The Automated Wal-Mart- A Thought Experiment

(Disclaimers are on the last page.)

Sandeep Krishnamurthy

The Idea
Imagine a completely automated Wal-Mart. When you enter the store, there are,
generally, no employees to help you. At most times, the only people in the store are
customers. If you show up between 3 and 6 a.m., you might see employees
performing shelf-stocking activities. A clean-up crew shows up at 6:30 a.m.

How could this be possible, you ask? Don’t you need people to run a store? In this
document, I will demonstrate that it is now possible to run a store using various
technologies.

Remember, this is a thought experiment. Such a store does not exist today. However,

it might in the future. This is intended to provoke thought and reasoned conversation.
I expect that this document will mainly be used in educational settings.

The Typical User Experience

Entry

Entry to the unmanned Wal-Mart is through a biometric security system. Registered
customers enter the store by simply pressing their thumb on a reader. Readers are
available at two heights to accommodate various ages and profiles. A two-door entry
system ensures that only authorized visitors might enter. Video and still images are
taken of every entering customer for security purposes.

New visitors are directed to kiosks outside the store for the registration process. Here,

they have to fill out a short form, provide a major credit card and have a picture
taken. Then, they provide a thumbprint to authenticate their identity and they are
instantaneously registered.

Greeting
Entering customers are greeted by an automated greeting assistant. A typical

message would be- “Welcome to Wal-Mart! I hope you have a great shopping day.
Today, we have a special on children’s toys on aisle 26. Do you have a question I can
answer?”

The automated assistant is built on kiosk technology and possesses a virtual
physiognomy that is designed to make users comfortable. The voice of the automated
assistant is chosen to be pleasing. Due to the cost-savings generated through in-store

automation, automated greeting assistants are available throughout the store. The
gender of the assistant is matched with the demographic profile associated with a