What Will They Think of Next in Technology?
Back in the 1980s, I remember frequently going to a store we fondly called Consumers. I believe the full name was Consumers Distributing and if memory serves me right, a friend from high school even worked there. What I remember is the format: you walked in, chose what item or items you wanted, filled out a form and gave it to a store employee who called to the back stockroom for your order. There may have been a conveyer belt involved.
Why am I bringing this up? It is certainly not to age myself, but the holiday season often conjures up nostalgia and I was reminded of Consumers by a recent segment I saw on a national morning news program that reported on the steps two well-known retailers are taking to combat retail crime.
[Read more: CSN EXCLUSIVE: Tackling Retail Crime With Store Design]
If you have shopped at CVS lately, you know all too well that most products are locked up, forcing customers to push a button for a store associate's help and then wait for what seems an unbearable amount of time to get something as simple as toothpaste.
Now, the drugstore giant is piloting a technology solution where customers can unlock the cabinet themselves through a mobile app. While this does eliminate the middle man, customers are responsible for locking the cabinet back up.
If they forget or do it improperly, are they responsible for any lost items? Are we really that far off from stores becoming 5,000-square-foot vending machines?
Then, there is Walmart. The mass-merchandise retailer is testing body cams on store associates. Yes, you read that right. While some retailers have tested body cameras as a tool to deter shoplifting, Walmart is turning to the technology for employee safety.
What will they think of next? Often, I ask this in a good way. This time, not so much.
Maybe we need to bring back the Consumers model, conveyer belt and all.
Stay safe, stay warm and stay happy this holiday season.
