While shopping in the United States, it's become increasingly common to see popular items locked up, either with a small, plastic attachment that will start an alarm at one of the store's exits, or large theft-protection cases that leave a wall between the customer and product.
While this might prevent recurring theft in the stores, it's also caused increasing discontent among consumers who are only trying to shop for basic hygiene necessities, like vitamins and toothpaste.
There are other items that some consumers might not want to be called out on, either, that have been placed in these locked cabinets, like deodorant, razers, condoms, and feminine hygiene products.
To combat the annoyance and potential embarrassment, CVS implemented what they believed to be a solution.
Each cabinet has its own scanner attached to that cabinet's locking mechanism. All a customer has to do is place their phone close to a scanner, and it will unlock that cabinet for them to access the product without having to ask an employee to assist them or draw attention to themselves over the intercom.
As simple as this solution might sound, a customer has to first install a special CVS app on their phone, create an account, and connect with the store's Wi-Fi in order for their phone to generate a barcode that will allow for the scanner to recognize them.
Not surprisingly, the new technology has not been the most effective, and consumers have found themselves not being able to access the cabinets when the scanner does not recognize their phone or the generated barcode.
A spokesperson for CVS explained:
"As part of this three-store pilot, we continue to test and fine tune the technology and user experience, with the ultimate goal of delivering more convenience and simplicity for consumers."
You can watch a news report on the issue here:
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
Onlookers had a lot to say about CVS's solution.
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Most were concerned about having to download another app and log into someone's Wi-Fi just to do their shopping.
Eyewitness News ABC7NY/YouTube
Eyewitness News ABC7NY/YouTube
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Eyewitness News ABC7NY/YouTube
It's understandable that stores would want to take precautions to prevent theft at their stores, but the ends have to justify the means.
By making it so difficult to access the most basic items, not only does this impact the consumer experience, but it's also led many to wonder if thieves are the true problem or if it's a larger consumerism problem.
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