IT+in+Supermarkets

=Supermarkets=

EFTPOS
 EFTPOS, //Electronic Funds Transfer Point of Sale//, refers to the technology that allows a retailer to directly debit a customer's bank account by using a debit card. The debit card, generally the same as an ATM card, is swiped through a reading device just like a credit card. The customer must enter his or her PIN, generally requested once the amount of the sale has been entered into the EFTPOS device. There are many advantages to using an EFTPOS for the retailer and customer alike. The retailer is paid 'instantly' without having to accept actual cash. Though cash is certainly preferable over credit cards with surcharges, or personal checks that can bounce, there are many security liabilities surrounding the handling of large amounts of cash. Cash must be manually counted by the cashier at the POS, counted again when the register is balanced out, and finally collected by an armed service or personally deposited. With EFTPOS, the money is wired directly into the retailer's bank account as soon as the transaction clears, bypassing those liabilities while saving manual resources. //(from Wisegeek.com)//

**Bar code** A bar code scanner is used to scan the bar code on the items. The bar codes are unique and the codes are kept on a database. The code is scanned and searched in the database. The price and stock of items are kept on the database and the stock will be reduced by the number being bought. If the stock is below the reorder value, then stock is automatically ordered.

...//**Supermarkets also use IT in advertisements.**//


 * Title || Link || Summary || Contributed by: ||
 * Automated supermarket shelf replenishment || media type="youtube" key="O9pxXhm4-yM" height="315" width="560" || Its in a language I don't understand but basically it is a technology used to automatically replenish items on shelves using sensors and actuators || Mohammad Ezmir ||
 * The Future Market || media type="youtube" key="eob532iEpqk" height="315" width="420" || A very nice and short advertisement showing the future of checkout counters || Mohammad Ezmir ||
 * Technology to help ease supermarket parking pain || media type="youtube" key="-cpgU2apwxM" height="315" width="560" || Technology used to find out where your car is parked using cameras, counters and license plates as input. || Mohammad Ezmir ||
 * Shopping cart escalator || media type="youtube" key="P5yKwZjvBwQ" height="315" width="420" || An escalator especially designed for shopping carts || Mohammad Ezmir ||
 * Shopping by phone at South Korea's virtual grocery || BBCNEWS || Customers can use their smart phones to shop on line using Homeplus. They hold their phone over the QR code and the picture of the product appears on the screen then they choose when and where the product should be delivered. || Mohammad Ezmir ||
 * Will shoppers be enticed by new way of paying? || BBCNEWS || The Future Store in Germany introduced a new technology for it's customers to help ease the stress of waiting at the till. Customers use their smart phones and scan the bar code of the product and before leaving, the phone produces a final bar code for the final bill. || Mohammad Ezmir ||

**Social/ethical issue:** Reliability of the database and hardware used for scanning bar codes.