News Lawson introduces avatar-staffed convenience store

Yesterday, Lawson opened its first convenience store staffed by on-screen avatars remotely controlled by employees, making it possible for even those with mobility issues to be employed by the store. The chain's first Green Lawson, located in Tokyo's Toshima Ward, promotes an environmentally friendly lifestyle by eliminating the sale of plastic bags. From 10 January, customers will no longer be provided disposable forks and straws. Except for cases of cash payments, remotely controlled avatars will generally tend to customers via monitors installed near self-checkout counters and in product aisles.

Employees will be represented by either Aoi or Sorato, the names of the female and male anime-style avatars, respectively, which were developed in collaboration with Japanese avatar development company Avita. To reduce food waste, the Green Lawson store will stock more frozen boxed lunches, which have a longer shelf life than products stored at room temperature or refrigerated. The company is also developing a made-to-order food preparation service and plans to collect unneeded paper bags from customers' homes to reuse them as shopping bags. Lawson President Sadanobu Takemasu said the company aims to open 100 such stores by 2025.

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Sorato and Aoi: will they be multi-lingual?

thomas said:

Yesterday, Lawson opened its first convenience store staffed by on-screen avatars remotely controlled by employees, making it possible for even those with mobility issues to be employed by the store. The chain's first Green Lawson, located in Tokyo's Toshima Ward, promotes an environmentally friendly lifestyle by eliminating the sale of plastic bags. From 10 January, customers will no longer be provided disposable forks and straws. Except for cases of cash payments, remotely controlled avatars will generally tend to customers via monitors installed near self-checkout counters and in product aisles.

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Photo credit: Kyodo​

Lawson opens first avatar-staffed convenience store in Tokyo

Remotely controlled avatars will tend to customers via monitors near self-checkout counters and in aisles, making it possible for those with mobility issues to be employed by the store.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Sorato and Aoi: will they be multi-lingual?

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ローソン、コンビニでアバター接客を導入 人手不足や深夜の就労対策

9月22日、コンビニ大手の株式会社ローソンはアバター事業を手掛けるAVITA株式会社と、協業を発表しました。 両社は、人手不足や深夜の就労対策としてアバターを活用。時間、場所、年齢、性別、身体的ハンディキャップなどに制約 […]

www.moguravr.com

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Widespread use of 無人 stores might work in Japan. Probably nowhere else.

mdchachi said:

Widespread use of 無人 stores might work in Japan. Probably nowhere else.

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Its really bad here in Chicago as well. Maybe we should import some Japanese police to solve the issue?

Maybe they will have a police avatar?

mdchachi said:

Widespread use of 無人 stores might work in Japan. Probably nowhere else.

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It's so interesting how much media attention these videos of petty crime received during the pandemic. Such brazen disregard for the rule of law! Literally hundreds of news stories showing that specific video...

Meanwhile, Walgreens--the very victim of these heinous thefts--were quietly settling a labor dispute where they agreed to pay 4.5 million dollars to employees they had stolen from through various forms of wage theft. Then they have the perfect cover to close stores in oversaturated areas, claiming unacceptable losses due to these thefts, despite $26+ billion in gross profits in 2020.

The media allows themselves to be a corporate sock-puppet, unquestioningly regurgitating their cover story, while ignoring the crimes Walgreens committed against their own employees. As a bonus they were able to use this control of public attention to help sway sentiment into a recall of the progressive district attorney, for failing to 'properly' punish crime and pack prisons with petty criminals (hi, this actually happened).



Which is more chaotic, the apparent breakdown of social order when someone openly shoplifts, or the complete normalization and inattention given to corporate crime?



As for Lawson, I appreciate the potential to provide a new kind of engagement for disabled remote employees (nice spin!), but a shop devoid of human employees is a dismal vision that could only work in Japan. As we strip away opportunities for us to interact face to face with other people, where will people go to seek that interaction? Can the internet really replace a life lived in the real?

nice gaijin said:

As we strip away opportunities for us to interact face to face with other people, where will people go to seek that interaction? Can the internet really replace a life lived in the real?

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Well that answer was quick... a resounding "NO" for me.

nice gaijin said:

Which is more chaotic, the apparent breakdown of social order when someone openly shoplifts, or the complete normalization and inattention given to corporate crime?

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If I lived near these neighborhoods, I would definitely be more concerned about the open shoplifting.

nice gaijin said:

Which is more chaotic, the apparent breakdown of social order when someone openly shoplifts, or the complete normalization and inattention given to corporate crime?

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Why do we have to choose one? They can't both be bad?

As for Lawson, I appreciate the potential to provide a new kind of engagement for disabled remote employees (nice spin!), but a shop devoid of human employees is a dismal vision that could only work in Japan.

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I know there aren't many around but if you are close to one, go to an Amazon Go store, and you will know what its like.

mdchachi said:

If I lived near these neighborhoods, I would definitely be more concerned about the open shoplifting.

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Indeed. While both are bad that one is indicative of a breakdown of law and order in the area and likely an increase in violent crimes as well.

We have very little crime here in Maine where almost anyone can carry a gun with no permit or training or ability to hit a target. Shoplifter season is year round but taking them home on the roof of your car is frowned upon.



(sarcasm)