topic Re: Grocery Store Robot in Community Chat

Grocery Store Robot

Greeneyedlady21 — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:30:52 GMT

Now I've seen everything. Saw it today in the store I shop in most often. All it did was go up and down the aisles saying "cleanup needed in aisle _". The employees were laughing and talking about it. The littlest piece of anything on the floor triggers it.

I did see it call for a cleanup of a lollipop still in a wrapper that was on the floor.

I wonder how much that thing costs. Wouldn't it be just as efficient to have employees take care of noticing cleanups and doing them? Oh well. I wonder what else it can do, if anything. It's an entertaining novelty that probably becomes so annoying for employees.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

deepwaterdotter — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:34:07 GMT

If someone attached a device that could pick things up, the robot could perform the "clean-up" duties itself.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

GenXmuse — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:34:47 GMT

Wow, I would find that a little off-putting and you’re right, I can’t imagine this is cheap. I’m not seeing the utility of this.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

threecees — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:38:01 GMT

It takes up alot of space @Greeneyedlady21

Wait until people start accidently plowing their carts into it.

Better move the butterfingers too!

Re: Grocery Store Robot

ShowMe — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:38:55 GMT

OMGosh....wait till it triggers a human that needs to be cleaned up......LOL

And wait till it runs into someone and possibly get injured. Then what???

Re: Grocery Store Robot

Greeneyedlady21 — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:39:19 GMT

@threecees I was tempted to plow my cart into it on purpose just to see what happened😁

Re: Grocery Store Robot

geezerette — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:40:12 GMT

It doesn’t take sick days, ask for raises, or time-and-a-half for overtime. It doesn’t have to leave early when one of the kids gets sick. It doesn’t need health insurance or a 401K plan. It doesn’t go on strike when it doesn’t get any of the above, either.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

PhilaLady1 — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:42:59 GMT

How annoying that must be on a busy shopping day. I shop on Saturdays and Sundays because of my work hours. That thing would get knocked down in a second. People trying to get in and out of the store and up and down isles with that machine in the way.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

millieshops — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:46:47 GMT

sign of the times??? people are being replaced by automation many ways and even in the few years I expect to live, I think we'll see more and more of this kind of thing.

At least the robot doesn't stop to make phone calls, text, etc. while it's supposed to be "working."

Re: Grocery Store Robot

ShowMe — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:47:14 GMT

Would love to know where this store is and the name of it.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

ValuSkr — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:48:32 GMT

@Greeneyedlady21 LOL I've seen "Marty" at Giant in PA, a sister company of Stop & Shop.. Ours has big googly eyes, and was being used as yours - to alert management to hazards on the floor. I read someplace that it might be programmed to do other things, like check shelf price tags to be sure they aren't outdated or incorrect.

Seems like they could have designed Marty to look less industrial. On the other hand, if it was too lifelike, some folks could be frightened.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

Greeneyedlady21 — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:54:22 GMT

@ValuSkr It's a Stop and Shop. It had the eyes, they're on the other side.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

deepwaterdotter — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:55:08 GMT

@geezerette wrote:
It doesn’t take sick days, ask for raises, or time-and-a-half for overtime. It doesn’t have to leave early when one of the kids gets sick. It doesn’t need health insurance or a 401K plan. It doesn’t go on strike when it doesn’t get any of the above, either.

I'm guessing that there are probably expenses incurred when maintenance/reprogramming is necessary.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

2blonde — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 19:19:17 GMT

@Greeneyedlady21 wrote:
@ValuSkr It's a Stop and Shop. It had the eyes, they're on the other side.

Were the eyes green??

Re: Grocery Store Robot

threecees — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 19:33:21 GMT

I have 2 Giant stores in my area. One is big and clean and the other not so much.

I will keep my eye and cart out for it.

Wonder if it will have its own Instagram page?

Re: Grocery Store Robot

geezerette — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 19:36:24 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
@geezerette wrote:
It doesn’t take sick days, ask for raises, or time-and-a-half for overtime. It doesn’t have to leave early when one of the kids gets sick. It doesn’t need health insurance or a 401K plan. It doesn’t go on strike when it doesn’t get any of the above, either.
I'm guessing that there are probably expenses incurred when maintenance/reprogramming is necessary.

@deepwaterdotter

Of course! But I imagine those are less than hiring a human employee. Or however many humans one of these will replace.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

shaggygirl — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 19:37:30 GMT

Have one here in my town in Ct at Stop & Shop. It has the googly eyes like someone else mentioned.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

ILTH — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 19:43:39 GMT

I LOVE IT!

Just the idea makes me smile.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

Carmie — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 19:53:12 GMT

All of our Giant stores have these robots in them. They have been around for months. Personally, I don't partially like them. They are annoying.

Re: Grocery Store Robot

SeaMaiden — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 20:01:50 GMT

Seems kind of funny now....but the future will be many more of these robots taking over the human tasks. They will still need humans.....but not as many.