Ever 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.