What was old becomes new again
Comment on No one could have seen this coming
DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 21 hours ago
Next it will be curb pickup or delivery only. Customers won’t be allowed in the stores at all.
And, as soon as they can, it will be robots in the stores filling orders.
captainlezbian@lemmy.world 11 hours ago
lillardfair@lemmy.world 18 hours ago
I’ve had this thought for a while. I don’t know how big of an issue loss from theft actually is, but if you own a store and perceive it to be a major issue, why give the customer access to anything? You could make it distopian and shitty like you’re saying it could be, but honestly, if you do it right it doesn’t have to be. Reorganize the store so the customers can see what is available, but they get a code or ticket instead of the item. Then have the employees pick the items once the customer is ready to pay. We already have a counter serve model like this for a butcher or baker. Convenience stores do this for highly regulated items like cigarettes and liquor. Just do it for everything. If that was the premise from the start, I wouldn’t mind because it would be less hostile. The current half asses model of I pick most of my stuff, but then I have to call one of 2 pissed off overworked employees to unlock the other half individually is hostile to the customer and the employee.
captainlezbian@lemmy.world 11 hours ago
That’s how stores used to work until I think the early 20th century
PineRune@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
Stores will turn into warehouses.
MacNCheezus@lemmy.today 19 hours ago
They largely already are
ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 20 hours ago
Vending machines
MacNCheezus@lemmy.today 20 hours ago
Honestly, I could see this model work for households who rely on large, predictable, repeat orders (i.e. families with small children), but I don’t think it’ll ever replace normal grocery stores, because a lot of profit is generated by people just browsing the aisles and buying stuff they didn’t even know they wanted, and online stores are still fairly bad at replicating that experience.
Cris_Citrus@piefed.zip 19 hours ago
I agree that online stores don’t do it as well as in person ones (being committed to being in a specific place where you buy stuff I think makes people engage more intentionally and consider items in front of them), but I wish more people talked about how shitty seo is one of the ways online stores do this so I wanna take this opportunity to share that idea
Instead of having to walk to the back corner of the store to get milk or Christmas decorations, you have to scroll past a million items that aren’t quite what you’re looking for but are closely related by keywords. And in this metaphor the store can be infinitely big.
I hate shopping online 🥹
PineRune@lemmy.world 19 hours ago
For prepackaged and bulk it would work good, but I’m not buying fresh produce sight unseen.
MacNCheezus@lemmy.today 19 hours ago
100% my biggest pet peeve when ordering grocery delivery, and no robot will ever be able to solve that.
OwOarchist@pawb.social 18 hours ago
Well, they theoretically could, but they never would, because the robots are owned by the company and the company wants to screw you over.
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 12 hours ago
yeah, part of successful grocery management is knowing how often to rearrange the store that your customers don’t hate you for moving the damn kefir. my bagels need kefir!