Lowes replacing (some) workers with robots

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Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
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I'm guessing a robot could measure and cut window blinds correctly, vs. the person at Home Depot that couldn't last time my wife went.

I look forward to a future where McWorkers are busy getting paid more to build and maintain robots that flip burgers and sell lumber, than they would have made flipping burgers and selling lumber; and of course complaining about it.
 

TheSlamma

Diamond Member
Sep 6, 2005
7,625
5
81
By the time it does, our economy is likely to have other, bigger, problems to deal with.
Will people be capable of doing anything about it anymore? We've done everything we can to make ourselves dependent on everything but our minds and bodies
 

1prophet

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
5,313
534
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Interesting. An Engineer who is anti automation. Funny how we should be for efficiency up until the point where a person might lose a job. We totally need to get rid of all modern inventions, and go back to the stone age. Imagine all the people who would be employed if we had to build shit by hand.

They are, just not in America so much,

because Americans want cheap, unless it's their pay, benefits, or working environment, then they cry it's never enough especially when their neighbor Mr&Mrs Jones show up with something new and shiny.

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TheSlamma

Diamond Member
Sep 6, 2005
7,625
5
81
They are, just not in America so much,

because Americans want cheap, unless it's their pay, benefits, or working environment, then they cry it's never enough especially when their neighbor Mr&Mrs Jones show up with something new and shiny.

S6RKWTo.jpeg

xZDlpCN.png


cr5zsKR.jpeg


X6ux50e.jpeg


moyZK2j.jpeg
Man the inspiration consumerism creates. It honestly looks more fun to just be a bee in a hive
 

realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
12,337
898
126
They are, just not in America so much,

because Americans want cheap, unless it's their pay, benefits, or working environment, then they cry it's never enough especially when their neighbor Mr&Mrs Jones show up with something new and shiny.

S6RKWTo.jpeg

xZDlpCN.png


cr5zsKR.jpeg


X6ux50e.jpeg


moyZK2j.jpeg

I think you might have missed something. If cell phones were assembled here in the US, the cost would be so high, that almost nobody would have them unless they were rich. The images you posted, were of jobs that literally could not be done in the US, and for good reason. Why would any American want to work for 12hrs and make 1-2/hr?

If people really want those Foxcon jobs, all you have to do is reduce the minimum wage.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
463
126
The problem is when you go during peak hours and you simply need direction to something in the store... You can only staff a reasonable amount of employees for that portion of the shift so a bot or two would help take care of the low brain power stuff... telling people what aisle number they need to look in or escorting them to the aisle and section of inventory based on RFID or something. I don't need a Lowes human for that. I need a Lowes human that has knowledge about a piece or part... And I'd like to have more access to them when I need it... Which means if the bot can prevent them from taking 5 minutes to escort a customer to the hardware aisle, I might get my question asked sooner.
That's true, and those are valid points. You don't need a robot for that though, just a kiosk.

It all depends what how they'd use the robots. Having a knowledgeable person there at lowes adds great value for me as a customer. You don't need to have a knowledgeable person there for all customer needs though, if I just need to know where to find something, a machine will do perfectly well. As long as when I need someone with more knowledge it's easy to find one, I'll be happy.
That's true, but again, a $5,000 kiosk does it better than a $50,000 robot.

Uh, which Lowe's do you go to? Mine, the only helpful, somewhat knowledgeable employee is the guy in the plumbing department. Any other area, I'm lucky to find someone, and forget about the flooring department, that guy is straight up rude.
Two in Chattanooga, one in Cleveland, one in Fort Oglethorpe, one in Crossville, one in Dayton. Can't say I've had a bad experience in any of them, although admittedly 9 times out of 10 I don't need any help. Kinda got it memorized.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
463
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Interesting. An Engineer who is anti automation. Funny how we should be for efficiency up until the point where a person might lose a job. We totally need to get rid of all modern inventions, and go back to the stone age. Imagine all the people who would be employed if we had to build shit by hand.
As another engineer (well, technically an electrical designer as I don't have a PE) I'm all in favor of automation in principle. However - automation on top of outsourcing, increased legal immigration, unrestrained illegal immigration, and high unemployment is very worrisome. I'd much prefer to see automation as a response to low unemployment (i.e. difficult to find qualified workers) than as a response to increased employment costs. This is because automation is another factor that devalues labor. Granted, it also increases productivity which is nice for everyone, but income/wealth disparity is also a legitimate concern.
 

michal1980

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2003
8,019
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We've had this argument before. No, it simply isn't always the goal. You should know better.

So now Lowes has to hire people to support these robots. People most certainly making more than the cashier or floor sales associate the robot may have replaced. Don't see how it leading to less people working or less money in the economy for that matter.

I can hire one more expensive service tech to support multiple stores, then having multiple low wage workers at various stores.
 

realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
12,337
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As another engineer (well, technically an electrical designer as I don't have a PE) I'm all in favor of automation in principle. However - automation on top of outsourcing, increased legal immigration, unrestrained illegal immigration, and high unemployment is very worrisome. I'd much prefer to see automation as a response to low unemployment (i.e. difficult to find qualified workers) than as a response to increased employment costs. This is because automation is another factor that devalues labor. Granted, it also increases productivity which is nice for everyone, but income/wealth disparity is also a legitimate concern.

So..."unrestrained illegal immigration"...

Come now, you cant say unrestrained, when we spend a lot of money and time restraining. Perhaps not a optimal situation, but very very very very far from unrestrained.

Next is high unemployment. 5.9% is not huge. That means of the people looking, only 5.9% dont have a job. Weed out those who are holding out for a job, and that rate goes lower. I'm assuming that by unemployment, you are including voluntary and involuntary, so I will comment to that.

If people are able to not work and are choosing not to work, and are not starving to death, then its very likely they are wealthy enough to not work. I by no means am saying they are rich, but if a person feels that they would rather get by than work, then it means they have enough wealth to get by.

Innovation devalues labor. The assembly line in a way devalued labor too. Doing things more efficiently means less can do more. So what happens when people start leveling off wants, you get less supply. Anti consumerism will have this effect. As people want less, less needs to be done. As less is done, there are fewer jobs. So if population keeps growing, and jobs do not what else can happen?
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
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So..."unrestrained illegal immigration"...

Come now, you cant say unrestrained, when we spend a lot of money and time restraining. Perhaps not a optimal situation, but very very very very far from unrestrained.

Next is high unemployment. 5.9% is not huge. That means of the people looking, only 5.9% dont have a job. Weed out those who are holding out for a job, and that rate goes lower. I'm assuming that by unemployment, you are including voluntary and involuntary, so I will comment to that.

If people are able to not work and are choosing not to work, and are not starving to death, then its very likely they are wealthy enough to not work. I by no means am saying they are rich, but if a person feels that they would rather get by than work, then it means they have enough wealth to get by.

Innovation devalues labor. The assembly line in a way devalued labor too. Doing things more efficiently means less can do more. So what happens when people start leveling off wants, you get less supply. Anti consumerism will have this effect. As people want less, less needs to be done. As less is done, there are fewer jobs. So if population keeps growing, and jobs do not what else can happen?
Used to be people were apprehended and returned at the border; now they are simply taken to town and given a date to show up for their deportation hearing. That isn't restraint, that's a ride to town and some bonus toilet paper. The illegal who recently killed the cops was reported as having twice been deported. That isn't restraint, that's pretending for the dumb masses.
 

Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
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So..."unrestrained illegal immigration"...

Come now, you cant say unrestrained, when we spend a lot of money and time restraining. Perhaps not a optimal situation, but very very very very far from unrestrained.

I would use about four fewer verys in that statement, and subtract the word far.
 

Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
7,162
424
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Used to be people were apprehended and returned at the border; now they are simply taken to town and given a date to show up for their deportation hearing. That isn't restraint, that's a ride to town and some bonus toilet paper. The illegal who recently killed the cops was reported as having twice been deported. That isn't restraint, that's pretending for the dumb masses.
Looking the other way for and even encouraging businesses to hire illegal labor forces (let alone punish them for it in any great measure) isn't exactly restraint either.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
463
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Looking the other way for and even encouraging businesses to hire illegal labor forces (let alone punish them for it in any great measure) isn't exactly restraint either.
Yep. I know one business (major chair factory) in my home town that shifted its production force from well-paid citizens (often $20+/hour, paid by piece) to mostly illegals earning $10/hour. And in Dalton, the carpet industry had largely adopted that model thirty years ago.

http://www.ice.gov/removal-statistics



There is a lot of effort in removing 350,000+ people.
Not if you just mail them a self-deportal letter.
 

xBiffx

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2011
8,232
2
0
I can hire one more expensive service tech to support multiple stores, then having multiple low wage workers at various stores.

You could, but if this is supposed to replace everyone, then one guy isn't going to be enough.
 

alcoholbob

Diamond Member
May 24, 2005
6,271
323
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I think you might have missed something. If cell phones were assembled here in the US, the cost would be so high, that almost nobody would have them unless they were rich. The images you posted, were of jobs that literally could not be done in the US, and for good reason. Why would any American want to work for 12hrs and make 1-2/hr?

If people really want those Foxcon jobs, all you have to do is reduce the minimum wage.

Even if the minimum wage was below what a Foxconn worker made these jobs still wouldn't be coming back. The biggest costs that these companies avoid by offshoring are government regulatory ones, infact by most reports the marginal cost of manufacturing in China + shipping to the United States is less than 10% below cost of manufacturing in the US.
 
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Sonikku

Lifer
Jun 23, 2005
15,749
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This is just until we develop AI. Then the robots will demand a living wage and benefits.

Then we'll see see who gets the job.
 

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
4,399
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How is this going to replace workers? Sounds like the best it will do is help, not replace, the signs in the store.

The 2 things employees do is stock shelves and check people out. This machine will not remove either of those. Walmart learned the hard way that self checkout machines do not remove labor or save money and removed most if not al of them now.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
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You could, but if this is supposed to replace everyone, then one guy isn't going to be enough.

One per store. The chances of multiple units being out of commission at the same time is unlikely. Let's say the store must be staffed with like 15 robots at a time. And, they buy something like 17 and one service tech. That would be plenty. The operating cost of staffing workers for the entire amount of hours the store is open, can't be that much. And, if they are more helpful than the standard minimum wage worker at Lowe's, I'll take it.
 

xBiffx

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2011
8,232
2
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One per store. The chances of multiple units being out of commission at the same time is unlikely. Let's say the store must be staffed with like 15 robots at a time. And, they buy something like 17 and one service tech. That would be plenty. The operating cost of staffing workers for the entire amount of hours the store is open, can't be that much. And, if they are more helpful than the standard minimum wage worker at Lowe's, I'll take it.

That's probably the way I'd do it too.
 

realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
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Removal stats are being padded by those being apprehended at the border.

Only 130K were actually deported of those that were actually here illegally from within the interior.

600K actually came over. that means that 250K slipped through or allowed to stay even though they are illegal.

Ill go with your 130k to establish the point that there is an effort, that is by no means small. There is a non trivial effort to stop illegal immigrants.
 

realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
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Even if the minimum wage was below what a Foxconn worker made these jobs still wouldn't be coming back. The biggest costs that these companies avoid by offshoring are government regulatory ones, infact by most reports the marginal cost of manufacturing in China + shipping to the United States is less than 10% below cost of manufacturing in the US.

I'm not sure if I fully agree. I do agree that worker productivity in the US is higher than in China. But, if the cost difference was only 10%, I would imagine that US companies could simply conform to US regulations and cut out the issues of foreign frictions. It is a factor no doubt, but I think the 10% is probably too small.