Retail automation: Will robots take my job?

According to the website willrobotstakemyjob.com the retail industry is “doomed”.

The American-based site saw over 300,000 searches in December, which allows users to enter their job titles in the quest to find out how likely it is for their jobs to be replaced by automation and robots.

According to the site, a colossal 47 percent of US jobs are at risk of being completely automated, triggering a landslide concern over job security.

The retail sector has changed vastly in the past decade, with online shopping changing the entire landscape of how we shop and work. Warehouses have replaced stores, robotic arms are replacing pick and pack humans, automated delivery drones are replacing the delivery van driver.

Dr Hui Cheng, head of China’s JD.com told the Retail Gazette that it operates nearly 7000 distribution centers, providing same day and next delivery to 1 billion people. He stated that during JD’s anniversary sales the company sold 700 million items, with all requiring same day or next day delivery. That is comparable to every inhabitant in Europe buying one item required imminent delivery. “For those logistics pilots human power can just not match the increase in demand.”

According to the Retail Gazette, those who have a 92 percent rating on willrobotstakemyjob.com are likely to see their role change, but not entirely disappear. Although upskilling will be a retailers - and employee’s - prerogative, a human element will always be necessary in maintaining, programming and administering automated machines.