Hypercapitalism

Dear Impossible Readers,

The meaning of the word capitalism can differ slightly for everyone. From the wolves of Wall Street, to a top-hatted Monopoly gal, to the barista around the corner. Ultimately, it all boils down to one thing: buying stuff. The bigger, the bolder, the better. And we are about to buy things faster, smarter, and easier than ever before. Welcome to Hypercapitalism.

Through the Virtual Glass

If you are like me and you order pretty much everything online, virtual reality (VR) could be your next best shopping friend. Through this virtual glass, you could try on clothes, wander digital aisles, and look at cars. IKEA (IKEA Place) placed your furniture virtually, Alibaba (Buy+) created a full VR mall, and Tommy Hilfiger hosted a VR runway show from your living room. VR relies on high refresh-rate displays (often 90–120 Hz) to avoid motion sickness, low-latency motion tracking to match your head movements instantly, and GPU-heavy real-time rendering to simulate realistic textures and lighting. Rendering immersive environments in real time demands massive computing power, latency can break the illusion, and motion sickness is still an issue. Future VR glasses could be so light and sleek that they feel like everyday sunglasses, making virtual shopping effortless.

The Radio Bag

The one thing that bothers me when shopping is that after I have loaded the wagon with items, I need to unload the wagon to pay. Many modern stores now use a scanning device or an app to make this more seamless, but if you have tried this, you know that removing items sometimes breaks the system. Smart baskets are transforming checkout. I would rather toss groceries into a cart that instantly recognises each item. Even better, I pack it in my own bag without looking suspiciously thefty. Decathlon uses RFID-enabled self-checkout, Amazon (Just Walk Out) stores combine computer vision and RFID, and ShopRite’s Caper Carts scan, weigh, total, and even accept payments. RFID tags emit unique radio signals detected by nearby readers. Combined with edge computing and computer vision, this creates a real-time store inventory. Overlapping items can confuse sensors, tags can fail, and privacy concerns arise. I think I prefer a smart bag that I can pair with an app or the store’s frequency, and just pack and be gone.

Did You Fall from the Sky?

Finally, an end to delivery services whose only successful delivery is the invoice. Deliveries are getting futuristic upgrades. Amazon (Prime Air) aims for 30-minute drone deliveries, Alphabet (Wing) tests drone delivery for food and medicine, UPS Flight Forward focuses on medical logistics, Starship has baby robots shuttle everything from industrial packages to hot food, and even human-based services like Uber can deliver packages within an hour. Drones rely on GPS fused with LiDAR and stereoscopic cameras for navigation, while SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) algorithms allow ground robots to move safely around obstacles. Flight path optimisation is a mix of AI, battery management, and real-time weather prediction. Challenges include battery limits, bad weather, airspace regulations, and urban obstacles. The future could see drones and robots working seamlessly together to deliver nearly anything within minutes.

Drop and Cash Out

Thank you so much for my well-deserved refund. It almost makes up for the existential pain of having to return something in the first place. Zara and Uniqlo use RFID for automatic reading and inventory tracking. Computer vision models detect shape, texture, and even tiny scratches on items, while robotic arms use kinematics and motion planning algorithms to pick and place objects without damage. Irregular shapes and unusual packaging still confuse machines. In the future, fully autonomous returns could inspect, restock, and refund in seconds.

Doggy Bag

Sometimes you just need it now. Today’s pre-order and instant pickup services from Walmart (Pickup Today), Target (Drive Up), and Best Buy (Curbside Pickup) can shrink shopping to a matter of hours, but the future aims for minutes. In the future, robotic lockers could have your order ready the moment you arrive, as you pass by on your way home or after a couple of metro stops. Behind the scenes, a network of AI, sensors, and real-time inventory tracking will have your item verified and ready the moment you arrive. Shopping becomes a frictionless pit stop. Grab it, go, and get on with your day.

Soon, you would be lounging on your sofa, wandering a VR mall, and your smart bag instantly tallies a real-world checkout. Before you have even taken off your sunglasses, a drone is lifting off from a local micro-fulfilment centre. If you change your mind, the return is just as invisible. Inspected, restocked, and refunded the moment you drop it off. This is the ultimate version of Hypercapitalism, where buying is faster, smarter, and almost effortless.

Welcome to the future of stuff,
Yours Possibly