On Tue, 4 Apr 2006, Howard Winter wrote:

> Except that they are talking about not having a cashier as such, and 
> not scanning each item individually, but walking through a 
> reader-portal with a trolleyful of items, which are all RFID-read "at 
> once".  There is little or no advantage in replacing barcodes with 
> RFID and then handling each item in the same way - the advantage is in 
> eliminating the one-at-a-time handling by a staff member.  A 5% 
> read-failure wouldn't be tolerated in this case - and RFID wouldn't be 
> implemented.
>
> When the wheel-through portal is in use, then zapping RFIDs becomes a 
> viable method of theft.  Expect to see some reaction from the retail 
> trade if it starts happening!

a. there is a camera on the exit all the time

b. wearing biker helmets, wide brimmed hats and ski masks is likely 
going to be illegal in supermarkets just like it is in pubs

c. at the merchandise volume and revenue margin processed per day in a 
grocery or supermarket nobody can afford an automated system that has 
the required number of nines to achieve zero errors. Even the RFID chips 
themselves do not have the required number of nines, even without being 
baked in the sun, frozen, falling off the pallet, soaked in brine 
leaking from a cheese, covered in tomato sauce (very nice RF absorber) 
and sandwiched between two metal preserve cans in someone's basket. 
Remember cashiers have minimum income jobs.

d. this means that there must be means to deal with losses in the system 
(probably an insurance salesman's wet dream selling insurance to these 
guys).

e. replacing 8 cashiers with a single guardman who eyes the exits and 
the totalizers and has some coercive means (like a button to close the 
doors and a phone to call the police) could be cost effective. Such 
places need a guard anyway.

Peter
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