Most larger stores do have phones all over, but are for store personell only. A better idea would be to have ring for service buttons.

Great idea. This always occurs to me when I'm wandering around Home Depot: I have to walk three aisles to find someone who can tell me that I will find what I'm looking for six aisles in the other direction. I thought one of those 18-channel radios might do, but channels are too limited, and people would walk out with them. Cell phones are a better solution, now that they are near-ubiquitous.

Dial, "Home Depot, may I help you?", "Step Ladders", "Aisle six, half-way down on garden side", "Thanks". Done: five seconds.

More ambitiously, I've wanted a PC at the entrance, where I can sit for 2-3 minutes, typing in my list of shopping needs into a nice GUI. The lumber components go straight to that department, and those guys can start picking my order. The remainder is printed out as a pick list with directions, in the sequence that minimizes my walking and leaves me in the lumber department. "Step 5: Aisle 5, turn right, 40 feet, on left, knee-height, label 'Standard Vent Hoses'."

For that matter, make it a web interface, so I can type at home, accumulating a shopping list. Apply it to the local grocery store too, and that humongous Super Wal-Mart.

Dream on!

- Hoytster

Grocery stores and airports and amusement parks could benefit from this too. It's amazing this hasn't been adopted anywhere yet, apparently. I guess there are too many bean-counters, like Nardelli.