Vending Machine

Machine that sells/dispenses product. Retail variation. "Kiosk"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vending_machine

Newspaper box

Train tickets, SubWay Metro Card

  • air-flight life insurance

Lottery tickets

Live Event Ticket Seller? Seems pointless (given ability to print-at-home).

Auto Mat - food http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat

Candy, soda, stamps, condoms, tampons, etc.

Coffee Machine

Ramen

Mobile phones, accessories, SIM cards

Copy Machine (KinKos)

Desktop Fab! (note needs even more hand-holding than Copy Machine)

Books

Video rentals (Red Box) or purchase.

Coin Star (owner of Red Box)

Photo Mat, Digital Camera printing

Parking Meter

Live lobsters? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vending_machine#Japan

Other weird varieties http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vending_machine#Varieties

Why sell something this way?

  • avoid inventory-theft (from employees and customers)
  • sell something in a place where there are no people to handle transactions
  • sell something where there's nobody qualified to deal with some weird aspect of closing a sale
  • sell something at a time when there's nobody available to do work (middle of night in airport, train station, etc.)
  • sell something where you purposely avoid the cost of customer service
  • sell something with greater Privacy from not having a salesclerk
  • Entertainment/experience: a Photo Booth isn't about the awesome pictures but the silly moment shared among friends at a to-be-remembered time/place

Good locations


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