Vending Machines Could Be Mobile Payment Catalyst

As futuristic as the idea of mobile payments are, people perform them every single day. With mobile apps available for everything from Wal-Mart to Amazon.com, more and more products are becoming available to us at the click of a virtual button on the touchscreens of our smartphones. And while our cell phones haven’t replaced cash or credit cards as one of the primary ways to pay for goods, Mobile Payments Today believes vending machine transactions could help ignite the trend.

According to the report, local or office vending machines can have a significant effect on customer habits. USA Technologies SVP Mike Lawlor chimed in on the industry’s potential, stating “(Vending) is an everyday, everywhere part of your life, and because of that, it is a catalyst for consumer change in behavior.”

In addition to vending products being frequently used by everyday people, modern day custom vending machines encourage new-age payment methods. Companies such as Pepsico have encouraged users to use Twitter in exchange for a drink, and the Coca-Cola brand is currently testing mobile payment methods in Austin, Texas.

If any single product could bring mobile payment to the forefront, it is the custom vending machine. If you are a vending machine operator looking to be at the forefront of the growing trend, Intelligent Dispensing Solutions can certainly help you implement a cell phone vending machine payment method!

Solar Vending Machines on the Horizon

As much as vending machines evolve over the years, they all have one thing in common. Whether they dispense batteries or nachos, vending machines essentially all run on electricity.  However, according to Times Free Press, a humble Cattanooga company is looking to change the way vending machines operate entirely.

The article reports that a company called VendomMax has been working on a custom vending machine that runs entirely on solar power. VendoMax co-founders Rob Creswell and Mark Hixson officially unveiled the machine today, and the product will be available at a Las Vegas vending trade show next week. The vending machine manufacturers are hoping this machine can get some quality momentum among top beverage companies.

This unique custom solar vending machine will come in two models: A moveable version on wheels and a more traditional fixed product. Solar power is still a developing trend among a variety of different industries, and we are certainly interested on seeing how it develops over the next few years. Vending machines, especially ours, eat up a ton of energy, and a truly sustainable way to keep them running could change the business for the better. If you are looking to get a head start on the innovative side of the industry, our custom vending solutions are the perfect place to start!

Facebook Vending Machines Provide a Unique Take on Dispensing

Intelligent Dispensing SolutionsEvery office has a vending machine, and it should come as no surprise that the vending products found in Facebook’s corporate offices are just a tad bit fancier than most. What you may have not presumed, however, is just how trusting the company is when handing out supplies via their unique vending installation.

The most remarkable vending machine in Facebook’s offices has nothing to do with anything edible, according to The Atlantic. The company’s IT department has its very own custom Facebook vending machine, which vends everything from quality headphones to keyboards. Employees must swipe their cards in order to obtain the goods they want, but they actually are not charged for any of it. The IT department simply trusts its employees to only take what they need, with credit card info being used for security reasons only. This is certainly a new-age vending concept, but few companies scream “new-age” like Facebook, the undisputed kings of social media.

Facebook’s IT machine is just one of the many vending innovations that seem to be popping up all over the world as of late. Could your business benefit from its own custom vending machine? Thanks to the vending machine manufacturers here at IDS, you can turn just about any vending vision into a game-changing reality

Pay for Products with a Tweet

While we are no strangers to innovation here at Intelligent Dispensing Solutions, we are constantly wowed by the great strides made by our ever-expanding industry. While cashless transactions have been around for years, the recent integration of social media into the commerce world has given the term “cashless” a whole new meaning. According to Vending MarketWatch, American Express has conceived a way for consumers to make purchases simply by using Twitter.

By syncing an eligible card to sync.americanexpress.com/twitter, customers can make full purchases just by using hashtags on a Twitter vending machine. This concept first appeared on Twitter last March, and social media-savvy shoppers can currently purchase American Express Gift Cards and select items from Amazon, Sony, Xbox, and more.

“We’re leveraging our unique technology and closed-loop network to introduce a seamless solution that redefines what’s possible in the world of social commerce,” said Leslie Berland, a senior vice president at American Express.

The vending industry only gets more creative and convenient as vending machine manufacturers figure out how to take their products into new and exciting territories. We are constantly inspired by these innovations here at Intelligent Dispensing Solutions and are happy to create a completely custom vending machine that is tailored to your needs. Whether you want the most durable custom vending machine in the business or you are looking to create the vending product of the future, we have you covered.

Sega’s SuperBooth Machine Reinvents the Photo Booth

Intelligent Dispensing SolutionsWhile not vending machines per se, photo booths have historically occupied the same spaces as drink and snack machines. Just as you can ways grab a quick soda or bag of chips while roaming the mall, you can just as quickly immortalize a fun moment with a close friend at a photo booth. And just as the custom vending machine world has evolved and created machines that serve as full retail stores, Sega Amusements’ latest innovation condenses the full experience of a professional photo shoot within the convenience of a simple photo booth set-up.

According to the Vending Times, Sega’s Superbooth is intended to be the world’s first interactive photo booth that offers many of the same professional touches found in an all-day shoot. The machine employs the use of a digital photographer, who guides the user through a nine-set shoot complete with flashy lights and pulsating music. The machine even boasts a fan for customers who prefer the “blown-back hair” look. Sega general manager Peter Gustafon calls his product “photo-tainment,” claiming that it represents a step towards the future of this classic device.

While we create custom vending machines here at IDS, we cannot help but be inspired by this progress in our sister industry. If you would like to join the future of interactive dispensing, talk to us today!

Create the Ultimate Gaming Store

Whether you have seen one of our vending machines in action or you have read up on our products, you likely know by now that we create completely custom vending machines for just about any business. Retail is one of the best businesses for our products, especially if you sell video games and game consoles to technology addicts everywhere. Thanks to Intelligent Dispensing Solutions, you can expand the reach of your game store or even create a new one altogether.

As evidenced by both our products and the Best Buy and Apple vending machines that are popping up all over, electronics vending machines are certainly here to stay. With video games becoming just as integral to the entertainment world as film and television, creating a retail vending machine for gaming products is a no-brainer. If you already run a game shop, the benefits of a complementary machine are endless. Managing inventory and securing your product is easier than ever when your items are secured in a durable steel machine, and you can generate revenue by selling product through your machine long after your store doors are closed. Always pursuing action, gamers are not the type to wait around. Why make them? Our custom video game vending solutions can provide you the profit you need, while giving your customers the power to play all night long.

Create a Pop-Up Vending Shop for the Holidays

Intelligent Dispensing SolutionsIf you operate any type of shop, you are likely already fortifying yourself for the upcoming chaos of the holiday shopping rush. And while creating special promotions, hiring a seasonal staff, and reinforcing your doors are all good ways to get ready for the onslaught, sometimes it pays to think outside of the box. Or think about the box. A really big box that sells stuff. Yes, we are talking about a custom holiday automated retail vending machine that can comfortably get you through the season.

Whether you sell clothing, electronics, or anything that people like to give as a gift this time of year, a custom-made vending machine can do wonders for your business. Having one of these machines will allow you to expand the reach of your company, making your products available in new locations at any hour of the day. This drastically cuts down the cost of opening a secondary pop-up shop and hiring extra employees. The possibilities are truly endless: Just imagine a durable retail vending machine selling all of your best items, with some holiday graphics and nicknacks thrown in if you like. Customers will instantly stop in their tracks when they witness the convenience of a fully-featured retail store wrapped up in a vending machine.

While this type of machine sounds like a wild wish, you will not have to sit on Santa’s lap and leave some milk and cookies in hopes it will exist. With the help of Intelligent Dispensing Solutions, a fun, profitable custom vending machine can become a reality.

Unique Vending Machines Across the World

Here at Intelligent Dispensing Solutions, we thrive on inspiration. Our products are not built with a generic vision in mind. Rather, they are a unique interpretation of our clients’ desires, made from the best technology in the industry. With that in mind, let us take a look at some of the more unique vending machines that have popped up throughout the world.

This Toxel article highlights 17 of the most unusual vending machines around. While some of the products on the list, such as the Apple and Best Buy vending machines, are becoming more common, other vending creations are unlike anything you  have seen. Clothing company Closed created a jeans vending machine for those too impatient for retail stores, while someone invented a sock vending machine for…sock emergencies? Also highlighted are soccer ball vending machines, bicycle vending machines, and a Japanese board game vending machine, which all prove that the industry has moved way beyond sodas and snacks.

Feeling inspired yet? These are just a few examples of the endless possibilities found within custom vending machines. Contact Intelligent Dispensing Solutions about having us create a fully-customized machine for your business. You have a need. We have a solution.

Equip Your Business for the Holidays with a Custom Vending Machine

Intelligent Dispensing SolutionsWith gift-giving holidays about a month away, the chaos of holiday shopping has slowly begun to trickle into retail stores everywhere, as made evident by big sales and packed stores. And while your retail establishment will likely see an increased influx of traffic during these busy months, what if you could secure even more revenue during the holidays? Thanks to the business retail vending machine possibilities offered by Intelligent Dispensing Solutions, your business can become more efficient and profitable than ever during the most trying time of the year.

If you sell any type of electronics, imagine the possibilities a retail vending machine can bring to your business. Holiday shifts are typically the most exhausting ones for retail employees, so why not lighten their burden with one of our machines? With our help, you can build the perfect dispenser for cameras, tablets, keyboards, and just about any device your store may carry. By giving your customers a self-service option, you can choose how to utilize your valuable associates more freely. And just because your store does not operate 24/7 does not mean you ever have to stop selling your products. By having an external vending machine, you can be turning a profit long after you lock your doors.

Whether you sell electronics, toys, or jewelry, we can build you the perfect custom vending machine when you need it most. With a demanding few months ahead, we can provide you with a machine that is high-tech, durable, and most importantly, made for you.

The Improved Quality Of New Vending Machines

Back in the day many vending machines seemed easily manipulated and as a result easily robbed. In my younger years, I can recall a particular school vending machine that kids would kick just right for free chips and even some loose change. It is enough to make you skeptical of the potentially lucrative world of vending machine ownership.

Luckily, the vending machines manufactured by Intelligent Dispensing Solutions have corrected for many of the design snafus of the past and have built a sturdier and safer machine. If you have used a vending machine in the last decade or so, and it was a newer machine, you might have noticed that some of the function problems often associated with vending machines seem completely fixed. Gone are the days where your snack might dangle from the dispenser, teasing you and taking your money. These days new vending machines are effective and fair.

Owning a vending machine should not feel like a risk. It is one of the safest bets in retail. There is no overhead and little chance of a theft assuming the machine is properly serviced and maintained. You should move into the world of retail vending unafraid and ready to make some cash.