It is just design of a machine that causes the first and very important impression of the buyer...

How much does design mean for vending industry? At first glance it is just one of extra things, not the chief one. Everyone understands the most important thing is payback. But payback results from a great number of components. And it is just design of a machine that causes the first and very important impression of the buyer.

Look at European, Japanese vending-operators giving priority to the outside appearance of the machines, their harmony with surrounding interior. One shouldn’t forget that vending machines is not a sensation for a consumer, but a habit, consequently, it is not so much a product that attracts an experienced buyer as its design.

The outside appearance of the equipment is not only to attract consumers, but also the owner of the sales area, where the vending machine is located. The vendor must serve as a pleasant addition to the place, not the most attractive part of it. Design of the equipment should meet the vending-operator interests as well. Buying the machines the owner of the network must be sure that the vendors will not become out of date in a couple of years.

Throughout more than a semicentennial history of vending industry vendors passed through a great variety of styles and materials, manufacturing methods and forms with account of safety and maintenance convenience.

Present day vendors are machines made in urban style. Urban style in vending machine design means metal, hardened glass, simple straight lines, quiet colors. Urban style is a style of a modern city, that’s why such kind of machines will harmonize with any place, from office building to underground station.

Steel and glass makes the machines look modern, they emphasize chastity and stylishness. Easy maintenance is reached due to absence of extra details. Invulnerability to vandalism is also very important.

Undoubtedly, a vending machine must match the line of other ones.

There are three components of a modern vendor:

Shape – classical. Universal changing panels, straight lines.

Material – safe, modern, practical, invulnerable to vandalism.

Manufacturing method – advanced technology, high quality method.

As a result: a perfect design, that needn’t to be hidden under stickers or plastic decor. Such kind of vendor design - European and American – has been generally recognized all over the world.

Let’s discuss sales area design in detail. At present vending machines in most cases have to be adapted to real conditions of the selling space. First of all we are to find a right place to locate the vendor. It happens, there are no space to locate the vendor in a sales outlet with numerous customers. So, very often lack of space is the reason for refusal to setup a vending machine.

At the same time, just one square meter is not enough for a vendor. Depending on type of the vendor electricity or water supply is necessary, convenience for further vending service or making comfortable purchases are important.

Every vending machine is to have a special location to meet esthetic as well as economical requirements.

Theoretically, vending machine location is to be thought over beforehand, when design model of a trading/entertainment business is being worked out. At the same stage developmental work on vendor safety is necessary.

Thus, while projecting a trading center, conference hall or cinema one should take vending machines into account. Follow the rule that “vendors sell everything” and sort out required vending machines, then include them in the sales outlet design.