Walmart's new "in-fridge" delivery - crowdsourced driver while you aren't there

[underpants]

Walmart's 'in-fridge' delivery service offers creepy convenience

This is partially why an “in-fridge” delivery service currently being piloted by Walmart in California is freaking out a whole lot of people.

Launched in collaboration with smart lock technology leader August, the new scheme targets ultra-harried consumers who are too busy to go grocery shopping at brick-and-mortar stores, too busy to be at home to intercept grocery deliveries and too busy, apparently, to put their own groceries away in the fridge.

Here are the basics:

Shoppers place grocery orders as they normally would on Walmart.com. Yet instead of setting up a delivery window, a crowdsourced driver comes around once your order is ready. In lieu of leaving your delivery on your porch or in an apartment building foyer where it risks being lost or stolen, the driver will enter your home using a special one-time-only passcode generated by the August app. Once inside, they’ll unload any perishables into your refrigerator and freezer and, presumably, leave other comestibles on your kitchen countertop.

https://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/blogs/walmarts-fridge-delivery-service-offers-convenience-heebie-jeebies?google_editors_picks=true

[AtheistCrusader]

1. That's awesome.

Too bad I don't like Wal-Mart though.

This idea of door codes for delivery has been floated for UPS/Amazon, so your stuff isn't stolen off your porch.

[SamKnause]

2. What about the stuff stolen out of your house ???

[AtheistCrusader]

5. I am quite used to paying people to enter my home, do a task, and not steal.

And I have counter-measures in case they fail to live up to their contractual obligations.

[Doreen]

14. My exact thought.

[ProudLib72]

3. It's really just an extension of maid service

except that home owners usually actually meet the maids (at least the boss maid) before the service starts. And maids usually are given a key so that they can come in at any time of day, not just once.

So the question is, Does meeting and speaking to that person a single time really make all the difference?

[RussBLib]

4. no thanks

at least, not until I have working cameras all over the house so I can monitor the deliveryperson

[BannonsLiver]

6. if you're that busy groceries are the least of your problems.

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Bingo. n/t

[Initech]

7. Do I want someone in my house when I'm not there? Fucking hell no!!!

[underpants]

8. This piece is so you!

[Cicada]

9. Japan has a simpler system

A refrigerator is installed in the wall of the home. Inside the door opens to the kitchen. But the other side, the side facing the outside, also has a door. Venders just open the outside door and put perishables in the refrigerator. Since the Japanese are insanely honest no code is needed. After their earthquake and tsunami Japanese turned in millions of dollars of cash found to the police. You can leave a three thousand dollar camera in your unlocked car because it will not be stolen. People regularly take found cash to the police.

The Japanese believe they are superior to others. I think they are correct.

Though I have heard their business people will lie to American business partners.

[matt819]

10. Crowd-sourced delivery

What could go wrong?

[nuxvomica]

11. Great!

This means you could set up regularly scheduled deliveries, with everything on autopay, just like the phone, power and cable TV. You could then die in your bedroom and no one would ever find you yet you would continue to be a functioning consumer, doing your best, albeit posthumously, to keep the ol' American economy humming. Yay!

[underpants]

12. That's morbidly hilarious

[Doreen]

15. You make me laugh.