NON-FOOD VENDING


A new relevance for vending


As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates a demand for contact free purchases of a growing variety of products, the role of vending is evolving in dispensing non-food items.


V


ending machines can go far beyond their traditional purpose of dispensing snacks and drinks. The technology is successfully used to vend any number of products ranging


from cigarettes, electronics, feminine hygiene products, baby wipes and pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, flowers, electronics and even cars in some parts of the world. But in the last two years the vending machine’s role in offering


these alternative products has skyrocketed, owing in large part the pandemic related trend towards contact free purchases. The emergence of PPE vending machines signalled the start of the trend, but it has grown into so much more. According to Lewis Zimbler, operations director, Nayax UK, this


readjustment of purchasing habits presents a “unique opportunity” for operators. “There’s a new relevance for vending”, Mr Zimbler maintains, “as


consumers embrace the convenience and practicality of unattended retail”. And manufacturers of vending machines are acting quickly to


meet this demand by developing new machines that allow sales of more than snacks and drinks. Importantly, this change has a monetary benefit. Non-food items


can carry a much higher price and therefore the price per vend would increase substantially. Mr Zimbler says: “With this new change in inventory – whether it


be masks and PPE, electronics, flowers, hair accessories and cosmetics – the price points have increased as the products are more expensive than the 50p chocolate bar.” Cashless payments are key here, particularly for higher value


product, and now while consumers are so comfortable and accustomed to paying via credit cards and digital wallets, retailers can take advantage to offer any product, enabling multiple distribution channels, with greater availability.


18 | vendinginternational-online.com “These new vending


opportunities ensure that merchants can provide their products safely, without consumers needing to go inside to a specific store. Contactless purchases, offered from start to finish, also offer further convenience and safety,” adds Mr Zimbler. With Nayax’s solution, its Monyx


Wallet, operators can continue to market to consumers as they have in the past, creating promotional campaigns and loyalty programmes to encourage return sales. All of the payment and redemption of the promotions can be accessed via the consumer’s own mobile, to continue the contact-free experience.


In April Nayax announced an incentive campaign aimed at unattended retail operators. The three-month campaign rewarded the operator for each app downloaded via the QR code linked to their machine. At the time Keren Sharir, chief marketing officer, Nayax, said:


“The take-up of payment has demonstrated clearly that both operators and consumers are eager to ‘go cashless’’, This is our way of gently pressing the accelerator pedal, so that all of our customers, and their end-users, are in pole position in the race to stay ahead of the retail curve.”


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