2017 Trends in Vending Machines:
Multiple Industries Tap Into The Versatile World of Vending
Industry leaders like Coca-Cola, Quicksilver, and newly innovated ideas like the Cupcake ATM are revamping the way companies see vending machines. Vending machines are completely versatile, cost-effective, and especially useful for reaching customers at the moment they need your products. See what creative vending trends 2017 brings.
Sprinkles launched their Cupcake ATM empire — an innovative, creative way to deliver freshly baked products at low costs and at the opportune moment to customers. (Photo source: YouTube, “Sprinkles Cupcake ATM Machine in NYC”)
Long gone are the days when vending machines only sold food and drink. Lately, it seems as though every industry has entered into the vending market, utilizing vending machines for everything from traditional snacks to fresh flowers.
Many companies whose customers typically purchase their products on impulse or to satisfy an immediate need have begun to tap into vending machine services. Prominent companies such as Benefit Cosmetics, Best Buy, Apple, and Quicksilver have been some of the first, outside of the food and drink industry to utilize vending machines. These market leaders realize the added value that unmanned vending machines can bring towards their bottom line.
From a retail perspective, there are many benefits for companies from the consumer goods, technology, and beauty industries who utilize vending machines as a method of product distribution. For one, direct competition is pretty much nonexistent since the vending machines are usually the only one of its kind in the surrounding area. Other than the cost of restocking the machines, labor costs are also minimal.
In 2017, we’re seeing vending machines applied across the board by all types of companies under the sun. Another driving factor in the adoption of vending machines is the rising cost of real estate – it’s expensive to shelf your product in a retail setting, and you’re competing against whoever has the prime eye-level shelf space. Vending machines enable vendors to sell their products in more places, since the real estate expense is significantly lower than that of a storefront.
Vending machines can make a company’s products available where people may need or want them. For example, Quicksilver, a well-known surfer brand, has adopted a strategy of placing their products in vending machines at the Standard Hotels near the pool area. The idea being this being that hotel guests can purchase sunglasses, bikinis, and board shorts through the vending machines when they have a direct need for these products. This non-traditional use of vending machines is a big winner for Quicksilver, and many companies are following suit.
Even companies selling food products that are typically not prepackaged have found their way into the vending market. The Cupcake ATM has become one of the most talked about new and trendy vending creations. They are mainly located in big cities such as New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
The Cupcake ATM has broken the perception that vending machines can’t be used on freshly prepared foods.
The Sprinkles Company cleverly named the machine “Cupcake ATM,” because the machines are placed in city street areas with high pedestrian traffic, where you would typically find an ATM. However, as you may have guessed, instead of divvying out dollar bills, this ATM distributes cupcakes to its hungry patrons. Not only do consumers love the fact that they can get a cupcake at any time of the day or night, but they also love the look of the machine which has made it an attraction.
Adding to the list of companies getting in on the vending machine action is Coca-Cola, or Coke. Coke has re-entered the vending market in a new and different way. Coke revamped their fountain drink vending inside popular restaurants to offer freestyle vending machines for fountain drinks, where users can mix and match their favorite beverages. These updated vending methods provide consumers with more options than ever now.
Your Choice for Vending Services
It’s refreshing for us, as New Jersey’s leading vending company, to keep our thumb on the pulse of all of the latest happenings in the vending machine market. Atlantic Vending of New Jersey provides you with plenty of choices for all your vending needs. From corporate coffee services to micro-markets to healthy vending options in schools, we offer vending services and programs to suit any situation.
What vending scenario can you dream up to help sell your company’s products? Whatever it is, we can make it happen! Contact us below or give us a call at 1-888-218-8363 to learn more.
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