Say Hello To The Supermarket Of The Future, Courtesy Of Massachusetts
Massachusetts is so much better than your state. We did gay marriage first. We did African-American governor ... uh, third. And now we're balls-in to do the supermarket of the future.
How, you ask, are we planning on pulling off this feat of amazingness when we have so much pre-scheduled amazingness already on our calendars? First, we remove the price stickers. For some reason the folks on Beacon Hill think this'll lower prices...
Wait, what? Yeah. Remove the price stickers. Make every item in the grocery store rely on "conveniently located" infrared scanners to tell consumers how much dough they're dropping on Depends.
Naturally, there are 1,000 different problems with this. What if the scanners break? What if they're not so convenient? How would this actually speed up the check-out process? Why not skip this ridiculous shit and invent shopping carts that scan and bag directly from the cart and accept payment as well?
We're still awesome, though, er, I think. At least we're looking forward?
[via Consumerist]
NeonMadman
Posted to In the News on 25 June 2008
· Comments (8)
Other stuff like this: massachusetts, scans, supermarket
I haven't been in a supermarket that has prices directly on things other than stuff like cuts of meat in I don't even know how long. But hen I'm from Canada, so I guess it figures we'd be the ones ahead of Massachusetts.
I do not like dem apples.
Oh, my dear Massachusetts. There are so many better ways to spend your (and our) time.
Smart cart shopping is the way to go! I've seen the shopping of the future (thanks Beyond Tomorrow), and if the Germans (maybe Swiss, not sure) can do it, and the Aussies can televise it (and repackage it for American audiences on the Science Channel), surely Massachusetts and Canada can get it together.
Electrobear: I like how you say "Massachusetts and Canada," leaving out the rest of the United States. That's the way it should be.
Love,
NeonMadman
Yeah, but... Chicago's cool, right?
No.
NeonMadman: Aren't we the first state in the United States of Canada? When will New England and the Canadian Maritimes secede and join forces... Though in 207 days that might not feel so urgent.
Oh well, Vermont's the only one with an out anyway.
In general: Damn Aussie "Beyond Tomorrow" site is gone, so I can't find a link to the shopping vid. But I did find this link, talking about the same technology, being tried in supermarkets in Canada and Massachusetts. Maybe I'm on to something...
Of course, the link is three years old. So much for progress.
I think I might write my dissertation on Massachusetts and Canada.