>Trend towards decreased human involvement. Not yet the end of the line!
Robot Retail: „Ubercool: Global retail sales totaled approximately US$8 trillion in 2004. In the U.S. alone, retailers rang up sales of US$4.1 trillion, up 8% over 2003. While both figures are impressive, one can only imagine what would happen if retailing’s often archaic processes were perfected and streamlined. Below are three new “user interfaces” that show just how stores will evolve into uber-efficient robot retailers. McDonald’s RedBox subsidiary has 1,000 DVD rental vending machines, mostly in McDonald’s. Each RedBox holds 500 DVDs with about 40 of the latest movies. San Francisco-based Zoom Systems has created a retail automat that dispenses Apple iPods, Bose headphones, digital cameras and DVDs at more than 185 locations in the U.S., with plans to add 100 more. Robot Retail [Ubercool]“
