[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by Crawford

These "retail apocalypse" articles are funny. Even funnier is the "nothing opens except stores for the wealthy" claim.

IKEA just announced its largest urban format store on the planet today, so I guess they didn't get the message. Will be right in Midtown. And I'm fairly certain IKEA isn't for billionaires.

Ironically,

Amazon Tests Its Cashierless Technology for Bigger Stores
By Heather Haddon and Laura Stevens
Updated Dec. 2, 2018 6:57 p.m. ET

Amazon.com Inc. is testing its cashierless checkout technology for bigger stores, according to people familiar with the matter. If successful, the strategy would further challenge brick-and-mortar retailers racing to make their businesses more convenient.

The online retail giant is experimenting with the technology in Seattle in a larger space formatted like a big store, the people said. The systems track what shoppers pick from shelves and charges them automatically when they leave a store. Although the technology functions well in its current small-store format, it is harder to use it in bigger spaces with higher ceilings and more products, one of the people said, meaning it could take time to roll out the systems at more larger stores.

It is unclear whether Amazon intends to use the technology for Whole Foods, although that is the most likely application if executives can make it work, according to the people. Amazon has previously said it has no plans to add the technology to Whole Foods . . . .

https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-...s&page=1&pos=3