Shoppers' Hilarious Reactions to the 'Spooky' New Addition in Kmart Stores
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From self-service checkouts to augmented reality fitting rooms, the retail world is constantly evolving, thanks to technology.
Kmart is the latest in line to herald this change in Australia, introducing their newest 'colleague' who is a show-stealer.
No, we're not talking about a human colleague here, but a robot!
Reacting with astonishment and humour—and perhaps a touch of fear—Kmart shoppers nationwide have taken to social media to share their reactions to the store's newest team member.
Known as 'Tory', the robot is a self-contained unit focused solely on inventory management—a critical component in the retail world.
'Tory' is a word play on 'inventory'. Who said retail doesn’t have a sense of humour?
Now, the idea of robots in retail isn't exactly new.
However, Kmart’s in-store approach lands a different kind of charm. It's not every day you find yourself sharing your shopping aisle with a mechanical assistant!
What exactly does Tory do? Well, in true robotic efficiency, Tory is hard at work, day and night. Using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, Tory scans the RFID tags on products, counting the store’s stock.
Tory’s job is to ensure that the inventory is correct, helping customers get what they want and when they want it.
Shoppers find this unusual presence both mildly amusing and surprisingly unnerving. One social media user, Spanian, was hilariously candid about his encounter.
'I'm in Kmart full getting chased by the robot...What are you doing? What's going on?'
Spanian's video has garnered significant attention, having been viewed 190,000 times.
People have been captivated by the intriguing spectacle captured in the video and have shared their thoughts and comments about it.
Someone wrote, ‘The way my kids would leg it if they saw this.’
Another added, ‘All Kmarts have it. It counts stock in the back.’
Of course, not everyone’s thrilled about our new cybernetic companions. There are concerns about robots like Tory potentially looming as job snatchers.
One user said, ‘That’s a job gone. It’s all fun until these things take jobs over. AI is coming fast.’
A second added, 'Goodbye people's jobs’.
In response to such concerns, a Kmart spokesperson assured the public that Tory, though efficient, isn’t capable of replacing human roles.
They stated, ‘Tory does not replace any existing jobs, as Tory only has one function—which is the ability to scan our tags and count stock.’
Rather, the technology works to support the existing 44,000-strong Kmart team, freeing human staff from the often tedious task of taking inventory.
The spokeswoman said, ‘Tory helps our store team members focus on serving customers and helps them gain an accurate view of what products we have and where they are in the store.’
‘For Kmart, this new technology has meant that where we would previously do a stocktake once a year—Tory can do this once a day.’
It's undeniable that AI and robotics are making waves in every sector, and retail is no different.
The challenge lies in finding the delicate balance between embracing advancements and maintaining job security, and Kmart seems to be navigating this tightrope quite successfully.
In the comments below, we encourage everyone to share their experiences meeting these new tech 'colleagues' in the comments below. After all, a community thrives through sharing!
Kmart is the latest in line to herald this change in Australia, introducing their newest 'colleague' who is a show-stealer.
No, we're not talking about a human colleague here, but a robot!
Reacting with astonishment and humour—and perhaps a touch of fear—Kmart shoppers nationwide have taken to social media to share their reactions to the store's newest team member.
Individuals actively share their experiences and interactions with Kmart's robotic assistant, Tory. Source: Tiktok/Georgiagayy
Known as 'Tory', the robot is a self-contained unit focused solely on inventory management—a critical component in the retail world.
'Tory' is a word play on 'inventory'. Who said retail doesn’t have a sense of humour?
Now, the idea of robots in retail isn't exactly new.
However, Kmart’s in-store approach lands a different kind of charm. It's not every day you find yourself sharing your shopping aisle with a mechanical assistant!
What exactly does Tory do? Well, in true robotic efficiency, Tory is hard at work, day and night. Using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, Tory scans the RFID tags on products, counting the store’s stock.
Tory’s job is to ensure that the inventory is correct, helping customers get what they want and when they want it.
Shoppers find this unusual presence both mildly amusing and surprisingly unnerving. One social media user, Spanian, was hilariously candid about his encounter.
Curiosity among shoppers is growing regarding Tory, the robot, and its functionalities at Kmart. Source: TikTok/Harammeat69
'I'm in Kmart full getting chased by the robot...What are you doing? What's going on?'
Spanian's video has garnered significant attention, having been viewed 190,000 times.
People have been captivated by the intriguing spectacle captured in the video and have shared their thoughts and comments about it.
Someone wrote, ‘The way my kids would leg it if they saw this.’
Another added, ‘All Kmarts have it. It counts stock in the back.’
Of course, not everyone’s thrilled about our new cybernetic companions. There are concerns about robots like Tory potentially looming as job snatchers.
One user said, ‘That’s a job gone. It’s all fun until these things take jobs over. AI is coming fast.’
A second added, 'Goodbye people's jobs’.
In response to such concerns, a Kmart spokesperson assured the public that Tory, though efficient, isn’t capable of replacing human roles.
They stated, ‘Tory does not replace any existing jobs, as Tory only has one function—which is the ability to scan our tags and count stock.’
Rather, the technology works to support the existing 44,000-strong Kmart team, freeing human staff from the often tedious task of taking inventory.
The spokeswoman said, ‘Tory helps our store team members focus on serving customers and helps them gain an accurate view of what products we have and where they are in the store.’
‘For Kmart, this new technology has meant that where we would previously do a stocktake once a year—Tory can do this once a day.’
It's undeniable that AI and robotics are making waves in every sector, and retail is no different.
The challenge lies in finding the delicate balance between embracing advancements and maintaining job security, and Kmart seems to be navigating this tightrope quite successfully.
In the comments below, we encourage everyone to share their experiences meeting these new tech 'colleagues' in the comments below. After all, a community thrives through sharing!
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, served customers, did inventory, stock shelves, straightened items on shelves etc. Some of us worked the floors, cash registers or warehouse. Not a TORY in sight. Jobs got done, customers happy and you felt happy you'd done a good days work. Now we have more people looking for jobs but more jobs being carried out by TORY'S. REASON? The shareholders are the most important in the equation, not workers or customers 
