Everyone with something to sell

 

The government’s hunger to know where you are and what you’re doing pales in comparison to that of corporate America. The potential of the technology is vast. It could save or generate millions by enabling simpler shipment tracking and inventory control, creating new, innovative means of communicating directly with consumers, and spawning unheard-of concepts for customized user experiences.

RFID tagging in the consumer sphere is all about convenience. Imagine a world in which your shopping cart knows what products you place into it, updating you in real time with the amount you’re spending, the calorie content of what you’re buying, and maybe even recipe suggestions. The store is surprisingly quiet, because the check stands have been eliminated; you bag your groceries yourself and wheel your cart out the door. As soon as you pass the threshold, your credit card is automatically charged.

At home, your cupboards and refrigerator listen for new products. As you drink your orange juice and eat your eggs, the cartons keep your fridge up to date about their remaining contents. Your fridge reminds you when you’re almost out, and updates the local grocery store so that your smart cart can remind you again as you wander through the aisles trying to remember that one last thing you forgot.

Every shop in the mall has this capability, eliminating human helpers in favor of retail space. Soft, mechanical voices greet you by name when you enter. Personalized music plays in the fitting room. Clothing racks make gentle suggestions about what you might like based on past purchases and where to find your size. Shoes tell you in advance whether they’ll be comfortable or not. Video games and toys scream at you, claiming exciting new features never before seen by human eyes. Cell phones and cameras beep and wink as you walk by. Ads shift and shimmer, taking on forms based on what you’ve touched, what you’ve looked at, and what you’ve bought. Thanks to RFID, you are integrated seamlessly into your own private consumer experience, coddled and catered to and kept as satisfied as possible by 100 tiny machines all invisibly chattering back and forth.