Mechanical vending machines have rich history of their evolution, this fact characterizes vending as a steady business trend, not a temporary phenomena.

First patents on vendors in the USA were taken out in 1886. In 1887 in Great Britain the first trading company selling goods through vending machines appeared.

Classical machines selling chewing gum (the so called “gumball machine” or “bulk vending machine”) emerged at the end of 19 – beginning of 20 century.

Originally they were made from wood, iron and glass. Thus, the first machines mostly attracted due to their uncommonness, not the contents – they were too plain (in comparison with modern machines) and the buyer didn’t frequently see the goods until the moment of purchase.

Majority of vending machines were designed for the smallest coins – 1 cent, 5 cents, and seldom 25 cents. So even a child could afford buying their contents – as in most cases it was children who were considered to use the machines.

The first machines vending chewing gum were placed at El station platform in New York.

Gumball machines vending toys appeared 60 years later, it happened mostly due to chewing gum. In the 50-s American vending machine owners began adding toys in capsules to gums – as an incentive for children buying chewing gums. A child never knew what would fall to his share. He could get either a gum or a toy. That’s why gumball machine manufacturers advised to put more toys into machines so that the children could clearly see them. Naturally the sale level went up. Later on gumball machine manufacturers adapted such kind of machines for vending toy capsules of larger size. Such toys were becoming an object for collecting and children were eager to buy them.

So, the first mechanical vendors, like the modern ones, vended gum as early as the 1950-60’s; in the USA, Canada one could come across them in any store, shopping mall, cafe.

Vending machines and mechanical vendor trade ideas are improving the latest decades as well.

Thus, in 1993 businessmen from Alabama (USA) having co-operated with an inventor, inculcated in gumball machines several elements including spiral track and transparent cylinder body, so that you could see this track through it. These things could seem to be trifles, but they helped attract children’s attention and push up gum sales by 1,5-2 times all over the world.

Today there are gumball machines combining chewing gum selling with a game. A child dropping a coin will necessarily get a gum but first he can play a game (roll a gum to the hole). If he is successful he will get a toy. By tradition such machines are entirely mechanical. The game element arouses excitement and keen interest to buying process. And even if a child fails in the game he will be rewarded with a gum.

In a number of countries there are children’s cafes consisting entirely of gumball machines.

Nowadays hundreds thousands of gumball machines are functioning all over the world. They are produced in the USA, Canada, Spain, Korea and other countries. Of course, gumball machines became an object for collecting; there are vendor history museums. “The earliest” machines cost dozens thousands dollars.

How do gumball machines evolve over more than a hundred year history? At present they are produced from polycarbonate materials with use of chromium plated metal components. The machines are capable of vending stuff of various kinds (chewing gums, candy, toys etc), and accepting various coins. Gumball machines can be come across all over the world –practically in any country. What unites all gumball machines is their reliability, easy maintenance, invulnerability to vandalism and rich history.