Quote from: Acido213 on March 02, 2018, 05:04:48 AM

A new patent filing finds retail giant Walmart seeking to utilize blockchain technology to perfect a smarter package delivery tracking system.

The patent was first submitted in August of 2017, and notably builds on a filing Walmart submitted for a blockchain-based drone package delivery tracking system last year.

Walmart explains in the filing that online shopping has created shipping challenges for retailers, particularly with regard to perishable products requiring temperature control, thus necessitating further innovation.

Points of note here.

Amazon was the first to propose utilizing drones for package delivery. Here's a news story from 2015 (two full years before walmart filed its patent) detailing amazon's plans to use drones to delivery goods: https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/28/9058211/amazon-new-details-plan-delivery-drone

Amazon also recently purchased whole foods market and announced plans to expand their business into the perishable food market.

It appears that walmart is attempting to copy and hijack amazon's future business plans. Amazon announced both drone delivery and perishable foods long before walmart although walmart may be successful in patenting some of those ideas before amazon can implement them which could lead to an eventual legal battle with a judge handing down a verdict.

It might also be a desperation play on walmarts side. I doubt they'll be awarded the patents but maybe they don't have many other options.

Maersk might also have pioneered utilizing blockchain for shipping purposes, long before walmart thought about it.

This could also be stock market manipulation by walmart. They could be announcing this purely to inflate their stock price as so many others have done recently.