you did upon entering the store. Same thing if you're wearing a burqa/balaclava/mask/etc.
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That's why I gave my twin an ugly, easily-recognizable scar. Now everyone will think HE'S the evil twin, bwahahaha!
Masks? (Score:2)
Guy Fawkes gonna be buying a whole lot of swanky yuppy beer.
Just get primed (Score:2)
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What about cash as legal tender in the US? (Score:4, Interesting)
As in the topic. Didn't Amazon's cashier-less shops get into trouble because of this?
Tesco is a UK company isn't it? Are they operating in the US? How is it in the UK regarding cash government guarantees?
This technology might influence cryptocurrencies implementation.
--
Revelation 13:16-17
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You _do_ realize that the Lord will not return until the mark of the beast is implemented. Why do you oppose His coming?
:-) A good question, but from a different point of view - I am a science guy, so for me the question is whether we can change our destiny, according to Einstein - no. Quantum theory is more along the line of experiencing what we believe in (considering the Everett interpretation). Mr. R. Penrose claims that consciousness is quantum in nature, others disagree, on the other hand it's been shown that some biological organisms utilize quantum affects. Lastly a thing that gave me lot to think about is that in He
Whenever I'm tempted to believe in prophecy (Score:2)
Re: What about cash as legal tender in the US? (Score:3)
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Yes, that's true - coinage (and that includes eg commemorative £5 coins) has legal tender status throughout the UK although for smaller coins it's only for limited amounts. Bank of England notes in denominations below £5 used to have legal tender status in Scotland when they existed too. Northern Irish notes are also not legal tender anywhere in the UK, including NI.
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As in the topic. Didn't Amazon's cashier-less shops get into trouble because of this?
No they didn't get "in trouble" there's no legal basis for them to be required to accept cash. Legal tender is for debts and debts alone, though a few states are trying to pass additional laws to hamper cashless businesses.
What they did is capitulate when they received some backlash by some verbal backlash in New York.
What they did is follow the law passed in Philadelphia due to lobbying specifically about the Amazon Go store.
Every other store is still cash / cashier -less.
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** received some backlash by some verbal minority protestors in New York
Slashdot really needs a way of previewing posts.
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As in the topic. Didn't Amazon's cashier-less shops get into trouble because of this?
Tesco is a UK company isn't it? Are they operating in the US? How is it in the UK regarding cash government guarantees?
In the UK, stores are under no obligation to accept cash. Sure, any store that doesn't is simply cutting themselves off from customers but all stores are obliged to provide is a means of payment that is free to use.
Nowhere is any UK vendor obliged to accept any, let alone every form of payment. If you start buying things in tens of thousands of Pounds (as in Sterling), vendors start to insist on bank transfers, no one even thinks of using credit cards because a vendor will flat out refuse it due to the m
If I wanted cashier-less shoppging... (Score:2)
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Exactly. If they want me to use the self checkout so they can reduce staff then give me a discount for doing so.
WIll check that (Score:2)
"While Tesco will track the movements of their customers, the company says the system used in its trial doesn't recognize faces."
Nice, so I just switch off my phone and get the hell out without paying?
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Nice, so I just switch off my phone and get the hell out without paying?
The system supposedly still tracks people by their movement (of their general body shape). So you only need the phone on entry.
But I wonder what happens if people get close together (hug), will it still know who is who after that?
February 2020 (Score:2)
I hope this is ready in time for the Brexit Famine of 2020.
Has Tesco solved the self-check produce problem? (Score:2)
This system is just an improved version of self-checkout. Self-check works great until you plunk down a bunch of escarole on the scale. All of these systems have a different, annoyingly clunky interface for identifying uncoded produce. Sometimes there is a multiple-choice selector for bananas, onions, potatoes and other common items, but otherwise you’re looking up SKUs in a giant scrolling index. You would have gone through faster with a cashier.
Another reason to avoid Tesco. (Score:1)
Camera Analytics Coming Anyway (Score:3)
Even in stores with cashiers, there will soon be (more) cameras combined with software to run analytics on what all the customers are looking at/touching/picking up, because that's VERY valuable information to retailers. It's valuable to themselves, for determining what merchandising/signage is working, and quantifying that, and that can also be sold to manufacturers who want to know how well their advertising campaigns are working. You know all the 'free toy inside!', tie-ins, and similar promotions on packaging? They want to know if that leads to more people looking at/picking up their product. Soon it'll be possible to get a figure for "X% of shoppers who walked past our product on the shelf looked at it, and Y% of those picked it up for Z seconds on average." Shopper recognition (facial or otherwise) will be employed in order to profile 'types' of shoppers, in order to feed "if you like this item then you'll like THIS" recommendation engines, particularly in places that don't have loyalty cards. Loyalty card programs only know what you buy, currently, not what you look at or pick up. Knowing what things people are picking up and choosing not to buy is incredibly useful, as it may mean prices are too high or the packaging has inadequate information. Imagine the Walmart app's digital assistant piping up "what did you dislike about that product?" and a shopper responding why they put it back.
Right now loyalty cards get no more granularity than sales figures, which some executives will say is all that matters. However, manufacturers will pay for more granular data in a real-world environment, that a focus group staring at their promotional materials can't tell them.