The future of vending machines

In the past few decades, the digital world has come to the forefront of many industries. Technology has allowed businesses to create more efficient workflows, advertise new products, and attract a wider audience than ever before. One sector that is currently up and coming in the digital landscape, is the vending machine/drink dispenser industry.

Digital signage provides an excellent medium through which you can create a unique and effective way to talk to your customers at the point of purchase. Whether that be at an unmanned machine in one of London’s busy train stations, or whilst a customer waits for their chosen drinks to be poured by a staff member at a fast food outlet. Whilst the traditional style of vending machine or drink dispenser isn’t terribly exciting, there is actually a whole host of new opportunities which can be utilised just by making use of digital screens.

And here at Pixel, we like to be at the very front of these new and upcoming opportunities in the digital world. We have recently been working closely with one of our clients to supply digital screens for a number of their drink dispensers across the UK and worldwide. These dispensers are manned by staff onsite, however are in full view of customers waiting for service.

By installing digital screens into the front of their machines, our client can attract and maintain the attention of the customer by showing motion and animation on the screen. It’s at this point in which the upsell potential can be maximised! Products or offers which the customer may not be aware of can be advertised, therefore increasing individual transaction sizes and overall sales.

The ability to now use larger displays and screens on vending machines and drink dispensers not only offers great interactive benefits for your consumers, but also allows a priceless opportunity for marketing and advertising options. Whether it be your own product content or third-party advertisements to nearby foot traffic, this option enables your machines to not only provide the ‘standard’ vending/dispenser offering but also to become an innovative advertising platform for your business.