http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/ Engadget Comments for Wal-Mart to use infrared to track shoppers / promotions http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/Oct 4th 2006 12:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/Oct 4th 2006 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
Try it for yourself, you'd be surprised how well it works!]]>Oct 4th 2006 12:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/Oct 4th 2006 8:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/Oct 14th 2007 2:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
its really cool to see corporations innovate on the operations side of things]]>Oct 4th 2006 12:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
...Oh no don't let WalMart get me now :rolleyes:]]>Oct 4th 2006 12:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
If everyone had an RFID chip in their skull or wallet or whatever, and each product had an RFID chip in it, then you wouldnt need any cashiers. Walk in, grab your Tickle Me Elmo XXX, and walk out, and the store registers that you're holding a TMEXXX and bills you for it.

now, the day that system glitches, well thats another story.]]>Oct 4th 2006 12:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
Go log into your Amazon.com account and see all the nice things they recommend based on what you've looked at or purchased...it's the same thing if not even more detailed than Walmart's new system (which would only appear to track you during one trip and not match you trip to trip).

And the truth is that if they're not using it for some nefarious purpose, well, good for them. Although to be honest the only store whose recommendation system actually impressed me was Macy's (after looking at a couple items it suggested both a watch and cologne that I already own...and purchased at Macy's B&Ms before!).

]]>Oct 4th 2006 1:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/Oct 4th 2006 2:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/Oct 4th 2006 2:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
I've seen this kind of thing in action. Essentially you get one of those neato-looking temperature-blob kind of pictures overlayed on the store map, and it shows where the most popular areas are. This kind of stuff is good for the store, and good for the consumer as it helps put what you're looking for in the right places. It even helps them balance their checkout counters knowing when they might get overloaded and need more staff.

I'm not a big fan of Walmart, but this really isn't BigBrother style stuff. There is no individual-level tracking.]]>Oct 4th 2006 3:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9074-2387990,00.html]]>Oct 4th 2006 4:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
Viva Pinata!]]>Oct 4th 2006 4:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/Oct 4th 2006 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
There's plenty of reasons to not shop at WalMart, this isn't one of them.]]>Oct 4th 2006 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
Walmart bringing low prices and high taxes for you. Don't shop there.]]>Oct 4th 2006 11:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/>>>SH@%#& We're Friggin ROLLIN IT BACK JUST FOR YOU BIT@$!!!....That way you'll hurry up....get what you need then leave/....Make room for more shoppers......ok maybe a bit extreme....But we all know wal mart would LOVE To operate like that.]]>Jan 10th 2007 10:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/wal-mart-to-use-infrared-to-track-shoppers-promotions/
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/23/diy-ir-headgear-repels-security-cameras-attracts-security/

Just one of the many high costs of low prices.
]]>Feb 23rd 2008 12:24PM