Automated shopping
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For retail workers under capitalism, it will be a serious threat to livelihoods but for socialism, an organised means of distribution, a step beyond bar-codes.
alanjjohnstone wrote:https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/21/amazons-first-automated-store-opens-to-public-on-mondayFor retail workers under capitalism, it will be a serious threat to livelihoods but for socialism, an organised means of distribution, a step beyond bar-codes.Also buggers it up for those of us who like to take advantage of a little bit of five finger discount, not that I would in anyway encourage or support shoplifting.
Amazing Amazon!! Thanks for that Alan. It is capitalist productive forces that make capitalist relations outdated.We will need to alter the emphasis of our case, if capitalism turns into an apparently 'Moneyless Society'
If we have learnt anything about capitalist relations of production it is that they are extremely flexible. If they can accomodate everything from the steam engine to modern computers, then this innovation is going to give them no problems. Bit of hard luck for those check-out workers who find themselves unemployed, of course.
The Socialist Standard commented on this a year ago:https://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/2010s/2017/no-1350-february-2017/cooking-books-abolish-money-%E2%80%93-not-now
The CASHIERLESS storeA more critical review of it here https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/21/inside-amazons-surveillance-powered-no-checkout-convenience-store/There may not be cashiers, but there are staff. Shelf stockers who replenish inventory; an ID checker in the wine and beer section, and chefs in the back throwing together fresh sandwiches and meal kits. Someone also hovers in the entrance area to help people with the app, answer questions, and take returns. Amazon has said it employs the same number of people at Amazon Go as you'd find at a comparably sized convenience store, though declined to provide specific numbers. Instead of cashiers, Amazon has more people restocking shelves and preparing meals
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