What kind of [vending] sorcery is this?

[kranky]

Recently got new vending machines at work, enabled with NFC payments as well as card swipe options. I chatted with the machine tech doing refills to complain that the machine didn't accept Apple Pay with Discover. He asked me to call the office, pointing to the business card taped to the machine, and they might do something about it.

Then he says these machines are so advanced they can be directed to give refunds. Huh? He says if your item jams or the machine didn't give the right change, you can call their office from your cell while you're still in front of the machine, they'll ask for your name and location, and they can remotely make the machine spit out your refund on the spot because hey, Internet of Things.

Avoids the problem in businesses where it's hard to collect a refund because the servicer is only on site briefly maybe once a week.

I find this very difficult to believe.

 

[Ns1]

Evidently there's a patent for it: http://www.google.com/patents/US20150269660

No seriously, who knew? http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjourn...-things-is-transforming-vending.html?page=all

 

[Bacstar]

Hesitant to try our vending machine that has a card slot, which is probably a good thing. Anyways, I heard that if you don't "end" the transaction after you make your selection, other people can start making other selections which bill to the last card swiped. Didn't bother to follow up, so I may just be passing bad information...

 

[core2slow]

What a time to be alive.

Rather than losing a few nickels in change and moving on, now i'm going to be spending 30min on a phone with a tech in India as he/she trying to reimburse me on my bag of corn nuts.

 

[maddogchen]

What a time to be alive.

Rather than losing a few nickels in change and moving on, now i'm going to be spending 30min on a phone with a tech in India as he/she trying to reimburse me on my bag of corn nuts.

moving on? No way, we'll kick and push and bang on it until the chips fall out.

 

[Kaido]

Did you know they have a pizza vending machine that actually makes the whole pizza fresh for you?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3hqJ3sivGw

Orange juice too, from fresh oranges, lots of different designs if you care to poke around Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeoDeqCbfIc

 

[waggy]

yeah i noticed them at a gymnastics event. $2 for a can of soda though. but damn it was still cheaper then inside.

at that price you need to pay by CC! lol

I have seen pictures of vending machines in Japan that are amazing! we are so far behind in cool vending machines.

 

[balloonshark]

moving on? No way, we'll kick and push and bang on it until the chips fall out.

Don't worry, they are working on vending machines that kick and push back.

Imagine getting your ass whooped by a Sprite vending machine. I'm so looking forward to seeing those youtube vids