Comment by dm2 | Hacker News Reader

Comment by dm2 | Hacker News Reader

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Site-to-Store actually isn't available for most items.

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=ensu...

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=cent...

If it is then I can't figure out how to use it. Those were just the two items I would like to purchase and typed in first.

Regarding the "click a button for what I want, then open my door that same day and see my items sitting there waiting for me", that's not true for many places. I live in a tech-focused capital city and shipping is at least 2 days for Prime but I've had it take much longer (yes, for items sold by Amazon). I regularly see Amazon do the "our shipping carrier handed your item to USPS and we are no longer responsible for how long it takes" routine and it is completely unacceptable.

Once they get the site-to-store thing right (in it's current state you are correct, it has flaws) then they should offer some kind of large promotion to encourage people to register and use their service one time. Right now I'm hesitant to register and start shopping with Walmart, I don't have a logical reason for this though.

Real innovation will be when I can order and pay online, then send out my autonomous vehicle to walmart, then one of their employees will put the items in my car and the car will drive home and text or email me when it arrives. That's probably 10 years away but it will happen.

As for the point of items there same day/next-day, that is the problem Amazon Fresh is trying to solve. I have it here locally and it is pretty much amazing.

For the last point - why send out your autonomous vehicle and deal with employees at all? That's so 2024 (as you said). I want an autonomous Amazon Fresh truck, or maybe even an Amazon Prime drone to deliver to me. No employees needed, no human inefficiency.

"For the last point - why send out your autonomous vehicle and deal with employees at all? That's so 2024 (as you said). I want an autonomous Amazon Fresh truck, or maybe even an Amazon Prime drone to deliver to me. No employees needed, no human inefficiency."

Several reasons. It would work with any store or even fast-food/restaurants, sending my car to pick up a burger would be fantastic. Human employees walking the packages to your car (which would have a special lane in front of the store) could be easily replaced by a robot, at the moment it's just cheaper to have a human do the task. For many people who need a low paying and low skill job, that would be a great opportunity for them, there wouldn't be any dealing with customers either.

How would the autonomous delivery trucks you are talking about actually deliver the packages? The very difficult part would be getting the packages from the vehicle to the person's door. It would not work if it required the customers to come outside to pick up the packages, people wouldn't be home, they might be busy at the moment, it would be difficult to ensure they don't take the wrong or someone elses packages. I've considered that before and I just can't figure out a way for that to work.

The drones are also impractical and could only be used for small items. You would basically need a landing zone in your yard, I just don't see that happening nor being part of the free shipping. In my opinion the drone announcement was just a research project (that was full of flaws that can't be overcome) or a marketing stunt.

Good points, good discussion!

> How would the autonomous delivery trucks you are talking about actually deliver the packages? The very difficult part would be getting the packages from the vehicle to the person's door. It would not work if it required the customers to come outside to pick up the packages, people wouldn't be home, they might be busy at the moment, it would be difficult to ensure they don't take the wrong or someone elses packages. I've considered that before and I just can't figure out a way for that to work.

Tightly specified mailboxes.

Imagine that if you installed a special "UP-EX" mail box, you could receive packages securely when not at home. The truck has an arm that places the item directly into the receptacle.

> How would the autonomous delivery trucks you are talking about actually deliver the packages?

For the first iteration, I'd have a human take the boxes from the truck to the door. The truck would have one of those laser designators like Kiva uses for amazon warehouses to help the human pick the box. The difference is that the human is a minimum wage drone instead of a unionized teamster, so the savings could be quite substantial.

Plus, since the truck is automated, it doesn't have to be static while the picker is out running with the package.

Most groceries are bough weekly , so why is 1-day important for you? is it only for the times around the week that you miss some stuff ?

I have experienced the problem, but I have no idea as to the reasoning or lack thereof behind it.

I love to order my groceries to be delivered, it's very convenient. But I generally fail to order them significantly far enough (24 hours!) in advance, and end up going to the supermarket anyway. I would love same-day delivery. Don't ask me the reason, because I don't know it!

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