“Anita Leopold has a little surprise for anyone who thinks vending machines were created to dispense lightly salted snack food and sugar-laced temptations,” Jim Tharpe reports for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“The top treat in the sleek, high-tech machines operated by her company and ZoomSystems at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is a top-of-the-line Apple iPod that fetches $349 before tax. It comes with a money-back guarantee, and it doesn’t drop from anywhere,” Tharpe reports. “A sophisticated robotic arm gently guides the mini-music machine to the buyer’s hands.”
“‘We’ve done about $55,000 in a month in gross sales just for the one on Concourse A,’ said Leopold, executive vice-president and owner Business Traveler Services. ‘This is becoming the future for some high-end products in places like airports where space is at a premium.’ Leopold, whose Atlanta-based company and Zoom operate two of the high-end vending machines at Hartsfield (the other is on Concourse C), said the Atlanta airport was the first to install what Zoom calls ‘small-format robotic stores,'” Tharpe reports.
Tharpe reports, “The idea caught on, and today airports in Dallas-Ft. Worth, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Reno, and Minneapolis-St. Paul have versions of the high-end machines… The 7-foot-tall, 7-foot-wide vending machines turned out to be tailor-made for airports and their lucrative combination of business, vacation and holiday travelers. The company does 30 to 40 percent of its business during the Christmas holidays as last-minute gift-buyers go on a binge.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Robotic iPod vending machines to be installed in 180 Macy’s stores this fall – May 22, 2006
Apple iPods prove to be strong sellers in vending machines – April 10, 2006
Apple iPods top sellers via vending machine – October 24, 2005
I saw one of these at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and the Dallas airport just yesterday, and in both places, there were people huddled around the machines buying iPods. It was a really strange thing to see, since I had no idea these existed before I saw them.
Paul, Mac users have been picked on for years by windows fans. Turnabout is fair play.
“Very soon, the Zune will be available for $1.25 in quarters next to the condom dispenser in the airport restrooms.”
I don’t think that is the best use for Zune and highly overestimated their value. I think it would be much more appropriate if they were displayed next to the toilet paper dispenser inside a little glass case with a hammer and a sign reading: “If toilet paper runs out or in case of emergency break glass and Zune Uranus.”
You think Ipods vending machines are original, you should check out what vending machines are vending in Japan. At least the U.S. was the first to Vend Buzz Bites
http://www.vendingsystems.com