| The big machine that dispenses merchandise when | | | | money to pay for the locations, they donate a |
| you deposit money is what is called a vending | | | | percentage of the profits to charity. |
| machine. When you deposit your money, it is checked | | | | - Full line vending machines: Here you can buy cans or |
| by a currency detector, and then the machine allows | | | | bottles of soft drinks and snacks. As the demand for |
| you to get your desired item. You find them | | | | drinks and snacks are high, these machines have the |
| everywhere; in shops, malls, offices and in any other | | | | advantage that many locations contact a vending |
| busy locations. This is very convenient for everybody, | | | | company themselves, and request for installation of a |
| and unlike a shop, you don't need the presence of | | | | machine. |
| personnel when making a purchase. | | | | - Specialized vending machines: These are the |
| Items sold: | | | | machines that you find in ladies restrooms to buy pads |
| Vending machines are very popular. There are also | | | | or tampons, and in men's restrooms the most common |
| photo booth vending machines, which are quite a hit | | | | is condoms, though in some places you can also find |
| amongst the youngsters. You can buy snacks and | | | | medicines and dispensing cologne machines. |
| beverages, as well as newspapers from vending | | | | Maintenance: |
| machines. This newspaper machine is also called a | | | | It is advisable to periodically clean refrigeration |
| Vending Box, where a large number of identical | | | | condensers, lubricate mechanical parts, and adjust the |
| newspapers are piled up. Once a sale has been | | | | machines to avoid any problems. Incase the machine |
| completed, the door returns to a locked position on its | | | | breaks down, vending machine repairers fix the |
| own. You can just open the box and take all of the | | | | obvious problems, like loose electrical wires, |
| newspapers, or leave all the newspapers outside the | | | | malfunctions of the coin mechanism, and leaks. |
| box for others. You may also put the door to an | | | | However if it's a major problem, then testing devices |
| unlatched position slowly, or block the door from fully | | | | such as electrical circuit testers are to be used to find |
| closing. This machine is set up assuming that the | | | | defective parts, and the defective part is either fixed |
| customers are honest and pick up only the newspaper | | | | or replaced. While servicing, a circuit board or other |
| they have paid for. Hence, the name "Honor Box". | | | | component is only replaced. These repairers employed |
| The items sold in vending machines depend from | | | | by small companies, fill and fix machines on a regular |
| country to country. Some countries do sell alcoholic | | | | basis. They collect money; fill coin and currency |
| beverages like beer, where in some countries this is | | | | changers, and repair machines when necessary. |
| not allowed. Even cigarettes were sold on a large | | | | Who owns these machines? |
| scale in the U.S before, but now we rarely find them | | | | These vending machines in the U.S are mostly |
| due to concerns about under aged buyers. You can | | | | operated either by store owners or by individuals, who |
| only buy when you insert a pass in the machine to | | | | buy the machines or rent them. They stock the |
| prove your age, though in some European countries | | | | merchandise, and share a certain percentage of the |
| cigarette machines are still very common. | | | | profits. The vending machine businesses operated by |
| Types of vending machines: | | | | these individuals are broadly categorized into two; bulk |
| Some of the popular ones are: | | | | candy, and soft drink/snack vending. There are also |
| - Bulk candy and gum ball vending machines: These | | | | other machines like U.S. Postal Service machines |
| machines are completely mechanical, where you can | | | | which are maintained by governmental or |
| get candies, a bouncy ball, or a small toy or jewelry, for | | | | quasi-governmental entities. Whatever the type of |
| one or two coins. The items you get would be purely | | | | independent vending operation, the entrepreneur has to |
| by chance, as the items may be unsorted. The | | | | play the active role of a salesman in persuading |
| machines are cheaper compared to soft drink or | | | | locations to accept the machine. |
| snack machines. Many operators, in order to save the | | | | |