Futuristic Retail equipment?

Caitlin Black · Sep 5, 2010

I need to find out about some futuristic retail equipment for a class I'm taking, so I thought I'd start a discussion about it here.

I already have an imagination - I can imagine some great retail equipment of the (probably) far future. That's not what I'm looking for.

What I AM looking for is some of the following:
-technology that exists today in very small numbers due to cost, only in very advanced locations (perhaps in Tokyo?) which will one day be so useful that when the cost comes down (thanks to advances in mechanical industries) these technologies will sweep the globe and revolutionise the shopping world.
-technology that doesn't exist yet, but which is soundly understood by today's science, and which could be figured out any year now as other sectors advance (particularly the computer and fibre optic industries becoming much faster and holding more information).

If it's not viable to have even 1 unit of the proposed new retail tech within, say, 5 years, it won't help me out in my assignment (even though it'd still fit the discussion, because hey, it's interesting, so feel free to mention these unviable options, so long as you also mention how far into the future we'd have to go for it to be possible).

Links are mostly what I'm looking for - something technical about the technology in the manufacturer's/researcher's own words will help me more than paraphrasing things. But if you can't find a link, but have something in mind, feel free to paraphrase.

On my end, I'll be posting any links I find that meet these criteria - and remember, this is meant as a discussion, not as a "Please help with my assignment" thing. I'm genuinely interested in reading as much about advancing technology as I can find, and I'm pretty sure that a reasonable number of the people in "Science Fact" will feel the same way.

Thanks in advance for any participation. I'll be commencing my googling in a couple of minutes, so expect some links soon.

(Oh, and if you know of any e-mags/blogs/periodicals that are dedicated to "public" technology advancement, please post a link to their home page. Thanks again.

)

Peace.

Caitlin Black · Sep 5, 2010

http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Business/Solutions/_ChannelDetails/_Documents/static%20files/FutureRetail_WP_0108(2).pdf

I mostly just read the text associated with the pictures, but this is a lowish-tech approach to what I'm getting at.

Caitlin Black · Sep 5, 2010

http://future.iftf.org/retail_technology/

5 year old tecnology that I'm betting hardly anyone's ever used, even though they're really useful.

Caitlin Black · Sep 6, 2010

http://blogs.computerworld.com/three_technologies_in_your_retail_future

I find the digital signage most interesting. I've seen a few video screens around in shops, showing ads... but not "display" digitals... like, no electronic price tags or ads on shelves that tell you about the product on display...

Yet to find a really specific source... ie. tells you how the tech works. Eh, I can customise my search later on. Right now I'm searching, "future retail technology" so yeah, not too surprised that it's not specific. Nothing truly groundbreaking that I've come across yet.

I think for my assignment I'll have 3 useful-though-not-that-interesting technologies that are already around in certain places, just not "everywhere" yet... and 1 really high-tech ultra-interesting piece, if I can find any.

Caitlin Black · Sep 6, 2010

And that's it from the first page of google for "future retail technology" - all that I found interesting anyway.

Will customise my searching now that I have some idea about terms and the such, later.

Dommo · Sep 6, 2010

I'd say a big thing in retail (having worked for a while in Walmart while in college) would be automated warehousing in store backrooms. I unloaded a lot of trucks, and it's amazing how labor intensive that work actually is.

Caitlin Black · Sep 6, 2010

Ooh, thanks, that's a good one.

Hallen · Sep 6, 2010

RFID. Miniature radio transmitters that carry a product ID/serial number. Shoplifting would be a bitch and registering your product or getting lost/stolen items back would be easy. It's existing technology today and I'd expect to see it in lots of specialized applications soon (it's already used in some), and generic applications in the future.

And easy one is Biometrics for ID/Payment purposes. No more PINs. Just smash your thumb here please.

It's been tried, but was too expensive: online grocery shopping. You just pick out what you want online, they bring it to your door. It could work in conjunction with the automated warehouse stuff mentioned earlier.

Need more?

AlexPiper · Sep 6, 2010

Microsoft Surface. It's a multitouch computerized table, which is also able to recognize objects that are put onto the surface via both limited camera-based recognition and via Bluetooth. The implementation is a mutant camera-based touch stack on top of Windows XP, with super-specialized hardware... so, yes, it leaves something to be desired. However, some of the ideas that were prototyped with Surface have been really compelling to watch in action.

One of the ideas that was put forward as a use for Surface was in a cell phone store. The idea was that the customer would come in and put their phone down on the table, and their current service plan and features would 'spray' out from the phone onto the table. Available plans and options would appear elsewhere on the table (not tied to the phone), and you could add features by pulling them to your phone, or remove them by cutting the little 'threads' binding the feature to your phone. Etc.

Very science-fictiony in concept, and completely realizable with technology already available today. However, Microsoft's done a terrible job of marketing Surface, despite some really interesting proof-of-concept implementations, and so this sort of thing has not taken off at all.

Caitlin Black · Sep 7, 2010

Actually, I was wondering what RFID was... I've seen the acronym during my googling and I was like, "Whu?"

*looks into Microsoft Surface*

Thanks!

benbradley · Sep 7, 2010

There's an interesting online novel by Marshall Brain (the guy who started the "How Stuff Works" website - look at the link below for the dollar amount he says Discovery Channel paid for that site!), "Manna," about near-future business, and how employees and computers will work together to make things more efficient (the computer calculates the best path from warehouse to the appropriate retail shelf and essentially tells the employee every move to make), though his story gets into possible social and political effects, and how he thinks these ought to be handled.

His "Robotic Nation" essay(s) are along the same sort of thing, the trends in technology as used in retail. Both of these are linked to in the third paragraph of his main webpage:

http://www.marshallbrain.com/

Cliff Face said:
Actually, I was wondering what RFID was... I've seen the acronym during my googling and I was like, "Whu?"

*looks into Microsoft Surface*

Thanks!

Radio Frequency IDentification. It's essentially a tiny radio receiver and transmitter in a chip, but it often needs a small half-inch diameter "loop" antenna. An RFID "reader" is a handleld device that sends out a radio signal - this both powers the RFID device and tells it to send back its number. The RFID then transmits back a big long, unique serial number. That's essentially all it does. It operates over a very short distance, the reader has to be within about three to four feet of the RFID "tag" to read it. The reader can send this number to a computer that has a database of all the numbers and what item the RFID with that number is connected to.

RFID chips cost around 50 cents to a dollar each, and a little cheaper in higher quantities. WalMart has been pushing for cheaper RFID technology - they already use an RFID chip on each pallet, but they eventually want an RFID chip on every item for sale in their stores.

If you want to get real geeky, here's a site that sells RFID stuff:
http://www.trossenrobotics.com/c/usb-serial-rfid-readers-tags-kits.aspx

FOTSGreg · Sep 8, 2010

A replacement for the sticky-backed plastic shelf strips used in WalMart stores which also replaces the requirement fir a forest of paper labels. To change the price or mod you download the mod or pricing information into your handheld then either touch the handheld to each shelled strip or even just walk by it. The pricing information is automatically downloaded to the strip and LED or LCD displays on each strip face display the new mod and/or pricing info.

Considering the huge amount of paper wasted in changing out mods and labels every single day in every WalMart store on the planet this would not only save on paper costs and labor, but would also be much more environmentally sound as it would save literally millions of trees and tons of ink.

Caitlin Black · Sep 9, 2010

I think most innovations in retail technology will benefit the environment. It's just the set-up costs (or sometimes stubborness) that have made certain advances not really penetrate the market (yet).

*scratches chinbeard*

Hallen · Sep 9, 2010

Cliff Face said:
I think most innovations in retail technology will benefit the environment. It's just the set-up costs (or sometimes stubborness) that have made certain advances not really penetrate the market (yet).

*scratches chinbeard*

Yes, but none of it is simple. Setting up an entirely new operation is sometimes easier than modifying an existing one. The complexities are immense.

Before Walmart got all involved with manipulating the supply chain and moving product manufacturing to China, their biggest reason for success was their efficient delivery system. They could move products to stores more efficiently than any other organization at that time. This allowed them better margins whilst still charging comparable or lower prices. That was good business.

It's one of the things that kills your small local stores, grocery, hardware, pharmacy, and other small shops. They can't possibly get stuff delivered for less than Walmart can. I think a new technology that reverses that trend would be extremely interesting. I'm not sure what that would be, but it would be cool. Imagine walking into a grocery store where you knew the butcher's name and he could help you pick out the perfect cut of meat for your big dinner. That's the way it used to be. I remember it vividly. My mom would only buy meat from Jim at the Food Mart because he always gave her good advice and good cuts. Try getting that kind of service these days.

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 9, 2010

FOTSGreg said:
A replacement for the sticky-backed plastic shelf strips used in WalMart stores which also replaces the requirement fir a forest of paper labels. To change the price or mod you download the mod or pricing information into your handheld then either touch the handheld to each shelled strip or even just walk by it. The pricing information is automatically downloaded to the strip and LED or LCD displays on each strip face display the new mod and/or pricing info.

Considering the huge amount of paper wasted in changing out mods and labels every single day in every WalMart store on the planet this would not only save on paper costs and labor, but would also be much more environmentally sound as it would save literally millions of trees and tons of ink.

Kohl's already uses something like this. Instead of old style pricing, they have these small electronic screens that show the price.

And in researching, I found this company that sells ESL (Electronic Shelf Labels).

benbradley · Sep 9, 2010

Hallen said:
It's one of the things that kills your small local stores, grocery, hardware, pharmacy, and other small shops. They can't possibly get stuff delivered for less than Walmart can. I think a new technology that reverses that trend would be extremely interesting. I'm not sure what that would be, but it would be cool. Imagine walking into a grocery store where you knew the butcher's name and he could help you pick out the perfect cut of meat for your big dinner. That's the way it used to be. I remember it vividly. My mom would only buy meat from Jim at the Food Mart because he always gave her good advice and good cuts. Try getting that kind of service these days.

I can't imagine that trend being reversed. More efficient distribution, delivery, lower cost purchasing, all the things that lead to lower prices rely on the high volume of sales of big-box stores such as Walmart.

Here's an interesting article on Walmart and how it works:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/open_snapper.html

Hallen · Sep 9, 2010

benbradley said:
I can't imagine that trend being reversed. More efficient distribution, delivery, lower cost purchasing, all the things that lead to lower prices rely on the high volume of sales of big-box stores such as Walmart.

Here's an interesting article on Walmart and how it works:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/open_snapper.html

Oh, I agree. But if we're talking futuristic here, imagine a world where energy costs are just a tiny fraction of the cost of a product. Energy costs are a big factor in requiring high volume right now. So, if you only saved a few dollars by shipping large quantities over shipping smaller quantities, things would change around. Of course, volume has other multipliers too, so energy isn't the only component.

What if you had nearly instantaneous delivery methods?

What if somebody got into the Walmart busting warehousing business that serviced thousands of ma and pa stores in a given area? (yeah, won't work now, but it is still possible).

Anyway, there are more components than just volume, but there is still the possibility of game changing technology.

Caitlin Black · Sep 9, 2010

See, this is exactly why the world needs teleporters!

*invents*

benbradley · Sep 9, 2010

Hallen said:
Oh, I agree. But if we're talking futuristic here, imagine a world where energy costs are just a tiny fraction of the cost of a product. Energy costs are a big factor in requiring high volume right now. So, if you only saved a few dollars by shipping large quantities over shipping smaller quantities, things would change around. Of course, volume has other multipliers too, so energy isn't the only component.

What if you had nearly instantaneous delivery methods?

What if somebody got into the Walmart busting warehousing business that serviced thousands of ma and pa stores in a given area? (yeah, won't work now, but it is still possible).

Anyway, there are more components than just volume, but there is still the possibility of game changing technology.

Actually, you could be half right. There could indeed be Walmart-busting technology right around the corner, but it won't end up helping ma and pa stores - products will be "ordered" and downloaded over the Internet as computer files and made right in the home:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6649218n

I'm thinking the ma-and-pa small-town "general store" is as much a thing the past as the buggy whip.

Hallen · Sep 10, 2010

benbradley said:
Actually, you could be half right. There could indeed be Walmart-busting technology right around the corner, but it won't end up helping ma and pa stores - products will be "ordered" and downloaded over the Internet as computer files and made right in the home:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6649218n

I'm thinking the ma-and-pa small-town "general store" is as much a thing the past as the buggy whip.

Yeah, you're probably right.

3D printers are cool. We have one here at work. The results are far from sellable, but they definitely help the development and design process a lot.
I'd love a thing like that to print my plates, bowls, spoons and forks. When done eating, just toss them into the recycler to get made again the next time you need plates. No more dishwashers and putting dishes away.

Caitlin Black · Sep 11, 2010

I remember hearing about edible plates somewhere... doubt you could print them though.

Caitlin Black · Sep 12, 2010

Okay, I chose some 5-year old tech (that's hardly been used yet) and Microsoft Surface for my project.

Should make for some interesting reading!

Last week in class we watched a video of something similar to Surface, except it was an upright screen used for picking out outfits. Basically, it responds to gestures and voice commands (I think) and doesn't actually need to be touched. A camera loads an image of you, and high-end predictive tech fits different outfits to the curves of your body.

I believe it's in existence somewhere in London...

I tried finding it, but didn't know what it was called. Any help?

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