1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: Trying out Walmart's giant new in store vending machines. What's 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: going on. I'm rich Demiro. This is Rich on tech. 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,239 Speaker 1: Walmart is going to war against Amazon. They're testing out 4 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: new technologies to make it easier for you to get 5 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: your stuff no matter how you want to shop, whether 6 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: it's in store, online, or a combination of both. Now, 7 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: this is going to be especially crucial because Amazon is 8 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: integrating their whole foods purchase into its operations more and more, 9 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: using them as a place to pick up orders, drop 10 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: off returns, sell Amazon Stuff service, grocery pickup and delivery hubs, 11 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: and much more. Basically, these two companies have a lot 12 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: at stake. So one of the things that Walmart is 13 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: doing is something called a pickup tower. This is a 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 1: sixteen foot tall giant vending machine that they're installing in 15 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: stores nationwide. They tested the technology in two hundred stores. 16 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: Apparently customers love them. Now they're expanding the technology to 17 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: an additional five hundred stores by the end of the year. Now, 18 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: they just install one in Lancaster, California. So I headed 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: there to check it out, and it is massive. You 20 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: can't miss it. It's right near the front door when 21 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: you walk in. Here's Walmart's Tiffany Wilson. 22 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: Pickup tower is essentially a sixteen foot tall vending machine 23 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 2: that we have in our stores. You pick an item 24 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: or a number of items on walmart dot com. You 25 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 2: have millions of items to choose from, and when your 26 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 2: item is available, you get an email notification with a 27 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 2: bar code. You walk up and scan that bar code, 28 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 2: and your item is vended to you. So it's a 29 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 2: very easy, fast, convenient way to shop and pick up 30 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: your items in store, so you can get in, get out, 31 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: get what you need, and move on with your day. 32 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: So basically, you order something online, you choose in store, pickup, 33 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: and associate in the store grabs your item or items. 34 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: They load it into the machine, and then you can 35 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: come back and pick it up at your leisure. Apparently 36 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: they hold your item for seven days. The machine is 37 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: really fast at retrieving your items, so you don't need 38 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: to talk to anyone or wait in any sort of 39 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: line unless there's someone else picking up an item before you. 40 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: Now I've done online pickup at Target and Best Buy, 41 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: and basically the process is kind of the same, but 42 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: minus the humans. 43 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 2: Other processes include coming through the store and picking all 44 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 2: those items yourself. You could also use pickup today, which 45 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: involves going to a calendar and standing in line and 46 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 2: picking up your item. So this is just another option, 47 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 2: giving customers another option of shopping, whether they like to 48 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 2: shop online, in store, or a combination of the two. 49 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 2: It's just another fresh way to shop and it's easy, 50 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 2: it's fast, and it's fun. 51 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: Now you might be thinking, well, can't Amazon deliver to 52 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: my house in an hour? Well, yeah, that's great if 53 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: you live in an area that offers that I happen to, 54 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: and yes, it is great. But I can see how 55 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: this has appueled nationwide and in every single little town 56 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: that Walmart operates a store in. You order something online 57 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: at work and you pick it up on your way home. 58 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: It's a fast and easy process. 59 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 2: It's great for busy families. It's great for folks who 60 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: don't have a lot of time in their day, don't 61 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: have time to shop, so you let someone else essentially 62 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:57,679 Speaker 2: do the shopping for you, and all you have to 63 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 2: do is just pick it up. 64 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: There's no additional fee for the service. Now, if there 65 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: was one, that would really be bad, because I don't 66 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: think it would be very popular and as for time, 67 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: Walmart's website says your online order should be ready for 68 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: pick up within four hours. Now. I haven't tested the 69 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: service from start to finish by placing a real online order, 70 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: but I imagine that they work in a buffer here and 71 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: often orders might be ready faster than that. They will 72 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: text you or email you when your order's ready. But 73 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: I can also see how this service will be slammed 74 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: during the holidays. So what about that all important jword jobs. 75 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: The pickup tower itself is automated, but you do need 76 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: some folks to load it up. 77 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 2: We've seen new jobs created because of the pickup towers, 78 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 2: because of online grocery pickup and all the different new 79 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 2: technologies that we have in store. So we're retraining our associates, 80 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: we're bringing on new associates for these particular jobs. So 81 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 2: we're saying really good growth. 82 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: One more Walmart program I checked out online grocery ordering pickup. 83 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: One more Walmart program I checked out is online grocery 84 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: ordering pickup. You place a grocery order online, then you 85 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: choose a pickup window time, Then you head to the store. 86 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: You park an especially labeled spot, call a number, and 87 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: wait for someone to come out and load your order 88 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: into your car. Now, if you have kids in car seats, 89 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: this can be really handy. They'll put everything in your 90 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: car for you. And if you're wondering, can you trust 91 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: someone to pick out your produce and meat, well, you 92 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: might be surprised to find out that Walmart has already 93 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: thought of that. 94 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 2: I think it'll be really impressed with the skills that 95 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 2: they have to pick out groceries for you. So they're 96 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 2: trained for weeks. This is their specific role, their personal shoppers. 97 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 2: And this is a job that we never had in 98 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 2: the store before the existence of online grocery pickup. So yes, 99 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 2: they're trained for several weeks. They know how to pick 100 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 2: out the best tomato. They know how to look for 101 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 2: beastings on the watermelon and how hollow it should be 102 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 2: when you knock on it. 103 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: And I did ask about tipping. While Amazon encourages you 104 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: to tip your Prime Now and grocery delivery folks, Walmart 105 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,559 Speaker 1: told me that tips aren't just discouraged, but associates aren't 106 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: allowed to accept them. By the way, these innovations seem 107 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: to be working. Walmart just reported some of their best 108 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: quarterly performance in a decade and online sales are up 109 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 1: forty percent. Question is does Walmart need to get the 110 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: whole food slash Amazon crowd to change their habits or 111 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: just get more of their own customers to modify theirs. 112 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for listening. If you want a link 113 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: to watch the video of the pickup tower in action, 114 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: go to my website. It is richontech dot tv. I'm Richdemiro. 115 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 1: I'll talk to you real soon.