No Turn On Red

One thing about Wal-Mart that deserves credit is their innovation. Wal-Mart is one of a few major retailers that seems to be heavily investing in technology to drive their bottom line. Be in through behind the scenes inventory management applications at their datacenter, to exploring uses of RFID, to in-store innovations to get people in and out of the door as fast as possible. The opening of the store in White Plains, NY, is no different.

From the New York Times, A Wal-Mart Beachhead Close to New York City:

For example, the new White Plains store has four side-by-side escalators for passengers and their carts; it is one of the first of the chain’s stores to have this feature. While customers move between floors on the first and the fourth escalators, the two escalators in the middle move the shopping carts along rails, within view of the customers but sealed off by plexiglass dividers for safety reasons.

Wal-Mart was faced with several challenges - one is the unique nature of an urban enviroment, including how to adapt their layout to a two story layout. With that comes the question of how to efficiently move people vertically, through the building. This escalator is an interesting twist on an old thing.

Although Wal-Mart is not the only company to be using these devices, it is still fascinating to me.

Whether it be through the desire to be an innovator or through sheer desperation, I think Wal-Mart is using new and emerging technology in interesting ways to suit their unique growth problems.

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