Tag: vending machines

Custom Vending Machines for Hotels

Posted on by John Van Horn

Intelligent Dispensing Solution has teamed up with hotels and motels to give guests an easier and more reliable solution to their food and drink needs. With the ever-so smart VendNetwork, guests can simply use their room key or enter a special pin number to have any purchased items billed automatically to their room. No more worrying about carrying singles and change on you.

But if you’ve learned anything from our blogs about custom vending machines, you know that they can house more than just beverages and snacks. Miscellaneous items for the room, like extra shampoo and soap, can be quite useful. No need to have the maid bring more at 2 am when a guest decides to take a late night shower. Souvenirs can also be placed in vending machines. Magnets, keychains, postcards, hats –everyone loves picking up these items as a remembrance of their vacation.

The custom vending machines for hotels offer state of the art dollar bill acceptors, credit card readers for those who don’t have cash, and back-lit keypads to make them easy to read and use. Vending machines in hotels can make both employees and guests’ lives easier and much more convenient. Learn more by visiting Intelligent Dispensing Solutions’ website.

Automatic Apparel Vending Machine for Clothing on the Go

Posted on by John Van Horn

I love to see what new vending machines will pop up next across the country. Last week we discovered cupcakes. You can find gold in Dubai, fingernail painting in Japan, and instant pizza in Italy. But back here in America, in Boston to be more precise, you can purchase fresh new clothing from a smart vending machine. You never know when you might have a late night rendezvous or perhaps someone spilled coffee on your shirt. The temperature took a dip and you’re without a scarf. Whatever the case, you can find t-shirts, underwear, gloves, scarves, socks, and even shoes in the Automatic Apparel Vending Machine.

And just for the heck of it, you can purchase earbuds too from these clothing vending machines. Maybe someone swiped your headphones. It’s quite the nifty idea and I’m sure people around the rest of the country wouldn’t mind enjoying the convenience of some new threads without having to run into a store. It’s convenient for after hours or when there are no clothing stores nearby. I think this idea could really expand though to offer a bit more of a selection.

If you’re willing to take this idea and run with it, contact IDS about creating a smart clothing vending machine system. Automatic apparel vending machines are revolutionizing the way consumers access clothing on the go. These innovative machines provide a convenient solution for purchasing essential garments, from workout gear to everyday wear, in high-traffic areas like gyms, airports, and colleges. With a user-friendly interface and a wide variety of apparel options, they ensure quick and hassle-free shopping. Perfect for busy lifestyles, automatic apparel vending machines bring fashion and functionality together in one seamless experience.

Get Ready for Cupcake Vending Machines

Posted on by John Van Horn

custom vending machinesThis week I’d like to take the time to highlight an interesting and tasty custom vending machine that will soon be popping up, hopefully across the entire nation. Imagine being able to receive a fresh and delicious cupcake from vending machines, any time you’d like. Who wouldn’t enjoy that? A gourmet cupcake chain, Sprinkles, opened up their first cupcake vending machine just a few days ago. The store has 10 locations across the country, but the first machine opened in their Beverly Hills location.

A spokeswoman for the company says she hopes to have 10 machines in operation by the end of the summer, hopefully more by the end of the year. As of now, the intention is to have the machines located outside the stores, but in the future they would like vending machines dispersed in other locations.

The machines will be known as 24-hour Sprinkles, but others are already referring to them as Cupcake ATM, which is perfectly fine with the company. Cupcakes will cost $4, as opposed to $3.50 inside the store. They will only take credit and debit cards, no cash folks. Selections will rotate, but popular flavors, such as red velvet, will always be in stock. The machines will be able to house about 600 cupcakes at a time, so they will be larger than typical vending machines. Naturally, they will be freshly baked each day. Awesome idea Sprinkles!

The VendNetwork Solution

Posted on by John Van Horn

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions is always looking to push the envelope in the vending machine world, making businesses run smoothly and easily. One way they’re making life easier for your business is with the VendNetwork online inventory tracking system. Imagine being able to keep track of your inventory without any effort on your part. If you’re taking part in office vending machines or their other custom choices, you can enjoy instant tracking.

The technology offers instant recording, reporting, and tracking of products in the machine. All transactions are 100% encrypted and no credit card data is stored at the machine level or on the servers. This is good news for your customers! Information can be reached 24/7 too, to keep your business running all day long. Usage reports and inventory position will be readily available so you never run out of what you need most. All reports can be printed out or imported into your tracking software. How convenient is that?

You can even receive messages and alerts when stock is running low to your e-mail or cellphone. VendNetwork is the future of vending machines, so why not enjoy the technology now instead of later? Visit IDS’s homepage for more information and to start using this great software.

When Supply and Demand Don’t Match, Try a Vending Machine

Posted on by John Van Horn

custom vending machinesEver notice how the “craziest,” or at least the most interesting, vending machines are sold in Japan? There is actually a bit of economic logic behind this. Sometimes supply and demand do not meet eye to eye in certain parts of the country. This is mostly in rural areas. People need certain products but they just can’t afford to open up a 24-hour convenience store. And when this happens, the Japanese economy answers with a vending machine.

For example, there is a vending machine dispensing eggs in the small town Higashiizumo. Can you imagine if you got a serious craving for eggs at 2 in the morning? Or maybe you just need eggs to bake a pie and the local store just closed. In the city, that’s never been an issue but it is for others. This is actually a great solution that can work well for hundreds of different products. As long as the demand is there, you can supply people with a vending machine that costs a heck of a lot less than opening up a store.

Whether it’s eggs, aspirin, or socks, if people need it, they will come. Consider what you’d like to see in a smart vending machine and contact vending machine manufacturers to see your vision come to life.

Old Cigarette Machines Put to Artful Use

Posted on by John Van Horn

custom vending machinesWith a ban on cigarette machines, one company decided to put all the old vending machines to good use by dispensing art. The Art-o-mat has been around for quite some time, 1997 to be more precise. Creator Clark Whittington was struck with inspiration after receiving a recently banned cigarette machine. Being a creative artist, he thought it a wise to turn the machine into a dispenser for his own art at a show and put 12 of his own paintings in the machine, selling them for $1 each. After the art show, the director asked for the machine to be a permanent exhibit. Whittington called on other artists to get involved with the project. Today there are over 100 Art-o-mats across the country.

The latest art vending machine can be found in Buckhannon, West Virginia –the first in the state. The machine resides in the lobby of the Bicentennial Inn on Main Street. Local architect Bryson VanNostrand got a taste of the machine located in the Whitney Museum in NYC and immediately knew he had to bring this creation to his hometown. He got his hands on an early 1960s cigarette machine. It is currently filled with art from a number of artists, selling for $5 a piece.

This is a beautiful way to utilize creative and artful vending machines and bring art into the lives of many. Kudos to the Art-o-mat!

School Vending Machines Still Offer Unhealthy Snacks

Posted on by John Van Horn

school vending machinesChild obesity has been the topic at hand recently. Weight in general has been on everyone’s mind, and it’s apparently going to continue until serious changes are made. In a recent survey of elementary schools, about half still have access to unhealthy snacks in school vending machines. Back in 2007 the Institute of Medicine recommended that school meal programs be the main source of nutrition for kids as opposed to vending machines. Despite their recommendations, not much change occurred between 2006 to 2010. More than half of elementary school students are able to purchase food from outside sources.

What is even more disheartening is that access to healthy food, excluding school meal programs, was limited. Researcher Lindsey R. Turner commented, “Because children spend many hours in school, changes are needed to make the school environment healthier by limiting the availability of less healthy food products. ” In 2010 the U.S. Department of Agriculture set a standard that schools may not sell food of little nutritional value in the cafeteria during lunchtime, but they can be sold in vending machines at any time.

It’ll be hard to completely rid vending machines of typical snacks and replace them with healthier options. Instead, we need to instill good eating habits at home and at school, teach children about healthy food, and warn them of the health risks that come with obesity.

IDS Breaks from Vending Machine Norms

Posted on by John Van Horn

If you’ve learned anything here at our blog it’s that you can do just about anything with a vending machine –in terms of retail that is. And if you’ve ever been to Japan, you know there is literally a vending machine for anything and everything under the sun. It’s incredible seeing stories in the news about the unique vending machines here in our own country. We’re slowly learning to branch out and recognize the true potential of these amazing machines.

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions is all about breaking stereotypes of ordinary vending machines. Sure they can make you a vending machine that sells soda and candy if that’s what you want. But they’re not afraid to design office vending machines that dish out notepads and pens or tool vending machines with hammers and safety goggles. If you can envision it, they can make it. You’d be amazed at some of the ideas people come up with. How about a vending machine dispensing printer supplies? Or fashion accessories? They’ve done it!

We challenge you to come up with an inventive idea for your own vending machines. We promise no idea is too weird or too out there. Vending machine solutions are convenient and affordable tools that can bring merchandise to a large customer base. What new and awesome idea will you come up with?

Vending Machines Doling Out Health Advice to Kids

Posted on by John Van Horn

Apparently children aren’t inundated enough with health advice from their schools, parents, and their government. Now custom vending machines are popping up dishing out advice too. And maybe that’s a good thing since many children and parents alike still don’t seem to understand the importance of healthy food choice. In Utah, the Intermountain Healtcare setup fake vending machines in elementary schools. The machines are filled with fake snacks that do not dispense. Nor will it rob your child of his lunch money.

Instead, when the buttons are pushed, the machine offers bits of wisdom to promote healthy eating and turn your child’s viewpoints around when it comes to snacking. Although said in a fun way, you can’t ignore the scary advice of the machine, “I’m a vending machine and can’t move without someone’s help. Keep buying food like this and we’ll have that in common.” Funny, but true. The purpose is to create a fun and interactive way to tell your kids to stop eating those chocolate bars and to lay off the cans of soda.

It’s a clever idea and maybe we’ll soon see these custom vending machines giving health advice to kids popping up over the rest of the country. The more innovative ways we can teach children about making good food decisions, the better. Take a look at the machine in action.

Cigarette Vending Machines Banned Across the Pond

Posted on by John Van Horn

retail vendingAcross the pond in Northern Ireland a new legislation has passed to ban cigarette vending machines in an attempt to limit the amount of young smokers. The ban will be put into effect in a few months (March 1), hoping to save thousands of lives in the country. You may be carded when going into a shop, but children and other young people can easily purchase their cigarettes from vending machines around the country.

Despite going into effect in a few months, it will be at least three years before other new laws will stop small shops from openly displaying tobacco products. Restrictions on larger stores will be introduced by the end of next year. A survey in Northern Ireland in 2010 revealed that 14% of smokers between the ages of 11 and 16 purchased their packs from vending machines. Most children are unaware of the long-term health effects. A ban on the vending machines is already in place in England and will soon be in affect in Wales.

With all the restrictions in America and now other countries, it will be interesting to see just how far the government goes to preventing the sale of cigarettes and if tobacco companies will find a way to retaliate.