The vending machine industry is estimated to be worth roughly $7 billion per year and that is just for the Untied States alone.
Vending machines have come a long way and they sell a wide variety of items, it's not just your standard selection of pop, chips, cigarettes, and condoms any longer; which many of us are familiar with.
Now, in vending machines across the country, you can find items like headphones and other electronics, makeup, cupcakes, pet food, toys, champagne, and even gold for sale.
Around the world you can also find a wide range of vending machines, selling everything from homemade curry and rice meals, to lobsters, fruit, lettuce, cannabis, umbrellas, first-aid products, pizza, cheese, books, oysters, bikes, guitars, shoes, and more.
One Japan-based retailer, Uniqlo, is looking to add to the variety in the US by opening up a number of vending machines in various states that it plans to stock with its unique clothing line. They will be placing their machine at 10 different locations in airports and malls; in the next couple of months.
The largest vending machine market in the world is said to be in Japan, which is estimated to be around $26 billion, followed by Spain which is in second place with a market of about $8 billion, and the US is in third place.
For the time being, the most common item that Americans still go to purchase when they go to a vending machine is either going to be a drink or some snack like chips, gum, cookies, or chocolate etc. Followed by junk food choices, the other most popular choices are movies and games, electronics, magazines, and toys. Clothing isn't high on the list, maybe that might change in the future?
It's expected that the vending machine industry will continue to grow, seeing as this platform offers business owners an opportunity to sell their products to consumers without having to invest in rent or have to hire any employees for the endeavor.
One Chinese company, Alibaba, is looking to make buying a car in China as easy as walking into the store and buying a can of coke and they are going to soon be unveiling their car vending machine that will be able to carry out the transaction. And they aren't the only ones, they will be following Autobahn Motors who unveiled their own car vending machine in Singapore last year (pictured above).
The growing travel demand has helped the vending machine market to flourish and it's expected that the travel retail market will grow by more than 8 percent by 2021.
Vending machines have gotten a negative stigma throughout the years because of the less-than-optimal food choices that they've offered in schools, health centers, hospitals, and other locations. But they've changed drastically over the years, they've reinvented themselves, as far as the variety of options that they now provide consumers in the US and elsewhere.
Pics:
Pixabay
Simpsons via Metro.co.uk/2017/04/05/this-vending-machine-is-helping-people-make-healthier-snack-choices-6556056/
Fortune via fortune.com/2017/05/16/singapore-car-vending-machine-worlds-tallest/
Simpsons via rebloggy.com/post/gif-simpsons-dance-condom-vending-machine/4613024657
Sources:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/clothes-meat-champagne-and-electronics-coming-to-a-vending-machine-near-you-2017-08-03
http://www.businessinsider.com/uniqlo-adds-vending-machines-airports-malls-2017-8
http://www.businessinsider.com/uniqlo-adds-vending-machines-airports-malls-2017-8ng-machine-next-year/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/08/08/chinese-firm-alibaba-open-car-vending-machine-next-year/
http://time.com/4887616/oyster-vending-machines-france/
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/vending-machine-industry-hopes-to-lure-back-customers-with-healthier-offerings/article19518114/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/g1041/8-high-tech-vending-machines/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/trangho/2016/03/19/shark-tank-kevin-oleary-and-lori-greiner-buy-into-millennial-firm-revolutionizing-vending-machines/#526a781474ff
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2016/04/22/current-and-future-trends-in-vending-machines/#3c92d9fc127a
http://fortune.com/2017/08/02/uniqlo-vending-machines/
Good post I'm happy. watch this post. And how do I know. after I watched. South Korea and Japan are amazing. Hopefully In Indonesia There is also. how to write a good post.
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Great post. Its good to hear the numbers and wow. I can't believe there that high. If the United States had ones like Japan stores would become obsolete esp. Electronics amd gaming. Great information it helps
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The vending machines that I saw in South Korea and Japan were very impressive. I wish we had them here, in Europe!
Very impressive.!!!
I'm really interested to see how Alibaba can create a car vending machine. Same with Uniqlo and the clothing vending machine. Those two items are things that people usually want to be in or try on before buying.
Car vending machine already exists in the U.S. I have seen one here. www.carvana.com
thx for reading :)
Very impressive
Japanese vending machines are weird! And some are kinda gross. But good piece! @suicidalviral
i've seen some crazy ones that's for sure:)
How would a CAR vending machine be possible? Humans are crazy
aren't they? what's next, a house vending machine? lol
All I can think about is a car getting stuck on it's way down in one of those giant vending-buildings with someone trying to shake the building to retrieve their vehicle.
No but really, vending machines are great and awful all at the same time. On one hand they remind me of how consumerism dominates everything around me; on the other they are a modern marvel and are strangely satisfying to use.
LOL if it got stuck hope someone is around to film if it does
Yeah, japan has almost everything in a vending machine, it's pretty crazy. Hopefully I'm able to visit there someday. Great post by the way @doitvoluntarily.
thank u ! :) i hope i get to visit some day as well
What kind of chinese vending machine is that? Mehn that's awesome
the car kind :) isn't it though?
Interesting post. i vaguely recall a Jetson cartoon episode where they introduced a vending machine. So we get pop, candy, chips and now clothing. What else can we purchase from vending machines in the future? Household cleaning products, computers, watches, jewelry, office supplies. hmmmm. How about internet dating sites turning to vending machines. Yes I picked my future wife as described by a vending machine. From the machine I received her contact info. Well that would be a change up from Jenny Jenny I got your number. (song) LOL Well I just got a new sales lead for my company from a vending machine. I know I am stretching it a bit. But think of the crazy obnoxious possibilities. The girl down the street purchased her sperm donor's stuff from the machine too. I saw her. LOL Even grandma got her burial plot from ones still available at the local Memorial Park Cemetery. Oh Boy. Our world is fast becoming impersonal and vending machines along with robots and other machines are replacing workers. Consider McDonald's. It is cheaper to use automation than $15.00 an hour to wait on you. Great article. Hope you did not mind me having a little fun with the endless possibilities. - Troy
I hate it when I put in the money and the thing doesn't drop.
Thanks for the support earlier. You coming to Lisbon?
i wish! can't wait to see all the posts from it
Time surely flies fast ^^. Who would have thought that what we're enjoying now in terms of technology can be real 50 years ago????? :)
you can say that again!
In Singapore, a 'VendCafe' (vending machine cafe) was opened last year, and since then, one or two more have been established. Over 90 local and even some international dishes and drinks can be ordered from the vending machines in the cafe.
Quite an interesting concept, and could really be viable as long as people value convenience most or begin to believe the food produced is of the same quality and nutritional value as 'real food' cooked on the spot by chefs (rather than likening the vending machine food to frozen meals, which may be the common view).
Here's one of the articles about it: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/vending-machine-cafe-opens-at-ang-mo-kio-mrt-station-8942662
very interesting! thanks for sharing :)
You're welcome :)
One of the downsides of this trend is the loss of that social connection with others. I mean the way we are going with our electronics, I predict we will no longer have to talk to get through life in 50 years or less and our kids kids will be plugged in so only thoughts and no longer speech count.
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social connection is something that you can go out and get anytime that you want :)
Good post, I enjoyed watching this post, and how do I know how to write a good post @amecool
wow nice post on steemit
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Very interesting indeed.
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I remember the first time I encounter a vending machine when I first visited the US, that was 25 years ago..it's so embarrassing because i didn't know what to do and I'm kinda ignorant and funny at same time ..LOL!
Great article and thank you for citing your sources :-) The idea of a car vending machine is mind boggling. Thanks for this piece.
Im from spain, and never thought about spenving machines business. Is the second place at global market!
Wow! Thanks for the info.
Saludos!
Industry play very important for the progress of any country!... Thanks for sharing this type of machinery post