For decades, Walmart had a hokey-but-warm tradition of greeting customers at the front door. The greeters have been phased out. Now the gates are being phased in.
In a sign of our insecure times, Walmart’s West Lebanon (New Hampshire) store wants to install electronic gates at the entrance through which customers must pass before they can get to those everyday low prices.
Walmart has filed a building permit application with the city of Lebanon to install a $19,000 Technoport electronic gate system similar to the kind seen at sports stadiums and other public venues to control foot traffic and security. City staff currently are reviewing the plan.
The retail giant has embarked on a three-year, $500 million program to upgrade security in its stores, and the gates are one of the most visible components. Other elements of the security program include “computer vision technology” that scans products at the checkout lane to deter shoplifting… Valley News