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Will Amazon replace Whole Foods workers with ROBOTS? Online retail giant(T)
thesun.co.uk ^ | 6/20/2017 | JACOB SONENSHINE

Posted on 06/20/2017 9:11:56 AM PDT by rktman

The move is part of Amazon’s strategy for Whole Foods to sell to middle and lower income consumers, the report alleged.

Amazon may be seeking to make the high-end grocer more competitive with Walmart and other mass-market retailers in the US, the New York Post reports.

An Amazon spokesman denied that job cuts are in the works for Whole Foods.

Technology will replace the cashier jobs at Whole Foods, using sensor technology that’s being pioneered at the experimental Amazon Go store concept in Seattle, according to the report.

In February, a source told The New York Post that “Amazon will utilise technology to minimise labour” at new, machine-automated supermarkets that could operate with as few as three employees.

At Whole Foods, technology would enable people to pay using their smartphone, instead of seeing a cashier, or even using a kiosk, a source told Bloomberg.

(Excerpt) Read more at thesun.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: betters; smugiosity
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So, did bezos simply go "Alexa, buy whole foods company." Went in to one of their stores once. Vowed to never step in again. For any reason. Smug "We're just so much smarter and care so much more for the erf than typical everyday slugs" attitude. The prices! Yikes! A lot of the patrons also had the ecowanker smug attitude. Not to mention the plethora of man buns being sported by the sales members or whatever they're called. So, sorry jeff, you won't be getting any of my business. But, you'll get by okay without me.
1 posted on 06/20/2017 9:11:57 AM PDT by rktman
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To: rktman

I definitely prefer Wegmans over Whole foods here in Maryland.

Not only is Whole Foods expensive but I also notice thta package sizes (juices, sauces , etc) are smaller than normal, like they are for a 90 year old woman.


2 posted on 06/20/2017 9:15:59 AM PDT by sickoflibs (Message to Trump : I am not tired of winning yet. Please more winning ! Get your crap together fast!)
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To: rktman
Will Amazon replace Whole Foods workers with ROBOTS?

Well, they're all Dems anyway, so would there be a point? Would anyone notice a difference?

3 posted on 06/20/2017 9:17:19 AM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: rktman

I’m not sure Bezos intends to keep the whole “earth mother” organic yuppie health food business model. Most analysts I’d listened to believe he bought it solely for the over 400 refrigerated stores to be used a retail outlets to jump immediately into the grocery. Most believe he’s going for the Wal-Mart, Kroger type grocery market share not the “Whole foods” market.


4 posted on 06/20/2017 9:19:42 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: sickoflibs

We shop Wegmans also. I occasionally go to the Columbia Wegmans just to have lunch.


5 posted on 06/20/2017 9:20:08 AM PDT by House Atreides (Send BOTH Hillary & Bill to prison.)
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To: rktman

Mmmm no. Self checkout probably, but I don’t think any of the robots are ready to actually run a grocery store yet.


6 posted on 06/20/2017 9:21:52 AM PDT by discostu (You are what you is, and that's all it is, you ain't what you're not, so see what you got.)
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To: rktman

Umm...Whole Foods workers ARE robots. They have been programmed over the period of the last 8 years by their DNC Masters.


7 posted on 06/20/2017 9:24:01 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Battleships confide in me and tell me where you are...)
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To: rktman

Well Dr Evil will have to buy off some Politicians which he no doubt will. No self / automated check out in California if you are buying Booze. I assume it is a State law, but no go at Wally world and Albertsons which offer self checkout.


8 posted on 06/20/2017 9:25:12 AM PDT by DAC21
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To: House Atreides
RE:”We shop Wegmans also. I occasionally go to the Columbia Wegmans just to have lunch.”

Snowden River Pkway. I like that one and when I am further North I go to the one at the Hunt Valley Town Center, parking and getting in and out is much easier there than the Columbia one.

Although the Columbia one has a lower parking level, that is nice when the Sun is hot or its raining heavy.

9 posted on 06/20/2017 9:26:50 AM PDT by sickoflibs (Message to Trump : I am not tired of winning yet. Please more winning ! Get your crap together fast!)
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To: sickoflibs

I grew up in Rochester, NY and always enjoyed Wegman’s. I live about an hour east of Syracuse now, and occasionally drive there so I can go to the nearest Wegman’s. Other than that, my only local options are Price Chopper, Tops, and Walmart. I get my meat and veggies at Price Chopper, and most of my non-perishables at Walmart. Tops seems to be higher priced than both. Once in a while when I go into Utica, I’ll stop at Hannaford.


10 posted on 06/20/2017 9:28:58 AM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: circlecity

Hmmm. I can open carry in my local Kroger (Smiths) and no one even does a double take. You know. Just in case some angry carrots were to attack me. ;-)


11 posted on 06/20/2017 9:29:54 AM PDT by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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To: rktman

meh. Every company will replace every worker with computers and robots. Amazon may be one of the first, though the rest won’t be far behind.

Oh, and by “every”, what I actually mean is “every”.


12 posted on 06/20/2017 9:31:55 AM PDT by Mr. Douglas (Best. Election. EVER!)
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To: rktman
Bezos should have brought Trader Joe's....where they specialize selling vegetables by the piece.
13 posted on 06/20/2017 9:32:06 AM PDT by spokeshave (In the Thatch Weave,..Trump's Wing Man is Truth)
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To: rktman

“Amazon will utilise technology to minimise labour”

Actually, as a US company, I imagine that they will utilize technology to minimize labor.


14 posted on 06/20/2017 9:33:29 AM PDT by rightwingcrazy (rightwingcrazy)
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To: rktman

Has anyone ever robbed a robot before?


15 posted on 06/20/2017 9:35:30 AM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: rktman

My dad owned a bakery distribution company that had Whole foods as a major client.
I helped him out for a while delivering the bread etc...
Hate to break it to the employees but WF ALREADY employs robots.....leftist ones.

What a freak show that job was.


16 posted on 06/20/2017 9:36:03 AM PDT by mowowie
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To: rktman

My husband and daughter have many severe food allergies/sensitivities. I make/grow most of our food (even mayonnaise, ice cream, baking mixes, bread, etc) to avoid their biggest allergies (corn and soy). However, sometimes we do shop at organic stores like Whole Foods. They are expensive but will often have things they can eat, like cookies and such that are treats or bread so I get a week off.

I suspect if Amazon changes anything it will going to a Fresh and Easy checkout model (all self checkout with clerks to help)


17 posted on 06/20/2017 9:36:36 AM PDT by reaganaut (Bible scholar/historian/apologist)
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To: rktman

There’s no way Bezos could maintain the Whole Foods model, even if he wanted to. Whole Foods is about a personal experience and lots of food with attitude. Part of that experience is innovative “new” and “fresh local” choices. Amazon can’t maintain that model any more than they can sell designer clothes or hand-made individual items.


18 posted on 06/20/2017 9:39:23 AM PDT by grania (Deplorable and Proud of It!)
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To: sickoflibs

MY GF works at Wegmans in Westwood, MA.
She Loves the company, the friendly owners/family and her fellow employees, seem like almost family to her.
She also has this weird attraction to Wegmans branded food.
She is convinced that a lot of it is better than the brand names.


19 posted on 06/20/2017 9:39:37 AM PDT by mowowie
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To: reaganaut

I understand there are extenuating circumstances that come in to play and everybody has different requirements. Sorry your folks have these issues. You do what you gotta do to feed and protect you and yours. But, in general, I won’t be going there or using “alexa” to order up anything. Do I really want an open microphone sitting around my house 24/7? LOL!


20 posted on 06/20/2017 9:40:26 AM PDT by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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