February 18, 2026 • 61 mins
When’s the last time you picked up groceries? Some of us hit up a local market every week; some folks buy in bulk at a Wal-Mart or a Costco, and some of us just go to whatever's closest. Overall, it's the same old story: you gotta eat. Yet as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in today's episode, it turns out there's more going on behind the scenes. Leveraging big data and mass surveillance, your grocery store now knows more about you than ever before. There's a conspiracy in your grocery aisle, and it could well affect your bottom line.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is
riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or
learn this stuff they don't want you to know. A
production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hello, welcome back to the show. My name is Matt,
my name is Noah.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
They call me Ben. We're joined as always with our
super producer Dylan the Tennessee pal Fagan. Most importantly, you
are you. You are here that makes this these stuff
they don't want you to know. When's the last time
you guys picked up groceries?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Groceries it's a new word, is it?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
No?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
What did he say? Trump says some funny stuff about groceries.
It's been He's fascinated by the word old fashioned, old
timey word, I believe is what he said. If it
refers to stuff in bags, I think is where he
landed in terms of what what does a grocery make?
Make make anyway? Yeah, I like grocery shopping. I find
(01:10):
it to be somewhat zen and I like to do
smaller shops rather than one big shop. And I do
wish that I lived more like in a city where
you could walk to the corner bodega or something like that,
But we had a couple of options here. I'm a
public's man.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Really publics man. We have all figured out and decided
the publics.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I heard I like a crozet as well. I do.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
I bet some of us hit up a local market
every week, the fancy folks. Some of us buy in
bulk at a Walmart or a Costco, and some of
us just go to our closest available option, closest grocery store, chap.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
What if the Trader Joe's you've you've forgotten about?
Speaker 4 (01:59):
The Trader Trader jos is a special occasion kind of trip,
you know, for special snacks.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
That parking lot is a conspiracy.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Oh, in the company culture, I like it.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I like when they you know, I like a close
moment of rapport.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
If you want to get flirted with hard to go
to TJ's. It's like it's like it's in their training
manual or something, you know.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I love how every purchase is super interesting, you know
what I mean. You get a little therapy real quick.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
It says something about your personality. Which TJ frozen good
or snack item that you buy and do consult the
what is it called the fabulous Flyer or something like
that is their little their little magazine that tells you
all the new snacks they're rolling out. I'm a huge
fan of Trader Jows.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Now, you guys know that in the wake of the pandemic,
a lot of folks still pony up a premium and
get their groceries through online delivery services.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
I do it from time to time I'm feeling lazy.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
And the big ones, the at least where I live. Guys,
the big chains that keep popping up everywhere are your
Aldise and your is it Legal?
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Why did I not mention legal? That's actually pretty close
to me to a huge fan. I love Allegal the bank.
The small German boy in me is a huge fan
they bank.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
They certainly have prices that are not as insane as
my local public's knowl.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Hey, listen, I forgot that I actually prefer legal to publics.
So well, if you calm down, people, co op it
benefits the employees they get to buy in.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
It's kind of inspiring. But regardless of the specifics, as
checkers said, you got to eat write most honest tagline ever,
and everyone pretty much in the United States who has
to pay for food has noticed there's a sharp uptick
in the price of grocery goods. Right. We talked about
(03:52):
this in our post pandemic price height conspiracy episode, and
as we discussed in our weekly String News segment back
in November, more and more folks are convinced their local
grocery store, whatever it may be, is up to something sketchy,
a conspiracy in the food aisle, Big Brother and your Kroger.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
And if you're watching this on Netflix and wondering, hey,
where's where are those strange news episodes? Go on and
find the place where you listen to podcasts and search
up stuff I don't want you to know, and you
will find them.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
And we're gonna pause for a word from our sponsors.
Then we'd like to play a game with you. Here
are the facts. Grocery stores. We're not saying they're perfect,
but they're pretty fricking cool, right.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
And they're also, if I remember correctly, back in the
old pandemic, they're considered essential, you know, because there were
whole issues around essential workers, and grocery store employees were
considered to be that but didn't really get any any benefits,
you know, for being such a frontline type of type.
Of job.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I'm also very proud of all of us for not
doing the PPE grift. We could have taken out those loans.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Guys, I bought so many Pokemon cars with that. What
are you talking about?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
What?
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Remember that that guy that used his PPE money to
buy Pokemon cards. I think he was from Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Actually, oh dang, I was gonna say, really smart, but
also that's terrible, really.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Right, plague, We'll do it the next plague.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Okay, cool, But grocery stores are incredible, and we forget
it because I don't know, especially in the US, if
you live somewhere near a grocery store, if you live
in one of those pockets that we talked about that
are not everywhere that has easy access to grocery store
or grocery stores, then you just get used to being
(05:53):
able to walk into a place and seeing every possible
food you can imagine and having access to it if
you've got the funds. That's a superpower.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
It is a superpower, dude, I like. Okay. Public food
markets have been around ever since agriculture began, right, and
early humans were able to stay in one place for
an extended amount of time, but all the stuff they
sold was also dependent upon what was quote unquote in
(06:24):
season or what was available there. So, for instance, if
you like Dylan and hopefully all of us wanted some
route of Vegas, you would have to hope that they
grew up nearby. You would have to hope they were
also in season. Otherwise, regardless of how much money you had,
you would be sol And then it shifts. Trade networks evolve.
(06:48):
Society's top badgers are able to pay for luxury goods
from far far away, and food is not an exception.
Over On our sister show, Ridiculous History, we talked multiple
episodes about how spices were so important that they were
used in currency. And Noel, I gotta tell you again
(07:09):
this pineapple thing, this pineapple thing. Remember, like people would
rent pineapples.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Oh of course, yes, yes, yes, of course, the ancient
heart of pineapple renting. Yeah, it meant it was a flex.
It meant that you were a big shot. Put it
on your center put it as a centerpiece on your
kitchen table, because you know, the average people couldn't afford
them at the time, because they were so dear. Pineapples
are pretty tasty. But I don't know if I don't
know if I'd rent a pineapple.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
I really thought we were going cruise ship with the
pineapples things. I mean, you know, be into whatever you're into.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Sure, just consent is key and don't hurt people. Folks
literally were so impressed by produce and other food stuffs
from abroad that they would, as you were saying, Noel,
they would just flex on each other with it. The
modern grocery store, to your point, Matt changed the whole game.
(08:09):
For the first time in human history. You could, as
an average person walk around. You could find fruits and
other goodies from across this wide Earth. And it rose
in step with agricultural technology. So for now you don't
need to worry if strawberries are in season, whether it
(08:30):
is August or February, you just pop by the store.
You pick up whatever you want. So long as you can.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Afford it, you too can have a pineapple. It's true.
I'll tell you. The part that always blows me away
is how the logistics of it all, and the calculations
behind supply and demand that keep all of that produce
from just like rotting on the shelves.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Ooh, the technology, the just in time. Yeah, well we
learned the technology you can deprive produce of certain things
and you can store it for a long time. Then
you can inject other things into an environment where they're
stored and then they begin their ripening process. It's almost
like putting them in stasis for a while.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Yeah. I gotta wonder too if sometimes you catch one
they forgot to inject, Like an avocado that just never ripens.
I think I've griped about this on the in the past,
on the show, where you'll just get this avocado that
just stays like hard, like a plastic prop you know,
and I just don't understand what's going on with it.
But we did talk about the conspiracy surrounding fake fruit yeh,
and fake avocados. I think that that was part of
(09:37):
the conversation about some of those very materials that you're
talking about there, Matt.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
I forgot to tell you, guys, because we haven't caught
up for a while. But the cashew seed is a
seed and it has a fruit on the bottom of it,
and you can't get the fruit in the United States
because it is still perishable.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
So the cashu nuts is the seed and then there's
an extra part of the cash, right. I am blissfully
unaware of until.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Now wonderful, and I'm sorry to sacrifice your bliss. It
is beautiful. It's perishable. You can't gas it up like
Nole's point to Apple's. But the thing is, you can
get a lot of stuff now. When the predecessors of
the modern grocery store first opened, they were still way
(10:24):
different from your Safeway or your crokers or your publics.
They were more generalized. They were selling basic necessities of
life in addition to food. So you could buy three
pounds of flour, and then you could buy a plowshare
as well. Right, you could maybe make a deal to
get a cow or something. And you couldn't buy the
(10:47):
like you couldn't pick up the stuff yourself. You had
to go to a counter like at a gun store,
and you had to tell the clerk what you wanted,
and if they had it, which didn't always happen, would
come back and be like, oh, mister Tennessee, pal your
three pounds of flour for your approval.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Almost like the old trading posts kind of just so right,
can we bring that back?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
That sounds like a delightful experience.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Come on that some things should stay in the past.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
I think.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
The good parts of modernity. I think the grocery store
being one of them.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Just play Oregon Trail at this point, you know.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
You can have dysentery right right, and you two can
have a gravestone because you don't know how to afford rivers.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
They also they also operated on credit or barter systems,
especially during times when currency itself was unreliable. But now
this all changes. Fast forward nineteen sixteen. Pigley Wiggley the
creepiest game mascot for any grocery store.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
And he's cute, he's murderer. Does he have a name,
because his name is mister Pigley Wiggly. I got no care.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I'm not going to hum a.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Wow, you really got beef or pork it as it
were with mister Piggy.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
And cutting up other pigs. Is he really been the
old school mascot?
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Yea, all right?
Speaker 2 (12:18):
You know yeah, guys, we talked about already in previous episodes.
But I just returned from Qatar from a little work trip,
and one of the things that you were told that
you should go visit there is a thing called the souk,
which is a it's a modern version of an old
school open air market that existed out there in that region,
(12:39):
specifically in Qatar, and I'm thinking about those types of
markets as we imagine this new piggly wiggly thing where
you walk in and you pick out all the things
you want, because there you would have if you go
to the soup and places like that, open air markets,
you'd have individual sellers, right as we're saying here.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Sort of like a farmer's market type situation, or even
a flea market you know here in the States where
you swap meat or something like that.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Right, yes, I mean right, it's individual produce that has
brought because you know, somebody has an apple farm, lemon farm,
whatever it is. But it totally makes sense to me
that this pigley wiggly thing, as you know, as abhorrent
as the character may be been, it's a it's a
glorious thing, right nineteen sixteen.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Yeah, now you could just walk around. It's now it's
a soup in one building. To your comparison.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Oh, Matt, I bet you knew this, but I just
want to point it out to the listeners. The soup
there's like the more popular wedding. There's like an older
one and there's a new one. It looks like something
out of like the Arabian Nights. You know, it's got
like all of these old fixtures on the walls and
like everything looks kind of cracked and old and then
like ropey. But it's like Disneyland, dude, it's not real.
(13:53):
It's not actually old at all. It's just made to
look old. And Ben and I I think did not
know that initially and then found out after the fact,
and we're both a little bit blown away by it.
But the vendors and the model of the whole thing
is very much in line with the way things would
have been done. You know, in the days of old.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Everything is president right, So a supermarket is not especially
an original idea.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
That super prefix is really that that was the super market,
the future supermarket.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
We're going to keep it. So the first real quote
unquote supermarket is in New York in the nineteen thirties,
King Cullin k U. L. L. E En. They're the
ones who figured out how to have dedicated departments for
you know, your meat counter, your seafood, your dairy. This also,
(14:47):
the guy who created this wrote a pretty strident letter
to the top brass at Kroger at the time, he
made a manifesto actually, and then he just did his
own thing. And believe it or not, after all these improvements,
shopping carts were not invented before supermarkets. They came way after.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
I guess baskets were the thing there for a while.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Maybe you just did like a supermarket sweep and you
just like took everything you could grab.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Supermarket sweep involves baskets evolve.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
It does, yeah, nineteen thirty seven. Thank you, Sylvan Goldman.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Answer the question though we got the sup the grocery
cart being vent in nineteen thirty seven, When does the
grocery cart corral come into the picture? And who are
these people that are leaving their carts just willy nilly
in parking spots these areas. They're not good people and
they need to be punished. Well.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Sometimes sometimes there are, for instance, vulnerable or disabled people
who cannot return their card to the trolley, but that
is an exception to the rule. Most people should return
their shopping carts. It's a good point, Ben, It's a
good point. But I do agree the exception to the rule.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
And typically of most grocery stores they will offer to
help you out to your car, even if you do
not have any kind of accessibility issue. So take them
up on that.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Have you guys done the thing where you run into
a supermarket thinking you're only going to get one or
two things, and so you pick those things up and
they're manageable and easy, and then you remember, oh, cra yeah,
and so.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
You when you don't get the cart because you know
that you can hold in your little hand the bacon
or egg, and then before you know it, the psychology
of the grocery store gets to you and you've got
an armload of stuff and you're dropping things like a
dumb dumb.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
But you're too you know, prideful to be like, I
need help, I need to get a cart.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
You just like, I can do this.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
It's so much fun, the.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Lazy man load. Yeah, let me carry all this stuff
like I'm a wounded veteran going to the cashier. Why
is there someone in front of me in line? God,
this is gonna be great for my lats.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
You know, you've exceeded the whatever ten items or less
line and then you're holding all that crap weight and
in line with all the people with the cards.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Now you're basically a criminal, at Passport Control. You know,
so America loves to buy stuff. The shopping cart is
a brilliant invention because it made things more convenient, but
it also encouraged people right to buy things they might
not necessarily purchase otherwise. And there are more innovations as
(17:27):
time goes on. They're barcodes, their loyalty programs. Of course,
we all remember that grift huge parking lots for everything
except for Trader Joe's. Obviously, frankly, not everyone is a
fan of these innovations. Can we talk just a little
bit about the psychology behind the layout of grocery stores.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
I want to say we have a whole episode on
that from a little ways back, if not a discussion
in one of our Listener Mail or Strange News episodes,
but I almost want to say that we definitely did
a whole episode about some of the psychology behind like
where the cereal goes and what you pass along the
way in order to get to the thing that you
actually need, and all of the kind of weird psyops
(18:10):
that go into the layout of a grocery store.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Casinos, we did a live episode on how casinos work,
which is the one hundred percent of the same thing.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
And the economics of the end cap and how much
money corporations will pay to be in specific spots in
those stores. They catch your eye just at the right
time when you're thinking about product X. Then you turn
your head and you see product why, and you're like, oh,
I gotta have.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
That, right You know, who am I if I don't
have gum after this journey? Right, So the biggest innovations
are a direct result of a brutally competitive market. The
grocery empires live and die on very slim margins of profit,
and so all their innovations now that are occurring and
(19:02):
our conspiratorial are built around anticipating what you want and
how they can push you to get more stuff. They
are leveragey big data, machine learning, shady info brokers, and
quote unquote AI. Right now, your local grocery store chain
(19:24):
knows more about you and your household than ever before.
Like they probably know some of your family member's birthdays
that you do not remember.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Let's really think about this. If it was one of
those stores that you described at the top bend where
you walk up to the counter and it's one person
and they just say, well, how may I help you?
Speaker 4 (19:45):
Today.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Oh well we have Unfortunately, we have no cantalope today
that one person might know a lot about you, that
one person might know a crep ton about the specificity
of your diet and you're in the things your family buy, right.
But you would think one would think that in these
giant corporations that exist, like the Kroger's, and you see
(20:08):
how many there are the publics and the you know,
the Trader Joe's and Sprouts and whatever.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Else, Peter's Safeway, three other examples just for the vibe.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
But there's so many of them out there, you I
think there's the maybe a thought process that there's diffusion
of knowledge, right, And I'm not actually interacting with anybody
when I go to these places anymore. I'm going to
an automated checkout counter at the Walmart to do this.
There's a feeling that of anonymity in a way that,
(20:43):
as we're going to talk about, is actually the complete opposite.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, this goes way deeper than we
would like to imagine. Look, we're gonna call this ad
break buy one, get one free. We'll be heare to go. Sure,
Here's where it gets crazy. As we get into the
(21:07):
details about this very true conspiracy. We're always going to
go back to the concept of something called dynamic pricing.
You guys remember this, right, Tomor Oh my gosh, have
you encountered it?
Speaker 1 (21:20):
No?
Speaker 4 (21:21):
I don't know. I mean I remember when we first were
talking about it. There was this notion that there would
even be like instead of the old fashioned barcodes and
there's little printouts that you'd see on your grocery store shelves,
that some would be replaced with little led readouts. Have
not seen that come to pass, at least at my
local grocery store chains. But that was the idea that
(21:41):
they could be updated in the moments based on the
ever changing you know, dynamics, dynamic pricing of supply and
demand of whatever the variables that drive the market and
pricing might be, and that this would of course benefit
nobody but the folks at the top making the money,
(22:01):
certainly not you as a consumer.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Let's do the corporate friendly definition. It's something like Dylan,
give me some weird music. Here a strategy where businesses
adjust prices in real time based on demand, supply, logical
competitive pricing, and past present consumer behavior to share value.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Wow, that's lovely spin right there to share to share
enough value they're sharing that with.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
What does that we'll get to it that shareholders. Perhaps
that's from Harvard Business Review share value.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
Well, good on you, Harvard Business Review for keeping it,
keeping it, keeping it fake.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Well, let's talk about what that really means, because there
is one. The first level to that, at least to
my understanding, means that you don't have employees in your
store where that are going through and having to change
the price tags you know, on every aisle for everything
as the dollar changes or as you know, as they're
(23:04):
saying sublime demand changes. You don't have to go through
and do all that stuff. You could just be at
a system and update what those prices are and they're done.
I can imagine that's a cost cost saving thing in
some way. The And I would say, I don't know
if you guys have been to a best Buy recently,
but best Buy does that where every single one of
their price tags on the shelves is it looks like paper,
(23:28):
but it's kind of like that paper, I.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
Think is what they call it. And Matt, I was
at a best Buy recently and I did not notice
that at all. And I would argue that's probably by
design because it looks like yeah, like you're describing.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
It looks like paper and not a high road any
of us tuning in at home. But yeah, we go
to best Buy.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
We have been well, I had to buy a ring
light for a trip to make sure that I was
able to you know, look, look, look my best.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
So we're talking about something called ESLU. That's gonna be
going to be part of it, right, electronic sign labels.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Yeah, oh okay, yes, that is so that is the
first layer to me of like why you would as
a large corporation do this kind of thing, make this move.
There's other stuff that we have talked about in the
past that I have not seen come to fruition yet. Guys,
I don't know if you have, and I guess we
need to get into it. But the concept of changing
(24:23):
prices for an individual.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
That's the spookiest part, that's right, that's the slippery slope
of it all. Where based on that data that they
have about you, and I suppose it would be really
hard to implement because they have to have a track
on you from the moment you walked in, like in
terms of your physical presence.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
Like one of like one of see what you're doing
here recognition SIGs. We can play a game with you
right now. If you like folks right along at home.
You need at least one buddy or buckaroo for this one.
Pull up a rideshare app, Uber app Lift, pick your poison.
(25:02):
Just make sure it's the same thing, and make sure
your partner in this also inputs the same start and
endpoint on the same app for the same ride. Select
the same car, option the same What is it? It's
like a conversation preferred or cool air whatever, Just do
(25:25):
the do everything the same while you are physically standing
next to that person. You might be surprised how the
exact same app for the exact same service at the
exact same time will give you small differences from one
customer to the other.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
And I do think that with more modern things like
ride share apps and maybe even like online shopping, we
maybe are a little more forgiving of that kind of thing.
Or it's like there's an expectation that there's even with
like airplane tickets or concert ticket stuff. It's like more
inherently already kind of in a digital environment. I just
(26:03):
think that nobody's got any illusions that anyone's getting the
same price or the same treatment. But I think when
we start incorporating old school things to your point about
the single dude at the trading post, it starts to
feel a little weirder or a little bit more dystopian,
you know.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Right, It's a little bit more immediately noticeable and off putting. Yeah,
when we're in a brick and mortar situation, if you
want to have more fun with this experiment, folks, close
that first app, keep your buddy with you. Open a
different app that does the same thing. So if you
have Uber, close it, open Lift or Grab or whatever
(26:40):
it is in your neck of the world, check the
price for the exact same trip with the exact same options.
Close it, go back to that first app, reopen it.
The price will properly have changed. This is a real thing. Yeah,
you'll even notice that.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
If you've got a rideshare Q to up and you
don't pull a trigger on it for a little bit
and then you do. It'll sometimes cancel it because it
says the pricing has changed. Because there's so much data
that's going into what that price is going to be
based on the availability of cars in the area. Surge
pricing all of that stuff. How many people are calling
cars at that exact moment, so those prices will change.
(27:21):
And again, I'm not meaning to harp on this too much,
but I don't feel that that's that unusual. But when
we start talking about things like e inc you know,
price tags at Best Buy and like you know how
much a pineapple is going to be from one minute
to the next, that's when it starts to feel a
little more invasive. And then when you mentioned this stuff
about like your phone and being tracked and taking it
from that what's it called loyalty program into something much
(27:45):
more big data driven that knows exactly where you are
and what you're doing and big brothering you, that's when
it starts to really feel icky.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
I think moving the tracking from the point of sale,
which is the loyalty.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
Card that's at the end, yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
You the point of entering or even having an inkling
to go to the store, by let's say putting it
into your Google Maps app or something that you're going
to head to the croaker. I mean, there are all
kinds of things that could theoretically be implemented, and we'll
see a few of those in this episode. That are
being implemented, but ultimately all of it depends on data
(28:23):
that's being collected at all times on you by I
don't even know how many companies are collecting the data
on your credit card purchases or your bank card purchases
right or your travel, your location data on your phone,
and on all the other things that all comes into
play here the ride share app thing. I don't mean
(28:47):
to be contrariy, and I hope I'm not misunderstanding. We're
saying that that trick that we're talking about doing. Ben
is working on dynamic pricing in the moment for those apps.
Or is it dynamic pricing are we seeing for the
individuals that are using the app?
Speaker 3 (29:03):
That's an excellent question. Is for the individuals we'll hear it. Reply,
We'll hear it referred to as surge pricing, demand pricing,
time based pricing. Shout out to Harvard Business, et cetera,
and all the NBAS. This occurs everything NOL. I like
your note about airline ticket purchasing. That's a great example
(29:23):
pro tip. The best time to buy airline tickets is
two to three am Eastern Standard.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Interesting, and of course I'll obviously maybe maybe this isn't
even that pro a tip. But the farther out you
can do it, the better. And I have noticed in
the Hopper app which is I think is a pretty
good one. It gives you kind of like color coding
depending on how pricing the tickets are going to be
in various times of the year when it's going to
depend on certain factors. But I do have to go
back to this point about does it know who you
(29:53):
are and what is it basing it on. Is it
saying that because you have a certain income level, that
you're willing to pay more and therefore it's going to
juice you up a little bit? Like are we going
that far?
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (30:07):
Or I think we are. I think that's at least
the conspiracy of it, all right, that's the reason.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Yeah, I was gonna say that is the conspiratorial thought
future that is not happening right now, at least to
my knowledge.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
It's getting close. It depends on your neck of the
global woods. Folks in the United States currently, which still
suffers from an abundance of food deserts. This technology is
in early rollout. However, we could argue this is inevitable.
It just makes too much sense for the companies whatever
(30:41):
you want to call it, surge pricing, dynamic pricing, time
based on demand. This strategy is coming for you because
it's a natural extension of older, pre existing tactics. Like
we've all noticed it, right. You are in your grocery
store and you see discounts on perishable products, right, meat,
(31:05):
baked goods, produce, Right, they get twenty percent off, and
you're like, hey, this might be a good hang if
I cook it right now. This this gives the grocery
store the ability to sell something off and make some
kind of profit before they throw it away. For the
crosspunks and the dumpster divers, you know, it can be
(31:28):
a win win. Who doesn't want twenty percent off on
some rude begas? Dylan? Are we right?
Speaker 4 (31:34):
Amen? All hell the great Lord rude Bega.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
But I said the baby back, baby back, baby back ribs?
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Yes, oh baby's back. Yeah. Did you guys ever know
super coupon people the clippers?
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Yeah? I was one, and I bet you were a
mat It is such a rule follower. I love it well.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
And for a time there my Kroger app would allow
me to get digital coupons. I believe it will still
offer that.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
To your car. I like the physical clipping of it
all though I think that I wonder if that phenomenon
is still around it. There are hardcore coupon clippers out
there with their scissors going to town on the weekly
inserts in the in their local newspapers.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Check out the h Bart circular. We know that this
does still exist. Like many of us listening now, uh,
I was super into chaining combos, specials and then manufacturer coupons,
and then you you gain the loyalty program a little bit,
you can get massive. You could get massive discounts on
(32:40):
the bottom line because you, as the customer, were able
to move more quickly than the stores themselves. They had
to wait for additional data before they adjusted the price
of something.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Yeah. Bet you remember the good old days of the
lunches we would have at Capital City Plaza there and Buckhead.
The number of soups that you could find, like one
one time of the month you could get like twelve soups.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Matt and I used to have way less money crossed over.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah, we way more sodium.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
No, we would straight up consult each other like which
soup is like the good soup on the.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Salt murder Kroger.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
They were on sale at Murderkroger all the time.
Speaker 4 (33:25):
Okay, Murder Troger is an Atlanta phenomenon. For anyone out
there that doesn't.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Know what we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
It went through a much needed rebrand. I believe they
call it the disco Kroger. Now, oh, they call it
the belt line. There you go, belt Line Kroger. Even
more boring. Disco I think is Yeah, it's a different way. Anyway,
the Kroger is around here. Get some fun nicknames. There's
Facebook Kroger, Yeah, black Broger, as.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
You mentioned, Yeah, what's the one off memorial gold.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
I'm not sure it might be the Facebook Croker. There
was also Crowbar, because there was one that had There
was one that had a like a like a little
pub inside, and I believe that closed. It's not beautiful.
Nobody goes. Turns out we want to go to grocery
stores for a happy hour.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Da, that's gotta be a weird egg.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
Right, Georgia, believe me?
Speaker 3 (34:08):
Okay, okay, Jillian, keep this in, but can you add
like a dramatic sound cue after you said believe me?
All right? So we talked about this electronic shelf labels.
They are a game changer. If you visit the United
States and you're not from that country, you've experienced something
weird firsthand. The old school printed shelf store price labels,
(34:35):
they're super misleading because it's never the actual price. It
doesn't count your local, state or federal taxes. And then,
of course the boffins in marketing research, all the NBA's
and whomever we save from Operation paper Clip, they figured
out some cognitive sorcery or sorcery. It's funny if you
(34:58):
read it on how to display a price. So that's
why everything is four ninety nine or three ninety nine
instead of just straight up five or four dollars.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Oh and if you're buying let's say, a technological good
or a piece of furniture or anything that requires assembly,
or anything above fifty dollars, you're gonna get hit with
another little thing that you may not expect at the
checkout counter, and that is some kind of insurance policy
or warranty policy on that thing. They can range anywhere
(35:33):
from like four ninety nine to one hundred and twenty
extra dollars.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
What's an offer though, right, especially at the best pause
of it all, I mean, it's like an extended warranty
or like whatever, and just I usually decline those.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
You can also get it for free if you sign
up for the loyalty program in some cases CE So
just give me your information and if your overpriced Hdmi
cable poops the bed, then I'll give you another one.
Just let me know your social Security number. But type
every closest relationship you have to Kevin Bacon a list
(36:05):
of your childhood fears and tell me about your dreams exactly.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
But the psychology of it, especially for someone who's risk
adverse like me, you have that moment of kind of
crisis at the checkout counter of oh crap, oh crap,
I should probably do this thing, like what if it breaks,
what if this happens, What if that happens?
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Oh crap, I should.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Probably do this, And it will cause It will not
cause you to do anything. It will maybe push you,
because this whole episode is about these little pushes, right,
might push you to accepting something that you wouldn't have
done if it was there on the label when you
picked that thing up.
Speaker 4 (36:40):
Creates a little cognitive dissonance kind of in the moment
where you're like super stoked about this thing that you're
about to purchase to whatever it might be an HDMI
cor or maybe even like a camera, but then all
of a sudden you are presented with the eventuality that
your thing might be a lemon.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
Have I confronted mortality here at the counter of best buying?
Will one day degrade and bring ah? Is there ballman gilliad?
Is there no hope? I will sign up for your
loyalty program?
Speaker 4 (37:15):
There are certain things where you extend a little a
little depending on the costs or an extended warrantsy isn't
the worst idea, and it's like a major appliance, for example,
and it gives you a little bit of extension past
whatever the manufacturer warranty is. But typically if it's a
decent products the manufacturer warrants he's going to be good enough.
Not to get off on a tangent here.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
But it's a good point. No, you're making a great point.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
There are these massive corporate insurance outfits that are that
are going into places like Staples. I just found this out, guys,
because this chair I I got recently. We are not
sponsored by Staples. Chair say very nice, Well, it's it's
not it's actually not that nice. It works perfectly for
my purposes, but it was definitely not one of the
(37:59):
nice ones they had for sale there. But I did
find out that they ensure. There are these massive corporate
insurance companies that are working with like these other departments
and outlets that will ensure things like this as part
of the purchase price, and then you sign up for
this other little things. It's not called avanti. I can't
remember the name of it's. So there are crazy, huge
(38:22):
corporations that are a part of this whole system of
ensuring something to replace it if something goes.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Wrong and you can get you can get something like
that at your local grocery store. Right you buy something
it doesn't work, you can take it back, yes, food hopefully. Yeah.
I think they make so much money that if Noel
Brown comes back with a bad avocado, they'll just give
(38:48):
them another avocado.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
I did it recently with blackberries. I bought one of those,
you know, a container of blackberries, brought it home, open
it up the next day to give them my kids,
And there's mold all in it when you purchased it.
But you take the first one off and then there's
just a ton of mold in there. I took it
right back. Sorry, Kroger, but I took it right back
to you, and but thankfully you replaced it immediately.
Speaker 3 (39:11):
And if this implementation of electronic sign labels right, that
that signage, if that kicks in and becomes normalized the
way it's normalized across parts of Western Europe, then your
local Kroger Matt Frederick would clock that someone's returning those
berries and say, okay, do we dip the price down?
(39:34):
Do we dip it up a little bit? What's our
demand v supply? Right? What's our fung Gui index? And
this means that now in certain grocery stores, and this
is going to happen to you, folks. You can walk
down the cereal aisle at the start of your sojourn
with your grocery card, and then you can walk back
(39:57):
down that aisle, same cereal aisle, and you will see
a different price on raisin brand from the time you
entered to the time you left. And maybe it's going
to be a small shift, but eventually it might not
just be the system of supply and demand. It might
(40:18):
be targeting you specifically. So I'm Matt Frederick, I walk
by the raisin brand right, it's four ninety nine. I
love raisin brand. I'm Matt Frederick. I love that stuff,
but it's for ninety nine. I walk back on the
way to the cashier and now it's three ninety nine.
(40:38):
I'm going to get my brand.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
Gotta have you, gotta have your brand.
Speaker 2 (40:41):
I was gonna get it anyway.
Speaker 4 (40:43):
Well, and I know we've talked about this in the
past when dynamic pricing has come up, but we have
no illusions of this not happening with say gas prices.
Those billboards or the you know, the street facing signs
attached to gas stations are digital and they can absolutely fluctuate,
you know, from moment to moment, depending And I know
(41:05):
from having worked in a gas station once when I
was a teenager, a lot of those are pretty arbitrary.
They're not like connected up to some crazy network. Typically
it's usually input by like the proprietors, at least at
the place where I worked. It may be different with
like larger, you know, petrol chains, but we've never really
had a sense of like the price of gas is
not going to change, you know, from day to day.
(41:27):
So I'm not saying that this is okay. I am
just saying that there are examples of things that we
sort of accept this for and for some reason this
is causing another little bit of cognitive dissonance as to like, well,
why this, you know, but not that?
Speaker 3 (41:46):
Again a natural extension of, as you said, pre existing strategies.
I love the note about gas station prices because, of
course there were some of the first things to go
to a full digital display, and it changes never buy
that much unless a natural disaster is occurring. Maybe we
(42:06):
pause for a word from our sponsors and go through
some pros and cons of dynamic pricing. We're back, okay,
As we said, this makes sense for companies, right. It's
similar to any other arms race, because if all your
(42:29):
competitors are doing this and you are not, then you
are leaving money on the table. So businesses argue that
when this stuff is implemented, well, it can again allow
companies and customers to share value. Whatever the heck that means.
Their idea is that, or they're public facing pitches that
(42:51):
accurate pricing will allow grocery stores to provide better service
over time. Those are the pros, These are the cons.
What if you are beholden to this store's real time
pricing inflation. What if you have, like so many of us,
a schedule that only allows you to shop on specific
(43:13):
days or at specific times. What if you're on a
fixed income and you can only get a ride to
your grocery store, you know, Sunday at three pm. Right,
you have no control over what happens there and how
much they decide your case of Da cheese is going
to cost. But you have to play the game.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
You would you would have to redo, like, you'd have
to find a way, right because you wouldn't be able
to afford groceries. But potentially you have to just completely
change your schedule in your life to be able to eat.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
And also if you ask the question why did this
price change? Currently, there is no transparency on what's happening.
Why the ESL. The electronic signage is going to display
maybe a QR code. It will give you a price.
It will probably give you a QR code, but it's
(44:11):
not going to give you some weird ted talk about
why Ruda begas were two dollars yesterday and now they're
two fifty.
Speaker 4 (44:19):
How much could a Rude Beega cost. I've never purchased
a Rude begga. Do they come in bunches. Do you
buy them one at a time? How does a rudebega come?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
I've only seen them individually, so.
Speaker 4 (44:30):
I mean I could give radishes or beats come in bunches.
So rudebega is a is a one and done kind
of thing, like a potato's a root vegetable. Right, I'm sorry,
I'm getting two in the weeks. It great, it's great,
rude Vega's here.
Speaker 3 (44:43):
It's also so many difficult for us, the average shopper,
to know what the grocery store knows about us and
how that grocery store got that information. And that is because, again,
as we've said for years, innovation all ways outpaces legislation.
So also the US, let's be honest, the US political
(45:07):
class is beholden to very powerful private interests. They control
campaign donations, and politicians the wolves run the headhouse.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
It's weird because you try to imagine what a grocery
store could know about you, right but because we know
there are so many third party data sales going on
right now, and that data is one of the primary
things that you collect for your business, for your economic
goals as a company. You think about think about the
things you choose to watch on Netflix, Like who knows
(45:43):
the stuff that you watch on Netflix? Who knows the
stuff you pull up on Google and what you search
on Google?
Speaker 4 (45:48):
The shadow, the shadow knows man. That's who knows well
for certain By the shadow, I mean big data, who
is basically all of our daddies at this point. I mean,
that's just there's no two ways about it. They've got
every thing they need. I swear to God too, I
still see stuff getting served up to me based on
things I've spoken out loud. And I know that we've
heard perspectives that that's not a thing, but I swear
(46:10):
to God it is. I've getten served ads for things
that I've had conversations about that never made it into
an email or into a particular Netflix choice or a text,
whatever it might be. I'm sorry, I don't mean to deral,
but a big data freaks me out, and it's just
going to get freak here. Please I yield by time.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
My point is, we know that all that data is
for sale, right, we know what it's out there, it's
being collected and is for sale. I can't see, or
I can't make the argument in my mind why a
Publix or a Kroger would spend all of the money
to find out that kind of minutia data on individuals,
because I can't see how much that actually goes into
(46:51):
whether or not you buy strawberries or you're focused on,
you know, the less perishable goods that are on the
middle shelves, right, I just I don't see the connect there,
And maybe maybe I'm just missing something.
Speaker 3 (47:04):
It's really economy of scale because we will tend to
or Americans especially will tend to think of individual data
as precious, sacro sacd or high priced. None of those
three things are true. The data can be attained very cheaply.
(47:26):
This is a brutal competitive market. So in my battles
with optimism, I think the smart thing for the Americans
in the crowd, actually for any of us around the world,
is to have something like a unified data report transparency,
a compilation of everything various companies and data brokers and
(47:50):
institutions have learned about you and have sold to each other,
and when they did it, that.
Speaker 4 (47:56):
Will could credit for it.
Speaker 3 (47:57):
Yes, yeah, dude, just so.
Speaker 4 (47:59):
But why is that not being demanded? And there must
be a reason that that's not logistically, or it's just
the stuff they don't want us to know literally. Like,
that's a great idea, Ben, But how come I haven't
heard anybody pushing for something like that? Is it just
out of a question? Are there too many disparate players
in the game for it to all be like aggregated
(48:20):
in that way? I just it's a very Surely there's
an organization or an agency that could produce something like that,
but there's a reason that they don't want to give
that to us.
Speaker 3 (48:31):
I appreciate you, man. Yeah, this is my first pitch.
We're open to notes of workshopping, but I to your point,
very powerful entities don't want to do that because the
status quo already exists. We had a professor friend of
the show years back who went on a mad escapade
to make terms and conditions and the fine print we
(48:54):
all click agree on to make that more readable, and
the guy shut down to your point, Well, that's why
it benefits the consumer, not the rent seekers.
Speaker 4 (49:09):
It's interesting though, too, and I know I preface things
with it's interesting too much. I'm gonna work on that
this year, guys, But how would that benefit us to
know those things? Like we know what we like. Presumably,
how would what would be actionable based on having that
information and knowing what data is out there in these ways,
(49:31):
like what could we actually do about it? Isn't it
just like wouldn't it just piss us off? Even more
like there's really no recourse once you know, it would
just be kind of like, well, I guess now I know.
But how would it change behavior or change the leg
up that all of these whatever companies trying to buy
for your dollar would have on you.
Speaker 3 (49:49):
That's a great question. Part of the answer here is
that it would establish legal precedent to network with other
existing acts, specifically stuff that outlaws price discrimination in the
United States. So, if, for instance, your Wegmans or whatever
(50:10):
is using facial SIGs and using you know, your social
media activity, your political leanings and so on to charge
you more for your what's a fun thing to buy?
What's a fun food thing to buy?
Speaker 4 (50:25):
Confetti, funfetti, funfetti cupcake mix, the funnest of cakes.
Speaker 3 (50:32):
Yeah, so you could go then if we had that
kind of unified data report, you could go to court
with that and say these jerks are charging me more
than they should or more than other people for my
funfetti cupcake mix. And it's because they did the facial
(50:54):
signature stuff. It's because I know and can prove what
they learned about me and how they used it against
me for only a dollar and fifteen cents.
Speaker 4 (51:05):
That's true for me, guys.
Speaker 2 (51:06):
It's about being able to enact some kind of legislation
to give individuals the right of erasure, right, the right of.
Speaker 4 (51:13):
That's exactly you're right, Yes, thank you mad. That was
exactly the concept that I was reaching for, Like that,
at some point, could you then have the right to
have that information removed or to be you know, rescinded
or whatever it might be. Right.
Speaker 2 (51:26):
It's but to the to Ben's point about the terms
of service thing, it's in that terms of service like
you are giving us the right to use your stuff
by using our thing, right by coming to our store,
by using our app, and all of those things. But
it would be interesting if there was a world in
which you could opt out of that kind of stuff
(51:47):
but still get groceries, right, which theoretically you can if
you use cash. If you don't have you know, you
take you leave your phone at home or in the car.
The idea just a human being with cash money.
Speaker 4 (52:02):
We're so very much talking about an escalation of the
very rudimentary like do not call lists or like you
know what used to be we would get spammed with
telemarket calls or whatever. And then in theory, you could
have your number removed from those lists. But then it
just seemed like a whack a mole situation because even
once you got your number off that list, that did
(52:23):
pop up in another place, or they'd find you again,
or I don't know, I just never really put much
stock in the do not call list. So forgive me
if I maybe a little skeptical as to whether something
like this would even take.
Speaker 3 (52:34):
Technology again always outpaces legislation. I mean, further, what happens
if the store system predicts a dire imbalance in supply
and demand before you do. You can picture it right now,
friends and neighbors. You're picking up a case of bottled water,
(52:54):
right watch out for the microplastics. But suddenly, as you
have your hands on the case, the label jumps by
five dollars and you turn to look out of the
window and you see a mob of people running for
bottled water in the store because that hurricane is coming.
You know, this is price Scuchy, this does happen, and
(53:16):
this will be aided and embedded by this current conspiracy.
Twenty eighteen, Kroger rolled out ESL in a pilot program.
They expanded it, and then they got in trouble and
we got to talk about Wegmans and the facial.
Speaker 2 (53:33):
Sikes, not English second language. Just every time I hear
ESL for some reason that.
Speaker 3 (53:39):
It yeah's elect electronic labels.
Speaker 4 (53:44):
Because weirdly, people aren't really talking about this much. Because frankly, guys,
when this came up in the outline, it was the
first time I'd ever heard that acronym referring to something
other than English as the second language. And I do
have to wonder. I had mentioned that I haven't really
I'd heard this being discussed, that this was coming and
that this is what dynamic pricing would lead to. And
I mentioned that in my grocery stores, I hadn't noticed
(54:05):
any change like that. But then I totally went to
Best Buy recently, and I just think I just didn't
notice that it looked any different. So I'm wondering if
that's the case at other places too, if it's so
innocuous that it doesn't look like a change but yeah,
I don't know. What do you guys think?
Speaker 3 (54:20):
It's the old adage of the slowly boiling water, right,
It is increasingly normalized. The boundaries are gently nudged, right,
pushed just a little bit, so it's never a rise
outside of a natural disaster, right or the self apparent
collapse of civilization. Your route a Bega price doesn't go
(54:43):
up by ten dollars, not all at once. It slowly
goes up in increments that they hope you won't notice.
And this is where we get to We get to
the normalization.
Speaker 2 (54:55):
Yes, let's go back to our example where we're trying
to game the system a little bit by leave all
our electronic devices at home. We're driving our non new car,
like one that's just a gasoline engine and it doesn't
have any perks on it. We're driving to our local
let's say Wegmans in Brooklyn. Let's just say that's where
we are. It's where we live. Here, we are we
(55:17):
were trying to get around this is. We got just
cash on hand. We're gonna walk in and get an
amazing dinner to cook. Then we see, as we approach
the door a sign that says, how hey, everybody, here
at Wegmans, we've decided, as a cost saving measure and
to protect our stores, our employees and you, we are
(55:37):
enacting facial recognition for anyone who walks into our store.
Oh and by the way, we've been doing it for
a while now. We did just put this thing on
here because of some legislation from back in twenty twenty one. Anyway,
come on in and.
Speaker 3 (55:51):
By seeing this sign you have consented.
Speaker 2 (55:54):
Yes, that's a that's a big part of the thing.
So like you could get around the system unless there
is a secondary piece of technology like facial recognition in
a store that just knows, Oh, hey, that's Ben. We
know Ben. He's gonna head straight on over to the
bananas because he loves bananas. And how long it takes
for them to degrade.
Speaker 3 (56:15):
Thank you for teaching me off air. By the way,
that trick with the stem that was awesome. I appreciate that,
and I am going to deploy it we also. Okay,
so we're in Wegmans. Let's say it's a few years
from now, right, assuming the US doesn't burn down. We've
got the ESL, we've got the electronic shelf displays, and
(56:37):
they also have a QR code. Let's say you have
your phone. Folks, you have to remember whenever you scan
a QR code, you are practicing vampire rules. You are
inviting a thing in Okay, so it's gonna learn more
about you in ways that you can't really imagine, Like
how do they get all this information? Is it really
(57:01):
worth a dollar thirty five profit per person? Possibly?
Speaker 4 (57:08):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (57:09):
Maybe, Oh kay, I just put this out here, guys,
Wegmans isn't the only one. So like Wegmans we know
about because of those signs and because there's legislation specifically
to New York that required them to let everybody know.
But there are other companies out there that you may
see yourself on a camera when you're checking out, Like
Walmart comes to mind. If you're checking out at one
of their automated things, you are on camera.
Speaker 3 (57:30):
Any place with a self checkout.
Speaker 2 (57:32):
Some of those self checkouts, though I've been to that
they don't have any They at least they don't outwardly
they like don't show you right with video output.
Speaker 4 (57:39):
There may be a Selfiy're fun, well, so.
Speaker 2 (57:42):
Is my son. He just loves like he's like.
Speaker 4 (57:44):
Ah, I'm right there with him. Man.
Speaker 2 (57:48):
But they these companies are using facial recognition technology. It
may look like it's just security camera, but they are
using that to see if you are a person on
their list of people who who has in the past.
At least the system believes that you shoplifted, even if
you know somebody didn't catch you and take you in
or anything like.
Speaker 3 (58:07):
Target is actually a surveillance company that happens to have
a few few markets for the public. Next time you'd
know that. Yeah, no, they make a lot of money
off selling their surveillance system. Yeah, look up at the
roof or the ceiling next time you walk in, folks.
And I know Target is a very charged thing. It's
(58:29):
also a weird name for a store.
Speaker 4 (58:31):
I just like the big red balls outside.
Speaker 3 (58:33):
They're fun, they are cool, they are cool, So I go,
you go for the big red bulls. Also true story,
we'll keep it brief. Back in our Buckhead days, I
did make the mistake of rocking up to a local
Target in khaki pants and a red shirt. I was
(58:55):
mistaken for an employee and I played it all the
way home.
Speaker 4 (58:59):
I bet she did that. Sounds like something Ben Bollen
would do. I'm here for it.
Speaker 3 (59:03):
Oh, thank you old brown ladies and gentlemen, friends and neighbors.
Matt Frederick Dylan, the Tennessee pal Faga. How much does
your grocery store know about you? Facial recognition is on
the table, Biometric data is already happening. Kroger has in
specific disavowed Microsoft Tech and said they're walking it back.
(59:27):
But I think the surveillance state is here, guys. I
don't think it's a single switch. It's a small amount
of boundary crossing. Bullying, gas lighting, things are not normal.
Rubicon exists, and we're crossing it with this. We would
love to hear your thoughts, folks. You can find us
on the lines. You can call us on a phone,
You can always send us an email.
Speaker 4 (59:47):
And you can find us all over the internet if
you wish at the handle Conspiracy Stuff or Conspiracy Stuff Show,
depending on which social media platform you choose.
Speaker 2 (59:58):
We have a phone number. It is one one eight
three STDWYTK. To call that number, just turn the letters
into numbers, figure it out three minutes. Give yourself a
cool nickname and let us know if we can use
your name and message on one of our listener mail
episodes that you'll find in our audio podcast feed. You know, Ben,
One thing we didn't talk about in this episode that
(01:00:19):
I think is a whole other episode for us to
cover it is this weird thing that the Immigration and
Custom Enforcement is using. It's like a facial recognition software.
I think it's called a mobile Fortify, but I couldn't
find too much information on it. I think that's our
next episode along the same line, at least that I'm imagining.
(01:00:39):
Call us in let us know what you think about that,
or if you've learned anything. If you want to send us
an email, you do that too.
Speaker 3 (01:00:45):
We are the entities that read each piece of correspondence
we receive. Be well aware that's I'm afraid. Sometimes the
void writes back to you specifically. You write us now,
we've got a buy one, get one free on our
random facts. They will not be what you expect. We
cannot wait to hear from you. Will hang with you
(01:01:08):
out here in the dark conspiracy at iHeartRadio dot com.
Speaker 2 (01:01:31):
Stuff they don't want you to know is a production
of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is
riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or
learn this stuff they don't want you to know. A
production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hello, welcome back to the show. My name is Matt,
my name is Noah.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
They call me Ben. We're joined as always with our
super producer Dylan the Tennessee pal Fagan. Most importantly, you
are you. You are here that makes this these stuff
they don't want you to know. When's the last time
you guys picked up groceries?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Groceries it's a new word, is it?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
No?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
What did he say? Trump says some funny stuff about groceries.
It's been He's fascinated by the word old fashioned, old
timey word, I believe is what he said. If it
refers to stuff in bags, I think is where he
landed in terms of what what does a grocery make?
Make make anyway? Yeah, I like grocery shopping. I find
(01:10):
it to be somewhat zen and I like to do
smaller shops rather than one big shop. And I do
wish that I lived more like in a city where
you could walk to the corner bodega or something like that,
But we had a couple of options here. I'm a
public's man.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Really publics man. We have all figured out and decided
the publics.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I heard I like a crozet as well. I do.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
I bet some of us hit up a local market
every week, the fancy folks. Some of us buy in
bulk at a Walmart or a Costco, and some of
us just go to our closest available option, closest grocery store, chap.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
What if the Trader Joe's you've you've forgotten about?
Speaker 4 (01:59):
The Trader Trader jos is a special occasion kind of trip,
you know, for special snacks.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
That parking lot is a conspiracy.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Oh, in the company culture, I like it.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I like when they you know, I like a close
moment of rapport.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
If you want to get flirted with hard to go
to TJ's. It's like it's like it's in their training
manual or something, you know.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I love how every purchase is super interesting, you know
what I mean. You get a little therapy real quick.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
It says something about your personality. Which TJ frozen good
or snack item that you buy and do consult the
what is it called the fabulous Flyer or something like
that is their little their little magazine that tells you
all the new snacks they're rolling out. I'm a huge
fan of Trader Jows.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Now, you guys know that in the wake of the pandemic,
a lot of folks still pony up a premium and
get their groceries through online delivery services.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
I do it from time to time I'm feeling lazy.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
And the big ones, the at least where I live. Guys,
the big chains that keep popping up everywhere are your
Aldise and your is it Legal?
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Why did I not mention legal? That's actually pretty close
to me to a huge fan. I love Allegal the bank.
The small German boy in me is a huge fan
they bank.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
They certainly have prices that are not as insane as
my local public's knowl.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Hey, listen, I forgot that I actually prefer legal to publics.
So well, if you calm down, people, co op it
benefits the employees they get to buy in.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
It's kind of inspiring. But regardless of the specifics, as
checkers said, you got to eat write most honest tagline ever,
and everyone pretty much in the United States who has
to pay for food has noticed there's a sharp uptick
in the price of grocery goods. Right. We talked about
(03:52):
this in our post pandemic price height conspiracy episode, and
as we discussed in our weekly String News segment back
in November, more and more folks are convinced their local
grocery store, whatever it may be, is up to something sketchy,
a conspiracy in the food aisle, Big Brother and your Kroger.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
And if you're watching this on Netflix and wondering, hey,
where's where are those strange news episodes? Go on and
find the place where you listen to podcasts and search
up stuff I don't want you to know, and you
will find them.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
And we're gonna pause for a word from our sponsors.
Then we'd like to play a game with you. Here
are the facts. Grocery stores. We're not saying they're perfect,
but they're pretty fricking cool, right.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
And they're also, if I remember correctly, back in the
old pandemic, they're considered essential, you know, because there were
whole issues around essential workers, and grocery store employees were
considered to be that but didn't really get any any benefits,
you know, for being such a frontline type of type.
Of job.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I'm also very proud of all of us for not
doing the PPE grift. We could have taken out those loans.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Guys, I bought so many Pokemon cars with that. What
are you talking about?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
What?
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Remember that that guy that used his PPE money to
buy Pokemon cards. I think he was from Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Actually, oh dang, I was gonna say, really smart, but
also that's terrible, really.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Right, plague, We'll do it the next plague.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Okay, cool, But grocery stores are incredible, and we forget
it because I don't know, especially in the US, if
you live somewhere near a grocery store, if you live
in one of those pockets that we talked about that
are not everywhere that has easy access to grocery store
or grocery stores, then you just get used to being
(05:53):
able to walk into a place and seeing every possible
food you can imagine and having access to it if
you've got the funds. That's a superpower.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
It is a superpower, dude, I like. Okay. Public food
markets have been around ever since agriculture began, right, and
early humans were able to stay in one place for
an extended amount of time, but all the stuff they
sold was also dependent upon what was quote unquote in
(06:24):
season or what was available there. So, for instance, if
you like Dylan and hopefully all of us wanted some
route of Vegas, you would have to hope that they
grew up nearby. You would have to hope they were
also in season. Otherwise, regardless of how much money you had,
you would be sol And then it shifts. Trade networks evolve.
(06:48):
Society's top badgers are able to pay for luxury goods
from far far away, and food is not an exception.
Over On our sister show, Ridiculous History, we talked multiple
episodes about how spices were so important that they were
used in currency. And Noel, I gotta tell you again
(07:09):
this pineapple thing, this pineapple thing. Remember, like people would
rent pineapples.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Oh of course, yes, yes, yes, of course, the ancient
heart of pineapple renting. Yeah, it meant it was a flex.
It meant that you were a big shot. Put it
on your center put it as a centerpiece on your
kitchen table, because you know, the average people couldn't afford
them at the time, because they were so dear. Pineapples
are pretty tasty. But I don't know if I don't
know if I'd rent a pineapple.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
I really thought we were going cruise ship with the
pineapples things. I mean, you know, be into whatever you're into.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Sure, just consent is key and don't hurt people. Folks
literally were so impressed by produce and other food stuffs
from abroad that they would, as you were saying, Noel,
they would just flex on each other with it. The
modern grocery store, to your point, Matt changed the whole game.
(08:09):
For the first time in human history. You could, as
an average person walk around. You could find fruits and
other goodies from across this wide Earth. And it rose
in step with agricultural technology. So for now you don't
need to worry if strawberries are in season, whether it
(08:30):
is August or February, you just pop by the store.
You pick up whatever you want. So long as you can.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Afford it, you too can have a pineapple. It's true.
I'll tell you. The part that always blows me away
is how the logistics of it all, and the calculations
behind supply and demand that keep all of that produce
from just like rotting on the shelves.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Ooh, the technology, the just in time. Yeah, well we
learned the technology you can deprive produce of certain things
and you can store it for a long time. Then
you can inject other things into an environment where they're
stored and then they begin their ripening process. It's almost
like putting them in stasis for a while.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Yeah. I gotta wonder too if sometimes you catch one
they forgot to inject, Like an avocado that just never ripens.
I think I've griped about this on the in the past,
on the show, where you'll just get this avocado that
just stays like hard, like a plastic prop you know,
and I just don't understand what's going on with it.
But we did talk about the conspiracy surrounding fake fruit yeh,
and fake avocados. I think that that was part of
(09:37):
the conversation about some of those very materials that you're
talking about there, Matt.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
I forgot to tell you, guys, because we haven't caught
up for a while. But the cashew seed is a
seed and it has a fruit on the bottom of it,
and you can't get the fruit in the United States
because it is still perishable.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
So the cashu nuts is the seed and then there's
an extra part of the cash, right. I am blissfully
unaware of until.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Now wonderful, and I'm sorry to sacrifice your bliss. It
is beautiful. It's perishable. You can't gas it up like
Nole's point to Apple's. But the thing is, you can
get a lot of stuff now. When the predecessors of
the modern grocery store first opened, they were still way
(10:24):
different from your Safeway or your crokers or your publics.
They were more generalized. They were selling basic necessities of
life in addition to food. So you could buy three
pounds of flour, and then you could buy a plowshare
as well. Right, you could maybe make a deal to
get a cow or something. And you couldn't buy the
(10:47):
like you couldn't pick up the stuff yourself. You had
to go to a counter like at a gun store,
and you had to tell the clerk what you wanted,
and if they had it, which didn't always happen, would
come back and be like, oh, mister Tennessee, pal your
three pounds of flour for your approval.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Almost like the old trading posts kind of just so right,
can we bring that back?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
That sounds like a delightful experience.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Come on that some things should stay in the past.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
I think.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
The good parts of modernity. I think the grocery store
being one of them.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Just play Oregon Trail at this point, you know.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
You can have dysentery right right, and you two can
have a gravestone because you don't know how to afford rivers.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
They also they also operated on credit or barter systems,
especially during times when currency itself was unreliable. But now
this all changes. Fast forward nineteen sixteen. Pigley Wiggley the
creepiest game mascot for any grocery store.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
And he's cute, he's murderer. Does he have a name,
because his name is mister Pigley Wiggly. I got no care.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I'm not going to hum a.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Wow, you really got beef or pork it as it
were with mister Piggy.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
And cutting up other pigs. Is he really been the
old school mascot?
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Yea, all right?
Speaker 2 (12:18):
You know yeah, guys, we talked about already in previous episodes.
But I just returned from Qatar from a little work trip,
and one of the things that you were told that
you should go visit there is a thing called the souk,
which is a it's a modern version of an old
school open air market that existed out there in that region,
(12:39):
specifically in Qatar, and I'm thinking about those types of
markets as we imagine this new piggly wiggly thing where
you walk in and you pick out all the things
you want, because there you would have if you go
to the soup and places like that, open air markets,
you'd have individual sellers, right as we're saying here.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Sort of like a farmer's market type situation, or even
a flea market you know here in the States where
you swap meat or something like that.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Right, yes, I mean right, it's individual produce that has
brought because you know, somebody has an apple farm, lemon farm,
whatever it is. But it totally makes sense to me
that this pigley wiggly thing, as you know, as abhorrent
as the character may be been, it's a it's a
glorious thing, right nineteen sixteen.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Yeah, now you could just walk around. It's now it's
a soup in one building. To your comparison.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Oh, Matt, I bet you knew this, but I just
want to point it out to the listeners. The soup
there's like the more popular wedding. There's like an older
one and there's a new one. It looks like something
out of like the Arabian Nights. You know, it's got
like all of these old fixtures on the walls and
like everything looks kind of cracked and old and then
like ropey. But it's like Disneyland, dude, it's not real.
(13:53):
It's not actually old at all. It's just made to
look old. And Ben and I I think did not
know that initially and then found out after the fact,
and we're both a little bit blown away by it.
But the vendors and the model of the whole thing
is very much in line with the way things would
have been done. You know, in the days of old.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Everything is president right, So a supermarket is not especially
an original idea.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
That super prefix is really that that was the super market,
the future supermarket.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
We're going to keep it. So the first real quote
unquote supermarket is in New York in the nineteen thirties,
King Cullin k U. L. L. E En. They're the
ones who figured out how to have dedicated departments for
you know, your meat counter, your seafood, your dairy. This also,
(14:47):
the guy who created this wrote a pretty strident letter
to the top brass at Kroger at the time, he
made a manifesto actually, and then he just did his
own thing. And believe it or not, after all these improvements,
shopping carts were not invented before supermarkets. They came way after.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
I guess baskets were the thing there for a while.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Maybe you just did like a supermarket sweep and you
just like took everything you could grab.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Supermarket sweep involves baskets evolve.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
It does, yeah, nineteen thirty seven. Thank you, Sylvan Goldman.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Answer the question though we got the sup the grocery
cart being vent in nineteen thirty seven, When does the
grocery cart corral come into the picture? And who are
these people that are leaving their carts just willy nilly
in parking spots these areas. They're not good people and
they need to be punished. Well.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Sometimes sometimes there are, for instance, vulnerable or disabled people
who cannot return their card to the trolley, but that
is an exception to the rule. Most people should return
their shopping carts. It's a good point, Ben, It's a
good point. But I do agree the exception to the rule.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
And typically of most grocery stores they will offer to
help you out to your car, even if you do
not have any kind of accessibility issue. So take them
up on that.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Have you guys done the thing where you run into
a supermarket thinking you're only going to get one or
two things, and so you pick those things up and
they're manageable and easy, and then you remember, oh, cra yeah,
and so.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
You when you don't get the cart because you know
that you can hold in your little hand the bacon
or egg, and then before you know it, the psychology
of the grocery store gets to you and you've got
an armload of stuff and you're dropping things like a
dumb dumb.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
But you're too you know, prideful to be like, I
need help, I need to get a cart.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
You just like, I can do this.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
It's so much fun, the.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Lazy man load. Yeah, let me carry all this stuff
like I'm a wounded veteran going to the cashier. Why
is there someone in front of me in line? God,
this is gonna be great for my lats.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
You know, you've exceeded the whatever ten items or less
line and then you're holding all that crap weight and
in line with all the people with the cards.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Now you're basically a criminal, at Passport Control. You know,
so America loves to buy stuff. The shopping cart is
a brilliant invention because it made things more convenient, but
it also encouraged people right to buy things they might
not necessarily purchase otherwise. And there are more innovations as
(17:27):
time goes on. They're barcodes, their loyalty programs. Of course,
we all remember that grift huge parking lots for everything
except for Trader Joe's. Obviously, frankly, not everyone is a
fan of these innovations. Can we talk just a little
bit about the psychology behind the layout of grocery stores.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
I want to say we have a whole episode on
that from a little ways back, if not a discussion
in one of our Listener Mail or Strange News episodes,
but I almost want to say that we definitely did
a whole episode about some of the psychology behind like
where the cereal goes and what you pass along the
way in order to get to the thing that you
actually need, and all of the kind of weird psyops
(18:10):
that go into the layout of a grocery store.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Casinos, we did a live episode on how casinos work,
which is the one hundred percent of the same thing.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
And the economics of the end cap and how much
money corporations will pay to be in specific spots in
those stores. They catch your eye just at the right
time when you're thinking about product X. Then you turn
your head and you see product why, and you're like, oh,
I gotta have.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
That, right You know, who am I if I don't
have gum after this journey? Right, So the biggest innovations
are a direct result of a brutally competitive market. The
grocery empires live and die on very slim margins of profit,
and so all their innovations now that are occurring and
(19:02):
our conspiratorial are built around anticipating what you want and
how they can push you to get more stuff. They
are leveragey big data, machine learning, shady info brokers, and
quote unquote AI. Right now, your local grocery store chain
(19:24):
knows more about you and your household than ever before.
Like they probably know some of your family member's birthdays
that you do not remember.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Let's really think about this. If it was one of
those stores that you described at the top bend where
you walk up to the counter and it's one person
and they just say, well, how may I help you?
Speaker 4 (19:45):
Today.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Oh well we have Unfortunately, we have no cantalope today
that one person might know a lot about you, that
one person might know a crep ton about the specificity
of your diet and you're in the things your family buy, right.
But you would think one would think that in these
giant corporations that exist, like the Kroger's, and you see
(20:08):
how many there are the publics and the you know,
the Trader Joe's and Sprouts and whatever.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Else, Peter's Safeway, three other examples just for the vibe.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
But there's so many of them out there, you I
think there's the maybe a thought process that there's diffusion
of knowledge, right, And I'm not actually interacting with anybody
when I go to these places anymore. I'm going to
an automated checkout counter at the Walmart to do this.
There's a feeling that of anonymity in a way that,
(20:43):
as we're going to talk about, is actually the complete opposite.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, this goes way deeper than we
would like to imagine. Look, we're gonna call this ad
break buy one, get one free. We'll be heare to go. Sure,
Here's where it gets crazy. As we get into the
(21:07):
details about this very true conspiracy. We're always going to
go back to the concept of something called dynamic pricing.
You guys remember this, right, Tomor Oh my gosh, have
you encountered it?
Speaker 1 (21:20):
No?
Speaker 4 (21:21):
I don't know. I mean I remember when we first were
talking about it. There was this notion that there would
even be like instead of the old fashioned barcodes and
there's little printouts that you'd see on your grocery store shelves,
that some would be replaced with little led readouts. Have
not seen that come to pass, at least at my
local grocery store chains. But that was the idea that
(21:41):
they could be updated in the moments based on the
ever changing you know, dynamics, dynamic pricing of supply and
demand of whatever the variables that drive the market and
pricing might be, and that this would of course benefit
nobody but the folks at the top making the money,
(22:01):
certainly not you as a consumer.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Let's do the corporate friendly definition. It's something like Dylan,
give me some weird music. Here a strategy where businesses
adjust prices in real time based on demand, supply, logical
competitive pricing, and past present consumer behavior to share value.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Wow, that's lovely spin right there to share to share
enough value they're sharing that with.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
What does that we'll get to it that shareholders. Perhaps
that's from Harvard Business Review share value.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
Well, good on you, Harvard Business Review for keeping it,
keeping it, keeping it fake.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Well, let's talk about what that really means, because there
is one. The first level to that, at least to
my understanding, means that you don't have employees in your
store where that are going through and having to change
the price tags you know, on every aisle for everything
as the dollar changes or as you know, as they're
(23:04):
saying sublime demand changes. You don't have to go through
and do all that stuff. You could just be at
a system and update what those prices are and they're done.
I can imagine that's a cost cost saving thing in
some way. The And I would say, I don't know
if you guys have been to a best Buy recently,
but best Buy does that where every single one of
their price tags on the shelves is it looks like paper,
(23:28):
but it's kind of like that paper, I.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
Think is what they call it. And Matt, I was
at a best Buy recently and I did not notice
that at all. And I would argue that's probably by
design because it looks like yeah, like you're describing.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
It looks like paper and not a high road any
of us tuning in at home. But yeah, we go
to best Buy.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
We have been well, I had to buy a ring
light for a trip to make sure that I was
able to you know, look, look, look my best.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
So we're talking about something called ESLU. That's gonna be
going to be part of it, right, electronic sign labels.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Yeah, oh okay, yes, that is so that is the
first layer to me of like why you would as
a large corporation do this kind of thing, make this move.
There's other stuff that we have talked about in the
past that I have not seen come to fruition yet. Guys,
I don't know if you have, and I guess we
need to get into it. But the concept of changing
(24:23):
prices for an individual.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
That's the spookiest part, that's right, that's the slippery slope
of it all. Where based on that data that they
have about you, and I suppose it would be really
hard to implement because they have to have a track
on you from the moment you walked in, like in
terms of your physical presence.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
Like one of like one of see what you're doing
here recognition SIGs. We can play a game with you
right now. If you like folks right along at home.
You need at least one buddy or buckaroo for this one.
Pull up a rideshare app, Uber app Lift, pick your poison.
(25:02):
Just make sure it's the same thing, and make sure
your partner in this also inputs the same start and
endpoint on the same app for the same ride. Select
the same car, option the same What is it? It's
like a conversation preferred or cool air whatever, Just do
(25:25):
the do everything the same while you are physically standing
next to that person. You might be surprised how the
exact same app for the exact same service at the
exact same time will give you small differences from one
customer to the other.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
And I do think that with more modern things like
ride share apps and maybe even like online shopping, we
maybe are a little more forgiving of that kind of thing.
Or it's like there's an expectation that there's even with
like airplane tickets or concert ticket stuff. It's like more
inherently already kind of in a digital environment. I just
(26:03):
think that nobody's got any illusions that anyone's getting the
same price or the same treatment. But I think when
we start incorporating old school things to your point about
the single dude at the trading post, it starts to
feel a little weirder or a little bit more dystopian,
you know.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Right, It's a little bit more immediately noticeable and off putting. Yeah,
when we're in a brick and mortar situation, if you
want to have more fun with this experiment, folks, close
that first app, keep your buddy with you. Open a
different app that does the same thing. So if you
have Uber, close it, open Lift or Grab or whatever
(26:40):
it is in your neck of the world, check the
price for the exact same trip with the exact same options.
Close it, go back to that first app, reopen it.
The price will properly have changed. This is a real thing. Yeah,
you'll even notice that.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
If you've got a rideshare Q to up and you
don't pull a trigger on it for a little bit
and then you do. It'll sometimes cancel it because it
says the pricing has changed. Because there's so much data
that's going into what that price is going to be
based on the availability of cars in the area. Surge
pricing all of that stuff. How many people are calling
cars at that exact moment, so those prices will change.
(27:21):
And again, I'm not meaning to harp on this too much,
but I don't feel that that's that unusual. But when
we start talking about things like e inc you know,
price tags at Best Buy and like you know how
much a pineapple is going to be from one minute
to the next, that's when it starts to feel a
little more invasive. And then when you mentioned this stuff
about like your phone and being tracked and taking it
from that what's it called loyalty program into something much
(27:45):
more big data driven that knows exactly where you are
and what you're doing and big brothering you, that's when
it starts to really feel icky.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
I think moving the tracking from the point of sale,
which is the loyalty.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
Card that's at the end, yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
You the point of entering or even having an inkling
to go to the store, by let's say putting it
into your Google Maps app or something that you're going
to head to the croaker. I mean, there are all
kinds of things that could theoretically be implemented, and we'll
see a few of those in this episode. That are
being implemented, but ultimately all of it depends on data
(28:23):
that's being collected at all times on you by I
don't even know how many companies are collecting the data
on your credit card purchases or your bank card purchases
right or your travel, your location data on your phone,
and on all the other things that all comes into
play here the ride share app thing. I don't mean
(28:47):
to be contrariy, and I hope I'm not misunderstanding. We're
saying that that trick that we're talking about doing. Ben
is working on dynamic pricing in the moment for those apps.
Or is it dynamic pricing are we seeing for the
individuals that are using the app?
Speaker 3 (29:03):
That's an excellent question. Is for the individuals we'll hear it. Reply,
We'll hear it referred to as surge pricing, demand pricing,
time based pricing. Shout out to Harvard Business, et cetera,
and all the NBAS. This occurs everything NOL. I like
your note about airline ticket purchasing. That's a great example
(29:23):
pro tip. The best time to buy airline tickets is
two to three am Eastern Standard.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Interesting, and of course I'll obviously maybe maybe this isn't
even that pro a tip. But the farther out you
can do it, the better. And I have noticed in
the Hopper app which is I think is a pretty
good one. It gives you kind of like color coding
depending on how pricing the tickets are going to be
in various times of the year when it's going to
depend on certain factors. But I do have to go
back to this point about does it know who you
(29:53):
are and what is it basing it on. Is it
saying that because you have a certain income level, that
you're willing to pay more and therefore it's going to
juice you up a little bit? Like are we going
that far?
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (30:07):
Or I think we are. I think that's at least
the conspiracy of it, all right, that's the reason.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Yeah, I was gonna say that is the conspiratorial thought
future that is not happening right now, at least to
my knowledge.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
It's getting close. It depends on your neck of the
global woods. Folks in the United States currently, which still
suffers from an abundance of food deserts. This technology is
in early rollout. However, we could argue this is inevitable.
It just makes too much sense for the companies whatever
(30:41):
you want to call it, surge pricing, dynamic pricing, time
based on demand. This strategy is coming for you because
it's a natural extension of older, pre existing tactics. Like
we've all noticed it, right. You are in your grocery
store and you see discounts on perishable products, right, meat,
(31:05):
baked goods, produce, Right, they get twenty percent off, and
you're like, hey, this might be a good hang if
I cook it right now. This this gives the grocery
store the ability to sell something off and make some
kind of profit before they throw it away. For the
crosspunks and the dumpster divers, you know, it can be
(31:28):
a win win. Who doesn't want twenty percent off on
some rude begas? Dylan? Are we right?
Speaker 4 (31:34):
Amen? All hell the great Lord rude Bega.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
But I said the baby back, baby back, baby back ribs?
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Yes, oh baby's back. Yeah. Did you guys ever know
super coupon people the clippers?
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Yeah? I was one, and I bet you were a
mat It is such a rule follower. I love it well.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
And for a time there my Kroger app would allow
me to get digital coupons. I believe it will still
offer that.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
To your car. I like the physical clipping of it
all though I think that I wonder if that phenomenon
is still around it. There are hardcore coupon clippers out
there with their scissors going to town on the weekly
inserts in the in their local newspapers.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Check out the h Bart circular. We know that this
does still exist. Like many of us listening now, uh,
I was super into chaining combos, specials and then manufacturer coupons,
and then you you gain the loyalty program a little bit,
you can get massive. You could get massive discounts on
(32:40):
the bottom line because you, as the customer, were able
to move more quickly than the stores themselves. They had
to wait for additional data before they adjusted the price
of something.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Yeah. Bet you remember the good old days of the
lunches we would have at Capital City Plaza there and Buckhead.
The number of soups that you could find, like one
one time of the month you could get like twelve soups.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Matt and I used to have way less money crossed over.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah, we way more sodium.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
No, we would straight up consult each other like which
soup is like the good soup on the.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Salt murder Kroger.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
They were on sale at Murderkroger all the time.
Speaker 4 (33:25):
Okay, Murder Troger is an Atlanta phenomenon. For anyone out
there that doesn't.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Know what we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
It went through a much needed rebrand. I believe they
call it the disco Kroger. Now, oh, they call it
the belt line. There you go, belt Line Kroger. Even
more boring. Disco I think is Yeah, it's a different way. Anyway,
the Kroger is around here. Get some fun nicknames. There's
Facebook Kroger, Yeah, black Broger, as.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
You mentioned, Yeah, what's the one off memorial gold.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
I'm not sure it might be the Facebook Croker. There
was also Crowbar, because there was one that had There
was one that had a like a like a little
pub inside, and I believe that closed. It's not beautiful.
Nobody goes. Turns out we want to go to grocery
stores for a happy hour.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Da, that's gotta be a weird egg.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
Right, Georgia, believe me?
Speaker 3 (34:08):
Okay, okay, Jillian, keep this in, but can you add
like a dramatic sound cue after you said believe me?
All right? So we talked about this electronic shelf labels.
They are a game changer. If you visit the United
States and you're not from that country, you've experienced something
weird firsthand. The old school printed shelf store price labels,
(34:35):
they're super misleading because it's never the actual price. It
doesn't count your local, state or federal taxes. And then,
of course the boffins in marketing research, all the NBA's
and whomever we save from Operation paper Clip, they figured
out some cognitive sorcery or sorcery. It's funny if you
(34:58):
read it on how to display a price. So that's
why everything is four ninety nine or three ninety nine
instead of just straight up five or four dollars.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Oh and if you're buying let's say, a technological good
or a piece of furniture or anything that requires assembly,
or anything above fifty dollars, you're gonna get hit with
another little thing that you may not expect at the
checkout counter, and that is some kind of insurance policy
or warranty policy on that thing. They can range anywhere
(35:33):
from like four ninety nine to one hundred and twenty
extra dollars.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
What's an offer though, right, especially at the best pause
of it all, I mean, it's like an extended warranty
or like whatever, and just I usually decline those.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
You can also get it for free if you sign
up for the loyalty program in some cases CE So
just give me your information and if your overpriced Hdmi
cable poops the bed, then I'll give you another one.
Just let me know your social Security number. But type
every closest relationship you have to Kevin Bacon a list
(36:05):
of your childhood fears and tell me about your dreams exactly.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
But the psychology of it, especially for someone who's risk
adverse like me, you have that moment of kind of
crisis at the checkout counter of oh crap, oh crap,
I should probably do this thing, like what if it breaks,
what if this happens, What if that happens?
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Oh crap, I should.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Probably do this, And it will cause It will not
cause you to do anything. It will maybe push you,
because this whole episode is about these little pushes, right,
might push you to accepting something that you wouldn't have
done if it was there on the label when you
picked that thing up.
Speaker 4 (36:40):
Creates a little cognitive dissonance kind of in the moment
where you're like super stoked about this thing that you're
about to purchase to whatever it might be an HDMI
cor or maybe even like a camera, but then all
of a sudden you are presented with the eventuality that
your thing might be a lemon.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
Have I confronted mortality here at the counter of best buying?
Will one day degrade and bring ah? Is there ballman gilliad?
Is there no hope? I will sign up for your
loyalty program?
Speaker 4 (37:15):
There are certain things where you extend a little a
little depending on the costs or an extended warrantsy isn't
the worst idea, and it's like a major appliance, for example,
and it gives you a little bit of extension past
whatever the manufacturer warranty is. But typically if it's a
decent products the manufacturer warrants he's going to be good enough.
Not to get off on a tangent here.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
But it's a good point. No, you're making a great point.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
There are these massive corporate insurance outfits that are that
are going into places like Staples. I just found this out, guys,
because this chair I I got recently. We are not
sponsored by Staples. Chair say very nice, Well, it's it's
not it's actually not that nice. It works perfectly for
my purposes, but it was definitely not one of the
(37:59):
nice ones they had for sale there. But I did
find out that they ensure. There are these massive corporate
insurance companies that are working with like these other departments
and outlets that will ensure things like this as part
of the purchase price, and then you sign up for
this other little things. It's not called avanti. I can't
remember the name of it's. So there are crazy, huge
(38:22):
corporations that are a part of this whole system of
ensuring something to replace it if something goes.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Wrong and you can get you can get something like
that at your local grocery store. Right you buy something
it doesn't work, you can take it back, yes, food hopefully. Yeah.
I think they make so much money that if Noel
Brown comes back with a bad avocado, they'll just give
(38:48):
them another avocado.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
I did it recently with blackberries. I bought one of those,
you know, a container of blackberries, brought it home, open
it up the next day to give them my kids,
And there's mold all in it when you purchased it.
But you take the first one off and then there's
just a ton of mold in there. I took it
right back. Sorry, Kroger, but I took it right back
to you, and but thankfully you replaced it immediately.
Speaker 3 (39:11):
And if this implementation of electronic sign labels right, that
that signage, if that kicks in and becomes normalized the
way it's normalized across parts of Western Europe, then your
local Kroger Matt Frederick would clock that someone's returning those
berries and say, okay, do we dip the price down?
(39:34):
Do we dip it up a little bit? What's our
demand v supply? Right? What's our fung Gui index? And
this means that now in certain grocery stores, and this
is going to happen to you, folks. You can walk
down the cereal aisle at the start of your sojourn
with your grocery card, and then you can walk back
(39:57):
down that aisle, same cereal aisle, and you will see
a different price on raisin brand from the time you
entered to the time you left. And maybe it's going
to be a small shift, but eventually it might not
just be the system of supply and demand. It might
(40:18):
be targeting you specifically. So I'm Matt Frederick, I walk
by the raisin brand right, it's four ninety nine. I
love raisin brand. I'm Matt Frederick. I love that stuff,
but it's for ninety nine. I walk back on the
way to the cashier and now it's three ninety nine.
(40:38):
I'm going to get my brand.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
Gotta have you, gotta have your brand.
Speaker 2 (40:41):
I was gonna get it anyway.
Speaker 4 (40:43):
Well, and I know we've talked about this in the
past when dynamic pricing has come up, but we have
no illusions of this not happening with say gas prices.
Those billboards or the you know, the street facing signs
attached to gas stations are digital and they can absolutely fluctuate,
you know, from moment to moment, depending And I know
(41:05):
from having worked in a gas station once when I
was a teenager, a lot of those are pretty arbitrary.
They're not like connected up to some crazy network. Typically
it's usually input by like the proprietors, at least at
the place where I worked. It may be different with
like larger, you know, petrol chains, but we've never really
had a sense of like the price of gas is
not going to change, you know, from day to day.
(41:27):
So I'm not saying that this is okay. I am
just saying that there are examples of things that we
sort of accept this for and for some reason this
is causing another little bit of cognitive dissonance as to like, well,
why this, you know, but not that?
Speaker 3 (41:46):
Again a natural extension of, as you said, pre existing strategies.
I love the note about gas station prices because, of
course there were some of the first things to go
to a full digital display, and it changes never buy
that much unless a natural disaster is occurring. Maybe we
(42:06):
pause for a word from our sponsors and go through
some pros and cons of dynamic pricing. We're back, okay,
As we said, this makes sense for companies, right. It's
similar to any other arms race, because if all your
(42:29):
competitors are doing this and you are not, then you
are leaving money on the table. So businesses argue that
when this stuff is implemented, well, it can again allow
companies and customers to share value. Whatever the heck that means.
Their idea is that, or they're public facing pitches that
(42:51):
accurate pricing will allow grocery stores to provide better service
over time. Those are the pros, These are the cons.
What if you are beholden to this store's real time
pricing inflation. What if you have, like so many of us,
a schedule that only allows you to shop on specific
(43:13):
days or at specific times. What if you're on a
fixed income and you can only get a ride to
your grocery store, you know, Sunday at three pm. Right,
you have no control over what happens there and how
much they decide your case of Da cheese is going
to cost. But you have to play the game.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
You would you would have to redo, like, you'd have
to find a way, right because you wouldn't be able
to afford groceries. But potentially you have to just completely
change your schedule in your life to be able to eat.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
And also if you ask the question why did this
price change? Currently, there is no transparency on what's happening.
Why the ESL. The electronic signage is going to display
maybe a QR code. It will give you a price.
It will probably give you a QR code, but it's
(44:11):
not going to give you some weird ted talk about
why Ruda begas were two dollars yesterday and now they're
two fifty.
Speaker 4 (44:19):
How much could a Rude Beega cost. I've never purchased
a Rude begga. Do they come in bunches. Do you
buy them one at a time? How does a rudebega come?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
I've only seen them individually, so.
Speaker 4 (44:30):
I mean I could give radishes or beats come in bunches.
So rudebega is a is a one and done kind
of thing, like a potato's a root vegetable. Right, I'm sorry,
I'm getting two in the weeks. It great, it's great,
rude Vega's here.
Speaker 3 (44:43):
It's also so many difficult for us, the average shopper,
to know what the grocery store knows about us and
how that grocery store got that information. And that is because, again,
as we've said for years, innovation all ways outpaces legislation.
So also the US, let's be honest, the US political
(45:07):
class is beholden to very powerful private interests. They control
campaign donations, and politicians the wolves run the headhouse.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
It's weird because you try to imagine what a grocery
store could know about you, right but because we know
there are so many third party data sales going on
right now, and that data is one of the primary
things that you collect for your business, for your economic
goals as a company. You think about think about the
things you choose to watch on Netflix, Like who knows
(45:43):
the stuff that you watch on Netflix? Who knows the
stuff you pull up on Google and what you search
on Google?
Speaker 4 (45:48):
The shadow, the shadow knows man. That's who knows well
for certain By the shadow, I mean big data, who
is basically all of our daddies at this point. I mean,
that's just there's no two ways about it. They've got
every thing they need. I swear to God too, I
still see stuff getting served up to me based on
things I've spoken out loud. And I know that we've
heard perspectives that that's not a thing, but I swear
(46:10):
to God it is. I've getten served ads for things
that I've had conversations about that never made it into
an email or into a particular Netflix choice or a text,
whatever it might be. I'm sorry, I don't mean to deral,
but a big data freaks me out, and it's just
going to get freak here. Please I yield by time.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
My point is, we know that all that data is
for sale, right, we know what it's out there, it's
being collected and is for sale. I can't see, or
I can't make the argument in my mind why a
Publix or a Kroger would spend all of the money
to find out that kind of minutia data on individuals,
because I can't see how much that actually goes into
(46:51):
whether or not you buy strawberries or you're focused on,
you know, the less perishable goods that are on the
middle shelves, right, I just I don't see the connect there,
And maybe maybe I'm just missing something.
Speaker 3 (47:04):
It's really economy of scale because we will tend to
or Americans especially will tend to think of individual data
as precious, sacro sacd or high priced. None of those
three things are true. The data can be attained very cheaply.
(47:26):
This is a brutal competitive market. So in my battles
with optimism, I think the smart thing for the Americans
in the crowd, actually for any of us around the world,
is to have something like a unified data report transparency,
a compilation of everything various companies and data brokers and
(47:50):
institutions have learned about you and have sold to each other,
and when they did it, that.
Speaker 4 (47:56):
Will could credit for it.
Speaker 3 (47:57):
Yes, yeah, dude, just so.
Speaker 4 (47:59):
But why is that not being demanded? And there must
be a reason that that's not logistically, or it's just
the stuff they don't want us to know literally. Like,
that's a great idea, Ben, But how come I haven't
heard anybody pushing for something like that? Is it just
out of a question? Are there too many disparate players
in the game for it to all be like aggregated
(48:20):
in that way? I just it's a very Surely there's
an organization or an agency that could produce something like that,
but there's a reason that they don't want to give
that to us.
Speaker 3 (48:31):
I appreciate you, man. Yeah, this is my first pitch.
We're open to notes of workshopping, but I to your point,
very powerful entities don't want to do that because the
status quo already exists. We had a professor friend of
the show years back who went on a mad escapade
to make terms and conditions and the fine print we
(48:54):
all click agree on to make that more readable, and
the guy shut down to your point, Well, that's why
it benefits the consumer, not the rent seekers.
Speaker 4 (49:09):
It's interesting though, too, and I know I preface things
with it's interesting too much. I'm gonna work on that
this year, guys, But how would that benefit us to
know those things? Like we know what we like. Presumably,
how would what would be actionable based on having that
information and knowing what data is out there in these ways,
(49:31):
like what could we actually do about it? Isn't it
just like wouldn't it just piss us off? Even more
like there's really no recourse once you know, it would
just be kind of like, well, I guess now I know.
But how would it change behavior or change the leg
up that all of these whatever companies trying to buy
for your dollar would have on you.
Speaker 3 (49:49):
That's a great question. Part of the answer here is
that it would establish legal precedent to network with other
existing acts, specifically stuff that outlaws price discrimination in the
United States. So, if, for instance, your Wegmans or whatever
(50:10):
is using facial SIGs and using you know, your social
media activity, your political leanings and so on to charge
you more for your what's a fun thing to buy?
What's a fun food thing to buy?
Speaker 4 (50:25):
Confetti, funfetti, funfetti cupcake mix, the funnest of cakes.
Speaker 3 (50:32):
Yeah, so you could go then if we had that
kind of unified data report, you could go to court
with that and say these jerks are charging me more
than they should or more than other people for my
funfetti cupcake mix. And it's because they did the facial
(50:54):
signature stuff. It's because I know and can prove what
they learned about me and how they used it against
me for only a dollar and fifteen cents.
Speaker 4 (51:05):
That's true for me, guys.
Speaker 2 (51:06):
It's about being able to enact some kind of legislation
to give individuals the right of erasure, right, the right of.
Speaker 4 (51:13):
That's exactly you're right, Yes, thank you mad. That was
exactly the concept that I was reaching for, Like that,
at some point, could you then have the right to
have that information removed or to be you know, rescinded
or whatever it might be. Right.
Speaker 2 (51:26):
It's but to the to Ben's point about the terms
of service thing, it's in that terms of service like
you are giving us the right to use your stuff
by using our thing, right by coming to our store,
by using our app, and all of those things. But
it would be interesting if there was a world in
which you could opt out of that kind of stuff
(51:47):
but still get groceries, right, which theoretically you can if
you use cash. If you don't have you know, you
take you leave your phone at home or in the car.
The idea just a human being with cash money.
Speaker 4 (52:02):
We're so very much talking about an escalation of the
very rudimentary like do not call lists or like you
know what used to be we would get spammed with
telemarket calls or whatever. And then in theory, you could
have your number removed from those lists. But then it
just seemed like a whack a mole situation because even
once you got your number off that list, that did
(52:23):
pop up in another place, or they'd find you again,
or I don't know, I just never really put much
stock in the do not call list. So forgive me
if I maybe a little skeptical as to whether something
like this would even take.
Speaker 3 (52:34):
Technology again always outpaces legislation. I mean, further, what happens
if the store system predicts a dire imbalance in supply
and demand before you do. You can picture it right now,
friends and neighbors. You're picking up a case of bottled water,
(52:54):
right watch out for the microplastics. But suddenly, as you
have your hands on the case, the label jumps by
five dollars and you turn to look out of the
window and you see a mob of people running for
bottled water in the store because that hurricane is coming.
You know, this is price Scuchy, this does happen, and
(53:16):
this will be aided and embedded by this current conspiracy.
Twenty eighteen, Kroger rolled out ESL in a pilot program.
They expanded it, and then they got in trouble and
we got to talk about Wegmans and the facial.
Speaker 2 (53:33):
Sikes, not English second language. Just every time I hear
ESL for some reason that.
Speaker 3 (53:39):
It yeah's elect electronic labels.
Speaker 4 (53:44):
Because weirdly, people aren't really talking about this much. Because frankly, guys,
when this came up in the outline, it was the
first time I'd ever heard that acronym referring to something
other than English as the second language. And I do
have to wonder. I had mentioned that I haven't really
I'd heard this being discussed, that this was coming and
that this is what dynamic pricing would lead to. And
I mentioned that in my grocery stores, I hadn't noticed
(54:05):
any change like that. But then I totally went to
Best Buy recently, and I just think I just didn't
notice that it looked any different. So I'm wondering if
that's the case at other places too, if it's so
innocuous that it doesn't look like a change but yeah,
I don't know. What do you guys think?
Speaker 3 (54:20):
It's the old adage of the slowly boiling water, right,
It is increasingly normalized. The boundaries are gently nudged, right,
pushed just a little bit, so it's never a rise
outside of a natural disaster, right or the self apparent
collapse of civilization. Your route a Bega price doesn't go
(54:43):
up by ten dollars, not all at once. It slowly
goes up in increments that they hope you won't notice.
And this is where we get to We get to
the normalization.
Speaker 2 (54:55):
Yes, let's go back to our example where we're trying
to game the system a little bit by leave all
our electronic devices at home. We're driving our non new car,
like one that's just a gasoline engine and it doesn't
have any perks on it. We're driving to our local
let's say Wegmans in Brooklyn. Let's just say that's where
we are. It's where we live. Here, we are we
(55:17):
were trying to get around this is. We got just
cash on hand. We're gonna walk in and get an
amazing dinner to cook. Then we see, as we approach
the door a sign that says, how hey, everybody, here
at Wegmans, we've decided, as a cost saving measure and
to protect our stores, our employees and you, we are
(55:37):
enacting facial recognition for anyone who walks into our store.
Oh and by the way, we've been doing it for
a while now. We did just put this thing on
here because of some legislation from back in twenty twenty one. Anyway,
come on in and.
Speaker 3 (55:51):
By seeing this sign you have consented.
Speaker 2 (55:54):
Yes, that's a that's a big part of the thing.
So like you could get around the system unless there
is a secondary piece of technology like facial recognition in
a store that just knows, Oh, hey, that's Ben. We
know Ben. He's gonna head straight on over to the
bananas because he loves bananas. And how long it takes
for them to degrade.
Speaker 3 (56:15):
Thank you for teaching me off air. By the way,
that trick with the stem that was awesome. I appreciate that,
and I am going to deploy it we also. Okay,
so we're in Wegmans. Let's say it's a few years
from now, right, assuming the US doesn't burn down. We've
got the ESL, we've got the electronic shelf displays, and
(56:37):
they also have a QR code. Let's say you have
your phone. Folks, you have to remember whenever you scan
a QR code, you are practicing vampire rules. You are
inviting a thing in Okay, so it's gonna learn more
about you in ways that you can't really imagine, Like
how do they get all this information? Is it really
(57:01):
worth a dollar thirty five profit per person? Possibly?
Speaker 4 (57:08):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (57:09):
Maybe, Oh kay, I just put this out here, guys,
Wegmans isn't the only one. So like Wegmans we know
about because of those signs and because there's legislation specifically
to New York that required them to let everybody know.
But there are other companies out there that you may
see yourself on a camera when you're checking out, Like
Walmart comes to mind. If you're checking out at one
of their automated things, you are on camera.
Speaker 3 (57:30):
Any place with a self checkout.
Speaker 2 (57:32):
Some of those self checkouts, though I've been to that
they don't have any They at least they don't outwardly
they like don't show you right with video output.
Speaker 4 (57:39):
There may be a Selfiy're fun, well, so.
Speaker 2 (57:42):
Is my son. He just loves like he's like.
Speaker 4 (57:44):
Ah, I'm right there with him. Man.
Speaker 2 (57:48):
But they these companies are using facial recognition technology. It
may look like it's just security camera, but they are
using that to see if you are a person on
their list of people who who has in the past.
At least the system believes that you shoplifted, even if
you know somebody didn't catch you and take you in
or anything like.
Speaker 3 (58:07):
Target is actually a surveillance company that happens to have
a few few markets for the public. Next time you'd
know that. Yeah, no, they make a lot of money
off selling their surveillance system. Yeah, look up at the
roof or the ceiling next time you walk in, folks.
And I know Target is a very charged thing. It's
(58:29):
also a weird name for a store.
Speaker 4 (58:31):
I just like the big red balls outside.
Speaker 3 (58:33):
They're fun, they are cool, they are cool, So I go,
you go for the big red bulls. Also true story,
we'll keep it brief. Back in our Buckhead days, I
did make the mistake of rocking up to a local
Target in khaki pants and a red shirt. I was
(58:55):
mistaken for an employee and I played it all the
way home.
Speaker 4 (58:59):
I bet she did that. Sounds like something Ben Bollen
would do. I'm here for it.
Speaker 3 (59:03):
Oh, thank you old brown ladies and gentlemen, friends and neighbors.
Matt Frederick Dylan, the Tennessee pal Faga. How much does
your grocery store know about you? Facial recognition is on
the table, Biometric data is already happening. Kroger has in
specific disavowed Microsoft Tech and said they're walking it back.
(59:27):
But I think the surveillance state is here, guys. I
don't think it's a single switch. It's a small amount
of boundary crossing. Bullying, gas lighting, things are not normal.
Rubicon exists, and we're crossing it with this. We would
love to hear your thoughts, folks. You can find us
on the lines. You can call us on a phone,
You can always send us an email.
Speaker 4 (59:47):
And you can find us all over the internet if
you wish at the handle Conspiracy Stuff or Conspiracy Stuff Show,
depending on which social media platform you choose.
Speaker 2 (59:58):
We have a phone number. It is one one eight
three STDWYTK. To call that number, just turn the letters
into numbers, figure it out three minutes. Give yourself a
cool nickname and let us know if we can use
your name and message on one of our listener mail
episodes that you'll find in our audio podcast feed. You know, Ben,
One thing we didn't talk about in this episode that
(01:00:19):
I think is a whole other episode for us to
cover it is this weird thing that the Immigration and
Custom Enforcement is using. It's like a facial recognition software.
I think it's called a mobile Fortify, but I couldn't
find too much information on it. I think that's our
next episode along the same line, at least that I'm imagining.
(01:00:39):
Call us in let us know what you think about that,
or if you've learned anything. If you want to send us
an email, you do that too.
Speaker 3 (01:00:45):
We are the entities that read each piece of correspondence
we receive. Be well aware that's I'm afraid. Sometimes the
void writes back to you specifically. You write us now,
we've got a buy one, get one free on our
random facts. They will not be what you expect. We
cannot wait to hear from you. Will hang with you
(01:01:08):
out here in the dark conspiracy at iHeartRadio dot com.
Speaker 2 (01:01:31):
Stuff they don't want you to know is a production
of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know News
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Ben Bowlin
Noel Brown
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