Shoppers React as Grocers Replace Freezer Doors with Screens Playing Ads (cnn.com) 379
Walgreens and other retailers replaced some fridge and freezer doors with iPad-like screens, reports CNN. "And some shoppers absolutely hate it."
The screens, which were developed by the startup Cooler Screens, use a system of motion sensors and cameras to display what's inside the doors — as well as product information, prices, deals and, most appealing to brands, paid advertisements. The tech provides stores with an additional revenue stream and a way to modernize the shopping experience. But for customers who just want to peek into the freezer and grab their ice cream, Walgreens risks angering them by solving a problem that shoppers didn't know existed. The company wants to engage more people with advertising, but the reaction, so far, is annoyance and confusion.
"Why would Walgreens do this?" one befuddled shopper who encountered the screens posted on TikTok. "Who on God's green earth thought this was a good idea?"
"The digital cooler screens at Walgreens made me watch an ad before it allowed me to know which door held the frozen pizzas," said someone on Twitter....
Walgreens began testing the screens in 2018 and has since expanded the pilot to a couple thousand locations nationwide. Several other major retailers are launching their own tests with Cooler Screens, including Kroger, CVS, GetGo convenience stores and Chevron gas stations. "I hope that we will one day be able to expand across all parts of the store," said Cooler Screens co-founder and CEO Arsen Avakian in an interview with CNN Business. Currently the startup has about 10,000 screens in stores, which are viewed by approximately 90 million consumers monthly, according to the company....
Politifact last month debunked a viral Facebook video that claimed "Walgreens refrigerators are scanning shoppers' hands and foreheads for 'the mark of the beast.'"
Avakian insists the tech is "identity-blind" and protects consumers' privacy. The freezers have front-facing sensors used to anonymously track shoppers interacting with the platform, while internally facing cameras track product inventory...
The items on display don't always match up with what's inside because products are out of stock.....
"This is the future of retail and shopping," Avakian said.
CNN notes that major corporations are backing the company Cooler Screens, which "has raised more than $100 million from backers including Microsoft and Verizon." But long-time Slashdot reader davidwr points out it's been done before. "Some gas stations have had video ads at the pump for years now. I boycott those stations on principle."
And Slashdot reader quonset wonders if we're one step closer to Futurama's vision of a world where advertisers enter our dreams.
"Why would Walgreens do this?" one befuddled shopper who encountered the screens posted on TikTok. "Who on God's green earth thought this was a good idea?"
"The digital cooler screens at Walgreens made me watch an ad before it allowed me to know which door held the frozen pizzas," said someone on Twitter....
Walgreens began testing the screens in 2018 and has since expanded the pilot to a couple thousand locations nationwide. Several other major retailers are launching their own tests with Cooler Screens, including Kroger, CVS, GetGo convenience stores and Chevron gas stations. "I hope that we will one day be able to expand across all parts of the store," said Cooler Screens co-founder and CEO Arsen Avakian in an interview with CNN Business. Currently the startup has about 10,000 screens in stores, which are viewed by approximately 90 million consumers monthly, according to the company....
Politifact last month debunked a viral Facebook video that claimed "Walgreens refrigerators are scanning shoppers' hands and foreheads for 'the mark of the beast.'"
Avakian insists the tech is "identity-blind" and protects consumers' privacy. The freezers have front-facing sensors used to anonymously track shoppers interacting with the platform, while internally facing cameras track product inventory...
The items on display don't always match up with what's inside because products are out of stock.....
"This is the future of retail and shopping," Avakian said.
CNN notes that major corporations are backing the company Cooler Screens, which "has raised more than $100 million from backers including Microsoft and Verizon." But long-time Slashdot reader davidwr points out it's been done before. "Some gas stations have had video ads at the pump for years now. I boycott those stations on principle."
And Slashdot reader quonset wonders if we're one step closer to Futurama's vision of a world where advertisers enter our dreams.
Yep (Score:3)
You have to go down the isle and open ever freezer door to find what you're looking for because you don't know exactly what's inside any one unit.
Re: Yep (Score:2)
Can you jam the doors open and leave them that way? A few thousand dollars in losses later and maybe retailers will get the message.
Re: (Score:2)
Then you find out that a) the cameras are recording you, as well, and b) vandalism is a crime.
Re: (Score:2)
"vandalism is a crime."
and?
Good luck getting a Sorostan DA to prosecute anything under $1000.
Re: Yep (Score:2)
Since Covid19 still is in effect just mask up.
The screens aren't essential, so they can be disabled.
Re: (Score:3)
Can you jam the doors open and leave them that way? A few thousand dollars in losses later and maybe retailers will get the message.
You're a cunt. Normal people would just shop elsewhere.. But there's always one spoiled cunt who'll ruin everyone's stuff if they can't have their way. You're that cunt.
This is a war, and some of it will be conducted guerilla-style. As for the "shop elsewhere" bullshit, how long do you think it will be before ALL the stores have this shit? But there's always one brainwashed cunt who'll support the corporatocracy plastering inescapable advertising over the entire fucking universe 24-7. You're that cunt.
Re: Yep (Score:3)
Goddamn, I thought they were using backless/sidelit LCD panels which would be bad enough but at least you would be able to see the contents through the door.
Stuffing a TV set inside a door counts as "innovation" these days.
Now we will have constant "therp therp therp"s going down the aisle as people who have gone blind to ads open all of the doors to try to find what they are looking for. And then there is the energy waste that come from the constant opening of all of those doors.
This idea is stupid, and li
Re: Yep (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
If they're adjusted correctly (and they are, almost all the time), gravity will close it for you unless you actively jam it open. Which would be criminal vandalism.
Re: Yep (Score:2)
No, you are the dick - protest actions that really hurts are the most effective.
Re: (Score:2)
The ones by me play ads, and are supposed to switch over to a screen of what's inside as you walk up. Even assuming these were working correctly, it's still a major pain in the ass to use because you have to walk past every one to find what you're looking for. But what almost always happens is that the screen doesn't change until you've got the door opened and seen that you opened the wrong one, or there is no stock there.
Re: (Score:2)
You have to go down the isle and open ever freezer door to find what you're looking for because you don't know exactly what's inside any one unit.
Or, you could just opt out by walking out. There is no fucking way in hell I will ever patronize a store that pulls that shit.
OTOH, I have enough electronics skill and experience that with a little research I might just be able to make a portable device that would fry every one of those screens as I walk by...
Re: (Score:2)
yeah, I got to that part of the summary and had a WTF moment. I had assumed at first that the cameras were so it could show the interior as it was, with ads as an overlay, not to try (and fail) to do inventory counting.
Re: (Score:3)
On the bright side, it's nice knowing where the drink would have been so you know you're in the right place. Like when I was in Vegas a few months ago and all the bottled milk in the resort area was sold out. But at least I was comforted in knowing I wasn't going blind. Maybe crazy, but not blind.
Re: (Score:3)
You're assuming that what's on the screen is supposed to be what's supposed to be inside the cooler, rather than simply being what some manufacturer is paying to advertise there.
Regardless of what the advertising parasites might claim, there's no reason to believe that what's on the screen in in any way connected to what's behind the door.
Re: Yep (Score:2)
Just up the game by bringing some wire cutters to disable the screens and leave the doors open.
Re: (Score:2)
Insulated glove with stun gun contacts on the finger tips might work too.
Re: (Score:2)
Or marketing execs who are so mentally damaged that they actually believe that the only thing they need to do to generate more advertising revenue is to create more places to sell ads, because of course everyone wants to see more of their brilliant ads.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Do you want to open 20 freezer doors and play "Where's Waldo" to find your product?
Well you're in luck. A guy posted above that his Walgreens has installed these, and they don't display the products that they hold at all. So this is exactly what needs to be done.
Re: Yep (Score:5, Insightful)
Retails have spend the last century (literally I am not kidding) destining the stores, carefully gathering data on where to put things, how to display things, where to direct you to walk all to try to manipulate your behavior.
I would suggest the right response is to simply do exactly what they are inducing you to do. No need to be directly destructive. I would say just forget your fathers admonition "don't stand there with fridge door open" and just do exactly that. Walk up open the cooler and consider the products with the door open. Don't want to the ads to run to find out what is inside what cooler, just open them as you go by and the doors swing shut as they will. There is no reason to inconvenience yourself beyond having to open the doors up which THEY made you do.
When they see fantastically higher electric bills, and extra product shrink due to pre-sell by spoilage etc, their data will tell them to reverse course.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm pretty sure that was his point. You mad bro?
Prop the doors open and leave (Score:2)
That way future customers can see what is inside without having to deal with this bull.
They clearly do not care about your time, why should we care about their electrical bill?
Re:Prop the doors open and leave (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3)
A gas station near me tried playing advertising while I was pumping gas. I drove out of my way to avoid that gas station.
Trying again after a couple of years, the advertising was gone.
Walgreens will be monitoring the impact of the advertising on sales. Vote with your money.
Re: (Score:2)
They clearly do not care about your time, why should we care about their electrical bill?
Because electricity bills are stupidly small and all you're doing is pointlessly wasting energy contributing even more to America's already dubious reputation as one of the highest per-capita emitters in the world?
Here's a better idea: Don't shop at stores you don't like. Don't open that freezer. If they saw their sales dropping they wouldn't proliferate this shit.
Re: (Score:3)
Here's a better idea: Don't shop at stores you don't like. Don't open that freezer. If they saw their sales dropping they wouldn't proliferate this shit.
Or... open the doors and rearrange things. Fun for everyone. :-)
Re: (Score:2)
the doors are far better insulated than glass-
it might be a net savings.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, I originally thought that this might be beneficial in that the video display would presumably not be fogged up. But I also assumed it would be showing what's actually in there, since it has cameras.
Re: (Score:2)
A spring loaded center punch would be much more effective.
Re: Prop the doors open and leave (Score:2)
If the backlash is weak then it won't go away.
A strong backlash makes it go away faster.
Who wants to start a startup... (Score:2)
for glasses with a built-in adblock? We could add obfuscating relatives as a paid feature.
Re: (Score:2)
I like it! You could offer free glasses just for being forced to look at ads. You may think I'm joking, but I bet it would be a huge success.
Re: Who wants to start a startup... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
On many LCD screens polarising filters work well. So long as the filter is in the opposite direction to the one on the screen, screen appears black. Polarising sunglasses are already a thing, though the direction is usually set to block reflection off surfaces. Shouldn’t be too hard to make one with the lenses rotated 90 degrees!
Who? (Score:2)
Who the fuck buys groceries at Walgreens?
Re: (Score:3)
Hint: Walgreens sells groceries, which means objectively the answer to your question is: Enough people to make it a financially functional business decision to do so.
Re: (Score:2)
In my experience, someone who doesn't want to drive 2-3 times as far late in the evening to get 1-3 things because then dinner will be cold before they get home.
Or doesn't have a car and therefore can't get to the grocery store, but can walk 2-3 blocks.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
On in the case of their OTC meds, up to 10x as much. Yes really 10x in some cases. Because of a really nasty (non-covid) respiratory infection, I wanted some actual pseudoephedrine, not the phenylephrine placebo, and they *started* at $22 for like 12 pills. But they were out of stock of every formulation, I went to a local mom&pop, and got the exactly same amount for $2.60 they had wante
Re: (Score:2)
We're fortunate to have a local "mom & pop" pharmacy. It's pretty great. I've even seen them extend credit to customers having a tough time. It's the kind of thing that you'll never see from a RiteAid or CVS.
Asinine (Score:3)
You replace a piece of clear glass with an energy hogging opaque panel that intentionally prevents viewing inside the case? And then, after an ad roll, you show a picture of what should be in the case, but may not be an accurate representation of what's in the case and the shelf may be empty?
The entire this is asinine. I sincerely hope that people willfully break every damned one of these things.
Wrong (Score:3)
"Cooler Screens CEO Avakian said he developed the concept after watching in-store customers whip out their phones to find product information and reviews. "
Wrong. Most of the time when I'm standing in front of a freezer checking my phone is making absolutely sure that what I'm looking at is what my significant other put on the shopping list, so that I don't get any bollocking at home.
Re: (Score:3)
With me I've scanned the barcode and am comparing prices.
Re: (Score:2)
I pretty much guarantee these screens aren’t showing you the product prices at competing stores...
Re: (Score:2)
That's why I am looking at my phone screen. Hint: It's not for nutrition information.
Re: (Score:2)
With me I've scanned the barcode and am comparing prices.
Are things that tight where you are comparing prices of frozen pizzas? Wow.
Re: (Score:2)
"Cooler Screens CEO Avakian said he developed the concept after watching in-store customers whip out their phones to find product information and reviews."
Well of course he’s going to claim he’s filling a customer need - what else is he going to say? “I developed the concept after realizing there were all these ad-free surfaces that lots of people stare at every day”?
Comment removed (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
I was wondering why the station up the road from me didn't actually have anything playing on the screens.
Mute gas pump ads (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
I was not aware of this. I will try this. If it works - gods bless you, all of them.
Re: (Score:3)
At our local Fred Meyer, it's the fourth button (the bottom one) that turns those annoying Additech videos off. If you look closely, beside that button it'll probably say something like "No Thanks" in tiny text.
I didn't know about this either until I saw a cashier turn the ad off while she was helping an elderly customer. I should have given her a big tip.
Simple Solution (Score:2)
The digital cooler screens at Walgreens made me watch an ad before it allowed me to know which door held the frozen pizzas
Then ignore it and just go around opening freezer doors until you find what you want instead of watching the ad. The cost of electricity from having people hold open the doors and possibly spoiled goods if a door does not get shut properly should convince them that this is a bad idea.
The next step will be for them to autolock (Score:2)
and only unlock after the ad plays. You are not the consumer apparently. Followed by increased membership fees at places like Costco where you still are without this trash.
P.S. Kroger is the biggest grocery chain in the US, if they do this everyone will.
Re: The next step will be for them to autolock (Score:2)
A master key in the form of a crowbar fixes that.
Re: (Score:2)
Most non Slashdot people dont care enough to make a major change in shopping habits to make this sort of change. No one shops based on service - only price. Thats why companies have cut back customer service - they know that it doesnt help the bottom line. For example - https://www.foxnews.com/us/spi... [foxnews.com]
The real question: (Score:2)
Will this piss off enough shoppers that a few of them start breaking the screens thereby making the idea completely uneconomical?
Re: The real question: (Score:2)
Or hacking them to show porn.
Re: (Score:2)
Ya know, I could totally see someone figuring out how to get Doom on them
Re: (Score:2)
This is definitely the most effective way to fix this problem.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
After they are done paying for the heating and cooling systems fighting each other
How do you think refrigerators work?
Re: (Score:3)
Why can't you just shop elsewhere? What the fuck is wrong with you people? You're all spoiled little brats who think a reaction worthy of a 5-year-old is appropriate or should be expected?
No, this is just human society. Amongst millions, there is going to be a few people who are "Florida man", performing bizarre actions that would be otherwise unconscionable. Amongst thousands, there are people who commit petty crimes like vandalism. All of that is true before you do something to annoy people.
Have we really reached the point in our society where a lot of people (and the amount of people suggesting this course of action on Slashdot is disturbing) are so fucking lazy that they can't effect change with the time-honored boycott?
I think it's more likely that people feel powerless against large corporations. Will an individual boycott get the desired message across or would it be lost amongst the people who don't mind? Thes
Switch to delivery? (Score:2)
I'm in NYC and for a number of years was getting my groceries delivered by Fresh Direct. A while ago I switched back to getting stuff in person, specifically because I decided I liked seeing exactly what I was getting before purchase. I'm honestly pretty close to the fence line on that issue. If some system prevents me from literally seeing the goods, then I'd be quick to flip back to delivery.
cosumerist/capitalist philosophy (Score:2)
"Every flat surface shall be covered with an advert/"
Re: (Score:2)
Don't forget self driving vehicles are being (Score:2)
pushed by the biggest privacy rapists for captive audience ads.
Priorities (Score:2)
Pixels everywhere (Score:2)
They are rearing an entire generation to be accustomed to having/using only virtual (fake) goods.
Re: (Score:2)
Hack them to show porn. (Score:2)
âoeAccording to your advert, aisle 7 is supposed to have blowjobs and anal. I only found orange juice. âoe
Always increasing the slide towards Black Mirror (Score:2)
being full on reality and not just barely future dystopian hellscape scifi.
Gas Pumps (Score:2)
Are these the same people that somehow made it 'normal' to have advertising screens on the gas pumps? For real, I am not so brain damaged nor addicted to screentime that I can't stand outside my car for a few minutes while I pump gas ... in the nice and peaceful quiet. No...now I have to deal with some high energy dildo trying to tell me the weather, something about sport, or a full on advertisement.
Re: (Score:2)
Of course the shoppers hate it... (Score:2)
Ever invasive world (Score:2)
This constant over stimulation is making people insane, and that is not including the feeling of being used and abused, and everyone demanding that you hand over your wallet.
The next mass shooter we hear about in the news might not have shot up his chums because of a bad work enviroment, or bullying, or his wife divorced him, but because of being driven insane by the constant blitz being shoved down his throat everywhere he turns.
I have the answer... (Score:2)
...to ""Why would Walgreens do this?"
To make me go to Rite-Aid.
My god (Score:2)
calling Guy Montag (Score:2)
No thank you.
Ads are a classic resource waste. (Score:5, Insightful)
Ads don't improve anything, they just make their products more expensive from the ad spending.
Some would say, oh well people wouldn't consume as much. Yeah. We kind of need that. Fuck advertising.
Won't competitors be annoyed? (Score:2)
-Then it will be popcorn time.
To hell with this shit (Score:2)
"The digital cooler screens at Walgreens made me watch an ad before it allowed me to know which door held the frozen pizzas," said someone on Twitter...."
Then I'll just see if I can prop them all open so other people won't be subjected to this annoyance. Too bad if they should accidentally suffer a LOT of abnormal wear and tear issues... *cough*.
"This is the future of retail and shopping," Avakian said."
No, mother fucker, it is not.
Malicious Non-Compliance (Score:2)
3d print a little wedge for the door. Doesn't need to be big, just enough to stop the seal from working. Make sure to print a little message on the wedge so they know why their HVACR people are constantly coming out to "fix" things.
I foresee a lot of broken screens (Score:2)
Frustrated and/or pissed off customers tend to be hard on equipment. How hard do you have to slam the door before the display breaks?
Is it just me (Score:2)
Rebooting (Score:2)
Looking for the occasional Blue Screen of Death (or Black Screen or Purple Screen or whatever's in vogue this year...)
[John]
Re: (Score:3)
But at least the pump video ads don't prevent you from seeing what type of gas you're pumping
Re: (Score:2)
At least it doesn't make it easier for you to get robbed. I don't imagine being distracted by a screen and blaring speakers helps to detect an approaching assailant.
Even worse are the ATMs that present you with multiple unnecessary screens to advance through, with such a slow response time on them that it ends up keeping you standing there much longer than you need to. Without a doubt, people have been robbed while waiting on slow ATM UIs.
Re: (Score:2)
Sounds like you live in a dangerous area, I guess I'm lucky that's not a concern around me
Re: (Score:2)
some of the pumps blast customers with loud volume ads. it's annoying enough that I don't go back to those gas stations.
If you don’t smoke Tarrlytons... (Score:2)
Fuck you!
Re: I'm sort of curious. (Score:2)
If enough people do this they will figure out that itâ(TM)s a bad idea.
Re: I'm sort of curious. (Score:2)
Re: I'm sort of curious. (Score:2)
The self-closing is easily prevented.
Re: (Score:2)
They forgot a "try to (but fail to)" in the first one.
Re: (Score:2)
It could be that they track inventory but don't honestly report it to those viewing the screen. Empty shelves look bad.
Re: (Score:2)
Isn't there a contradiction there?
I'd be pissed if they made me watch an ad that featured something they don't actually have.
Re: (Score:2)
Wish I had mod points.
Re: The call goes out to hackers (Score:2)
Extra points if it's porn wirh the local cashier or politician.
Re: (Score:2)
I think the point is that with the ads on the door, it's apparently impossible to see what's inside, so how do you find what you're looking for?
Those annoying people at Walmart can never believe they can't beat my current cell phone provider's price - until I tell them Net10 only charges me $20 a month and I get enough data (2GB) for my needs.