Wavy Lay's or a Bentley?

While home this past weekend I gazed at the local newspaper and was intrigued to share this new business venture with my e-marketing peers. A while back, many of us remember how innovative the thought of picking up an iPod from a vending machines at an international airport or hotel was for us as consumers.

The Mondrian South Beach Hotel in Miami Florida is transforming the vending machine world with the roll out of the Semi-Automatic machine. Semi-Automatic peddles a jumble of more than 60 items priced between $10 and $1.2 million in a large, sleek rectangular display. According to front office manager James Bryant, “we don't have a newspaper stand or some place where you can just buy a sundry item. We've got Semi-Automatic, which is sort of an 'in-your-face' gift shop. Just like our hotel is really sort of brash and out there.” The giant white-framed and purple-accented display holds row upon row of white, high-gloss boxes, identical but for brief descriptions: "Sunset Dinner Yacht Cruise for 2," "Sony PSP-2000, Black," "2000 Bentley Azure Convertible," "Gunpowder Tea Candle."

Customers can view product images and details on either of two small screens. A credit card is swiped to make a purchase along with a simple tap on the screen for the product desired. A motorized arm then scoots behind and retrieves the product for the debonair consumer. Products too large for a shopping bag are assigned cards that can be exchanged at the front desk for the purchase. The biggest items, like cars and condos, are dispensed in two stages. Buyers pay a nonrefundable $1,500 deposit that holds the item. Then, hotel staff brings the vehicles around for a test drive or take the buyers to see the property. Guests who change their minds forfeit the deposit.

Although not highly related to the teachings of MOI, this new concept does involve digital technologies to some degree and certainly has a place in the marketing realm. It will be interesting to see if this concept remains a novelty for the trendy and affluent or whether someday there will be enough of a detachment from touch and feel based purchasing for this type of vending to play out for the consumer.



Source - http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/apr/09/semi-automatic-fires-desires/