The Intel Corporation took to the National Retail Federation trade show in New York City to show off a few of the exciting plans the vending machine business has made for 2013. As reported by the Vending Times, the machines on display ranged from new-age concepts to high-tech versions of classic drink and snack machines.

A new coffee vending machine from Costa Coffee turned many heads at the event, as the product serves a coffee shop-sized assortment of hot drinks and uses facial recognition technology to “guess” what an incoming customer might like. The UK-based Costa Coffee company currently has 2,500 machines of this kind in operation. A mainstay in the vending world since the beginning, PepsiCo was also on hand to show off their latest and greatest. Pepsi’s interactive, social-media compatible drink machine was on display at the event, grabbing attention with its unique wireless purchasing options. Pepsi machine users can “gift” their friends a drink simply by texting a special gift code, which can be redeemed at any Pepsi machine that supports the technology. Patrons can also view nutritional information on the machine and play a random-chance game that can win them a free 20 oz. soft drink.

Here at Vending.com, we are constantly inspired by vending innovations such as the ones on display in New York City. If you feel the same, our affordable vending machines for sale are a great way to enter this exciting industry!

Several top names in the vending machine industry gathered recently in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to discuss how micromarketing can help reach a whole new base of customers. According to the Vending Times, these professionals met at the Atlantic Coast Exposition in hopes of learning more about the ever-evolving world of automated retail.

This discussion was moderated by Scott Denhard of Canteen, and included panelists such as Zed Bradley of Piedmont Vending, Terry Durling of Vendable Systems, and Scott Halloran of Trolley House Refreshment Services. The focal point of their discussion was modern micromarkets, which put all of the options of a retail store at a customer’s fingertips while providing individualized service to every user. What makes these point-of-sale systems stand out from the average drink or snack machine is the fact that they only reveal prices once a customer is done shopping, which Canteen’s Mike Coffey believes has a massive effect on shopping habits.

“Innovation is bringing customers back to shop from us,” said Coffey. “They’re focused on the quality and not the price point.”

Self-checkout micromarket services are certainly the way of the future, and many of them can already be seen in action in grocery and convenience stores all over the world. However, there is always a place for classic vending machines, and our vending machines for sale are an excellent entry way into this ever-growing industry!

Almost every aspect of our everyday lives have gone digital and the vending machine business is following suit. Since the industry’s inception, the world of vending has only been about seeing a product and buying it, though modern vending machines incorporate just about every human sense.

Vending Marketwatch recently highlighted the rapid evolution of vending products, from analog snack vending machines to modern smart-devices. While cashless credit card purchases once seemed like the cutting edge of vending innovation, digital vending machines now boast touch screens that function just like our phones and tablets. The entire world is glued to social media thanks to Twitter and Facebook, and various vending machines now pack some sort of social functionality, such as video chatting and tweeting-for-treats. Just like our computers do everyday, vending devices have evolved from simple food tools to avenues for connecting the entire world.

We are huge industry enthusiasts here at the Vending.com blog, and we truly cannot wait to see where our beloved business goes next. Of course, there is still a place for classic vending products, and our vending machines for sale allow you to get in on this exciting industry without breaking the bank.

While the upcoming Memorial Day weekend means different things to different people, there are two things on almost everyone’s minds: Food and drinks! People everywhere often take this three-day weekend as an opportunity to indulge in their favorite meals and beverages with close friends, whether they choose to do so at barbeques or dinner parties. However, just because the general workforce is off for Memorial Day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be optimizing your vending machine business for the big holiday!

Sure, a large sum of people will be kicking back at home with their own stash of food and drinks, but many others will still be working hard on this national holiday. Everyone from retail workers to chefs will have a busy memorial day at work, so make sure your snack and drink vending machines are well-stocked with the products they love! Your customers will certainly appreciate having a well-stocked machine to turn to when working a holiday, so this is a chance to have your machine make a real impact.

No matter what your line of work is, we hope you have a safe and exciting Memorial Day weekend. And remember, a properly-stocked vending machine goes a long way for hungry customers on holidays!