The Redbox has  helped reduce the prevlancy of brick and mortar DVD rental outlets, such as Blockbuster. While not a heavy-handed factor, other influences affected the diminishment of B&M rental stores - most importantly, the Internet and online video streaming, like Netflix.

Redbox DVD rental vending machines have popped up all over the nation, with an estimated 22,000 locations as of the end of 2009. Locations span the range of available spots, such as fast food restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies and other convenience stores.

Believe it or not, Redbox was originally funded by McDonald's Ventures, LLC (a subsidary of McDonald's Corp). And in 2005, Coinstar bought up to 46% of the company, and finally in 2009, Coinstar bought up the rest of the company, which was worth around $170 million dollars.

In 2007, Redbox attained new heights by surpassing big-time player Blockbuster, in number of locations in the United States - they passed 100 million total rentals by 2008.

Needless to say, there are quite a few competitors to Redbox, including Moviecube, DVDXpress, Blockster and more. Overall, DVD rental vending machines occupy 19% of the DVD rental market.

For the future and beyond, Redbox will introduce high definition rentals (blu-ray format) this year, and are testing video game rentals as well.

The facts & figures

• Interactive touch screen
• Robotic system for disk array
• Linked up to the Internet
• DVD selection updated weekly
• Can reserve DVDs online
• Real-time inventory updates
• As of 2007, Redbox DVD rental vending machines averaged almost 50 rentals per day, and $37,457 dollars a year in revenue.

At the core of the vending machine, is its ability to offer convenience to a customer. And many vending machine innovators have laid claim to newer technology that focuses on a more personal experience.

Some of these innovations are highlighted by the introduction of a touch screen LCD. These replace the almost antiquated elements of the older vending machine: the analog style buttons.

Others say that newer touch screen vending machines are flashy, futuristic, and a bit sci-fi. Well, what this speaks to in a larger sense, is the ability of the vending machine to transform and utilize technology to its advantage.

Other advents of vending machine technology include the almost recognizable credit card acceptor. I say almost, because the technology is becoming a fast adaptation to the market. While many consumers are happy with these credit card acceptors, the technology has introduced some frustration in the buying process.

That's where technology has swooped in, once again, to help. Sensors are now being included in the vending machine that ensures a credit card is not charged until the item is released from the machine, clearing up any confusion and frustration of the process. Another sensor device called a vending miser aims to reduce the electricity used by an individual machine by dynamically powering a vending machine, depending on its usage.

Business locations are adapting these newer vending machines into the atmosphere of their stores. Research does point to the fact that consumers are more inept to buying at a location, if it offers some kind of self-service machine, like an automated vending machine. Young shoppers are especially attuned to the idea of self-service machines.

One important idea of vending machines with enhanced technology includes the ability of retail establishments to bridge the gap between brick and mortar stores, and online fronts. They see these newer vending machines as convenient ways to appease customers who may not want the traditional brick and mortar retail experience.

Automated machines offer a kind of efficiency that helps a retail establishment. Many brick and mortar stores depend on their statistics to examine the potential for sales at a certain store. Automated vending machines collect this information automatically and can report on it to a central database.

Automated vending machines have become extensions of technology, and adaptations of innovators who are looking to bridge the gap between the traditional and the future. We will see key technology like touch screen interfaces and automated payment systems improve with maturity, and potentially open up brand new areas of automation never seen before.

Vending machine operators are under pressure. Operators are worried that nutritional labeling will drive customers away. The battle between who is right or wrong has been longstanding. It’s a known fact that operators will be required to post nutritional labels on their machines - if they own 20 or more machines.

Who is requiring the nutritional labeling? The federal government. In a wide-sweeping move to change American nutrition – they enacted a rule calling for added nutritional labeling. This applies also applies to the food service industry – if you own a certain amount of restaurants, you must provide nutritional information on the menu.

Over the last few months, the fight has increased. First Lady Michelle Obama now is backed with $1 billion dollars of support. Her campaign focuses on fighting childhood obesity in this country. Added onto this are several states plans to implement a “soda tax.”

Public perception has created a consumer consensus against unhealthy snacking. That’s why vending machine operators are worried. But who should we feel bad about? It’s not the vending machines fault for obesity in America.  And that’s where the problem starts.

It’s hard to reach out to vending customers. After all, vending machines are not human. They don’t communicate well. That’s where vending machine operators come in. Many of us agree that obesity is a problem in America. And campaigns against obesity don’t advocate the elimination of vending machines.

If anything, this increased consensus has discovered a popular market: healthy vending. There’s no need to replace all your vending machines anytime soon. Though, offering a few varieties of snacks shouldn’t hurt your sales. The vending machine industry is a service. So whatever consumers want, they’ll try to deliver. You want a snickers bar on every corner? You’ve got it. You want healthy snacks in every school? You’ve got it!

The vending machine is an empty frame. An operator can deliver on whatever snack product they want. Who decides what they serve? Well, we do of course. For the larger problem of obesity in America? Most recommend consumer education. That’s what Michelle Obama wants to accomplish, at least partially.

Will nutritional labeling requirements hurt sales at a vending machine? Yes. Operators with 20 or more vending machines will have to purchase additional things – like labels for each machine. Will consumers be “driven away” from this change? No. Vending machines are location based. Every location is different. If a consumer wants a candy bar for example, they already know a candy bar isn’t the most healthy option.

Could sales increase? Sure it will, if enough advocacy gets out to people. They will become invested into buying healthier snacks. And that market will explode in popularity – making it better for sales at a vending machine.

They are working on the “future vending machine” and their future goals are more than just selling soda. The Coke machine in the front lobby of one of their offices looks more like a standalone computer interface than a vending machine: it features a large LCD flat-panel touch screen that interacts with the movement of your fingers; large swirling digital graphics are displayed on the screen itself.

Chris Davey, the manager of Sapient’s Boston office commented on the new futuristic vending machines, “We are already using these machines as a digital network.”

What Sapient hopes to do is create a large network of these digital vending machines: a global network of them, including billboards as well. Sapient has earned a spot on this year’s Global 100, for a top services company.

The company was founded in 1990, and has now grown into a global enterprise, with around 7,052 employees. The company has expanded its firm into a couple different units: global markets, government services, data systems for large government agencies and SapientNitro, which is the advertising force of the company.

Sapient has been experiencing a good amount of growth over the past few years. For example, last year the company’s net income rose by 41% to $88.1 million dollars. Their stock price also performed well; finishing strong by the first quarter of 2010, with an end of the first quarter earnings in 2010 of $1.2 billion dollars.

The company is also working to transition from a technology firm, to a multifaceted enterprise, by aggressively expanding on its traditional advertising reputation and capabilities. Right now, they are striving to provide big ideas, with the technology framework to back them up.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/05/18/science_of_selling/

One fact that we are being continually presented with this year is that 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese in America. This statistic has alarmed many people, including the federal government and (of course) the media. And as many changes have already taken place, many others will as well. First, traditional thinking about what we serve to school children, kids and high-school students has changed. Some places in the United States, such as New York for example, have worked to eliminate sugary soda and high calorie snacks from the available items at school lunch cafeterias and school vending machines.

Overall, it's a struggle for us to change the way we eat, and the way our kids eat. And on the other side of the fence, many people think that changing the way things are done is a bit controlling, or limiting. They value individual choice, and one can pay respect to that. This debate speaks to a larger problem although. We simply have yet to redesign our lifestyles to fit a healthier "generational gap," which is to say that for change to happen, it must happen at the foundation first.

And for the vending machine industry, change can win over fans and consumers. While large snack companies have worked to decrease the calories, salt, sugar and fats in their foods, the vending machine industry has worked to provide these items in technology-driven vending machines. The machines, usually featured with an appealing LCD "touch" interface, are intuitive and deliver on healthy snacks.

This is what we'll see more of in the future of vending; a change from the traditional, to the different approaches of what technology offers. Vending machines are becoming more like an automated computer delivery system, than what they were in the past: the simple "push/pull" mechanical vending machines. Newer vending machines with built-in networking can also report all kinds of nutrition information, and sales statistics to the consumer, and back to the main office. So, what we'll be able to see is "on demand" product and nutrition information for whatever item we choose.

I can remember when the daily occurrence of pizza and potato chips was very traditional at my school. But now, that's taking a back seat. And vending operators and innovators have responded as well. Gone are the traditional snack vending machines filled to the brim with sugary delights and salty wonders. Now they are being replaced with innovative vending solutions such as fresh fruit vending, organic vending, yogurt snacks, and other all-natural items.

You may ask, or question the fact that kids just don't want to give up their coveted snacks. Well, that could be true, but many advocates have noted that by changing attitudes early on in life, can make for a marked increase towards healthier ones later on. It is true that many kids who are overweight early in life, will grow up being overweight, into adulthood.

Technology has spurred a movement towards the healthier generation of school students. In a larger sense, we'll see all kinds of newer innovations coming up that can reform our own ideas about snacking (just for example, PepsiCo has a redesigned salt crystal that offers lower sodium per bite versus the traditional). On the forefront of the vending machine industry is innovation, and on the forefront of the national consensus of American people are healthier attitudes in general.

Vending Miser - Photo Courtesy of http://sustainability.tufts.edu

An energy efficient technology that is available for vending machines is the vending miser. A miser is essentially a device that adds energy sustainability to a vending machine. It comes with an occupancy sensor, a controller, weatherproofing, sensor cable and mounting equipment. A vending miser controls the amount of compressor cycles, and energy use of the vending machine; by the usage pattern of the particular vending machine, which is what the sensors are for.

The light sensor, which is called an outdoor occupancy sensor, will sense if there are people near the machine, and then turn on the lights and other equipment in the machine that needs to be turned on. You may have seen this technology already in your favorite grocery store freezer section, when you approach an area of the freezer section the lights will turn on, and then off when you leave; this technology is similar. The occupancy sensor works off infrared light, which can detect changes in body heat of coming and going vending customers.

The controller portion of the vending miser will adequately monitor the compressor cycles of the vending machine, and provide energy efficiency when the compressor is not needed as much. Overall, the vending miser is a sort of “energy on demand” feature for a vending machine, depending on the general population that actually uses the machine, with the vending miser equipped.

There is a general inclination in the vending machine industry to dismiss the efficiency of the vending machine miser, because many could believe that a vending miser can potentially lower sales, by raising the temperature of the products instead. As well, if the vending miser is switched off, customers could be lead to believe that the vending machine is not operable, and if the controller switches certain parts off at times, the effectiveness of a credit card reader could be in question.

What are the energy savings one could expect from using a vending miser? Depending on the usage of a particular machine, estimated annual cost savings from energy efficiency could range from 20% to 60%, with an average of around 40%. If the vending machine is a highly trafficked location, then expect energy savings to be near the lower end of the spectrum, because the vending machine will be turned on much more frequently.

Does a vending miser affect the internal temperate of a vending machine? In short, it does, but not to any conceivable worrying extent. With a vending miser installed, you could potentially expect the cooling portion of your vending machine to increase 3 degrees, for example from 42 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. However, this can vary. The internal temperatures of the vending machine could be affected by one degree, again not much of an issue at all.

Does having a vending miser affect the sales at my machine? The research is out on this one, but one constant is known. The basic factor in determining sales at your machine is the location itself; the weather and population will have the most affect on sales. There has been no solid research that indicates a vending miser affects sales at a vending machine; overall, it is inconclusive.

Hydro-fluorocarbons (HFC for short) have been used by all kinds of industries for refrigeration and cooling. This technology has been used since the inception of electricity, and mostly was innovated in the 1930's and beyond. The growing problem with HFC technology over the years has been the amount of carbon emissions released by this refrigeration technology. The continual debate over global warming rages on, but global ecologist, and scientists alike have noticed that there are many carbon-emitting technologies we employ; that has caused a marked increase in the amount of carbon we are putting back into the atmosphere.

At this stage of a "global opinion" many companies have realized that need to introduce greener technologies; ones that benefit both the earth, and the manufacturer. Companies that employ green technologies see the benefit in terms of their own business, and the overall image that implementing green technologies could invoke in the consumer. Overall, having an efficient technology, and spreading the word through marketing and advertising is good for a company's image; plus they get the benefit of knowing that they are on the cutting-edge of ecology, environmental and consumer concerns. Not to mention that there are tax, and energy incentives or benefits for a company that does so.

What kind of companies are introducing technologies that are green, or energy efficient? Well, the list runs the gamut from energy, food, auto, manufacturing and additional industries. For example, Honda is employing green technology in the way they manufacture some of their cars. At certain factories, they are utilizing power from methane-sourced fields, such as compost or cow manure. They are also utilizing windmill technology. And many companies are starting to use windmill technology to power a percentage of their energy output. Even at the home, people are going green, by setting up their home environment with all kinds of energy efficient technology. Home owners are using non-volatile paints, solar panels, low-carbon emission utilities, recycling, driving hybrid cars, and generally making any change, a greener change.

But what about HFC? Simply put, refrigeration technology has operate with HFC's for centuries, and now that we have the technology to go beyond HFC. So what technologies have championed this HFC-free movement? Refrigeration technology implementing ammonia, or CO2 has eliminated the need for an HFC based system. With those technologies, carbon emissions are reduced substantially, and in some cases, up to 90%.

It is said that by 2050, if the growth of HFC technology remains, the total annual carbon emissions of HFC will be equal to 765 million to 1.5 billion CO2 equivalent metric tonnes. Depending on which HFC technology is employed, that number could grow to 8 billion tonnes by 2070, which is 10% more than projected in 2010.

In response to this, a campaign has been formed to initiate HFC-free technologies, to offer a replacement for the less energy efficient, and higher carbon producing technologies employed previously. This global campaign is called "Refrigerants, Naturally!" and the current list of involved companies includes Coca-Cola, Unilever, McDonald's, IKEA, Pepsico and others.

Unilever operates with around 275,000 hydrocarbon based ice-cream coolers in the field, and a recent announcement by Ben and Jerry's has pointed to the use of newer HFC-free refrigeration technology, to keep their ice cream cool.

The Coca-Cola company has recently introduced their HFC-free refrigeration technology, with CO2 technology instead. This technology was highlighted at the latest Winter Olympics, and has now been introduced at Washington DC's Capitol Hill. Overall, it is a strong campaign, and Coca-Cola wishes to implement more machines, at many more locations.

McDonald's has also gotten into this technology, by offering what they call the first "fluorocarbon free restaurant" in Denmark. The company is seeking technology that will replace their previous technology with newer HFC-free equipment.

And there is more. Supermarkets and similar supply-chain companies are introducing or actively seeking technology that will replace theirs with HFC-free technology. Many supermarkets use refrigeration technology on a larger scale. By implementing these changes, supermarket chains hope to reduce the amount of HFC in their system, and to improve the overall energy efficiency of their systems.

In summary, the amount of attention being paid to HFC-free, and green technologies is representative of a larger driving force behind the changing energy landscape. Companies realize the need to implement these technologies to both please the earth, and satisfy the demand for a cleaner environment. What will happen in the future? We should see HFC-free being a larger part of our everyday life, and by 2050 many technologies will be switched over to HFC-free systems, hopefully. The result? A marked decrease in the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

We talk a lot about how obesity has affected the American consumer, but more importantly, we also provide on this blog on how advocacy and campaigns have been started in reaction to the obesity problem in America.

One such vending product has been created to showcase how healthy vending can help out, and provide a great business opportunity to an entrepreneur. The H.U.M.A.N healthy vending machine was created to provide an all-encompassing experience. The H.U.M.A.N healthy vending machine serves up convenient, healthy and delicious snacks, right now to residents based at Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

It is reported by the Center for Disease Control that two-thirds of American’s are classified as either overweight or obese; which equals around 240 million people in the United States. We have also reported on this blog that the obesity problem in America is negatively affective our children, with one-third of American kids being classified as either overweight or obese.

That is why the H.U.M.A.N healthy vending machine was created; and coming complete with credit-card accepters, high-definition LCD screens, and ‘eco-friendly’ options, this vending machine is equipped for technology and convenience in mind; it serves up healthy foods, snacks and drinks.

Shelly Gearhart, an MD resident on the Eastern Shore, has worked with the H.U.M.A.N healthy vending team to create this one-of-a-kind healthy vending machine offering. Gearhart says that in 2009 obesity related illnesses accounted for an extra $147 billion dollars of cost to the United States health care system.

Gearhart and the H.U.M.A.N healthy vending machine team are hoping to positively change and influence the obesity problem in America, by providing healthy foods, snacks and beverages to the masses.

The H.U.M.A.N healthy vending machine was created for all kinds of locations including business offices, school lunchrooms, educational facilities, and other recreational locations such as hotels, or retail stores. Coming this May, the rollout of the H.U.M.A.N healthy vending machine is expected along the Eastern Shore area.

The healthy vending machines will be entirely free to locations, with all included technology, and screens that include nutritional information. The money generated by the machines will be divvied out between the location, the machine operate and the charities that support the fight against childhood obesity.

Read more: Maryland's Eastern Shore Fights Childhood Obesity with Healthy Vending Machines

"You have to know the past to understand the present." - Carl Sagan

June 1947: Popular Science, "This Is Where Your Money Goes" - by Herbert Johansen, (photos by W. W. Morris).

But how did the vending machine look in the past, and what did it do for people then? When we think about the vending machine today, we think of machines with robotic arms, credit card acceptors, and LCD screens; a distant cousin to the vending machine of the 1940s. One such article on a vending machine (the craze then was automatic vending) was detailed in the June 1947 edition of Popular Science, written by Herbert Johansen.

The automatic vending machine detailed in the article was advertised as machines that popped corn, mixed drinks (a common precursor to our soft drinks), and provided hot coffee. As well, they were known for providing insurance policies. It notes that the coin operated vending machine took in almost half a billion dollars last year (1946, for reference), and by converting that into our current currency it would be equal to $7 billion dollars today. In addition to this, what about the long list of trendy machines back then? Well they had machines for pinball games, juke boxes, gambling, cigarette, candy and gum to name a few.

Since the coin operated vending machine was paramount, so was the attention surrounding how they accepted money. The news article goes into detail about how vending machines implemented the slug-type coin acceptor, which promised to crack down on lost change, among other things. That slug would accept the coin, if it was verifiable. Otherwise, it would reject it. Thus saving the vending machine operator money.

This is a picture of the popcorn machine in action, and showing the basket filled with freshly popped corn; being lifted and delivered to the bag.

As well, the article talks about how the refrigeration in the vending machine came about in 1927, and since then, there had been some innovations. Particularly,  from an automatic vending machine that was a soda fountain. That machine had all the necessary components to mix soda, and dispense it. Championing the advent of the refrigeration unit, this machine was the first drink vending machine for traditional applications. The machine was known as a soda-dispensing vending machine. In addition, the article shows that with the advent of refrigeration, a new paper-cup type of vending machine application was being introduced. Promising the dynamic delivery of an amazing three-flavor types, the paper cup method was maybe the first of its kind.

This image details an automatic cold drink vending machine (a soda fountain). The various elements of the machine are shown, including the syrup container, and the refrigeration unit. The carbonating unit provided a fresh supply of soda water.

Of course now we use plastic bottles, and aluminum cans. As we see, these innovations in 1947, highlight the industry as one of immense technology adaptation, and profit growth. Even then, the industry was making a large chunk of money, and one could even say that these vending machines were some of the most interesting catalyst's for innovation. We see common things now like the drink vending machines and coffee ones; a comfortable convenience to us. How we got to that point was technology innovation over the years.

Over the course of many decades we have condensed our technology into small devices, and electronics. They dispense our virtual convenience now in large quantities across the globe. Our drink vending machines now are being fitted with more advanced technology such as LCD screens, and touchscreen interfaces, which provide a virtual convenience store of options to the consumer. As well, we are equipping the vending machine with data interfaces, that report all sales and other statistics across the Internet, and back to headquarters. What we can say is that the vending machine is certainly an icon for change, and innovator. After all, they are machines we build based on our technological innovations.

That is just a small piece of the automatic vending industry. We continue to innovate and adapt technology into the vending machine. Now we have machines that can make food, from scratch. We have vending machines that have robotic arms, which are operated by electronics. Even more so, we have changed to environmentally friendly machines; ones that have very small carbon footprints, and ones that operate with zero hydrocarbon emissions. And for the future? Well that is up to our innovators.

Citation: Johansen, Herbert (photos by W. W. Morris). "This Is Where Your Money Goes". Popular Science. Vol. 150: No. 6. Page: 146. June, 1947. - Google Books Link

"An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have" and that was Andy Warhol.

A vending machine in the Museum. This one is for Wrigley's Chewing Gum.

It is true that the vending machine has been a steady friend to our desires for a long time, and even more so it has been a mechanism for the delivery of something we never truly need, but that is what keeps us coming, that and the convenience of course.

It can be said that the art of mechanical vending is truly an ambiguous term. We simply may place the vending machine in the collection of things left better unsaid, such as dirty shoes, pocket change or candle wax--the various boring tangibility of our existence. Perhaps we are all correct in saying that vending itself is just a mechanism to deliver a product, and nothing more, but perhaps there is art in that.

Voltaire said:

"Prejudices are what fools use for reason"

And this may be true, because we have attached a certain stigma to the vending machine, as something to satisfy our convenience, and nothing more. But for that reason, we may overlook how the various backdrops of life have situated our environments, and created a landscape, filled with art.

It can be said of old things that they are mere reminders of the decay of time, but old things also hold memorable value.

Perhaps that is why Mark Twain comically noted:

"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

Sometimes we assign anything old as something outdated, or not even worth our time, but hey, if we don't mind, it doesn't matter, right? In response to all of this, a vending machine museum erected in Darmstadt, Germany pays homage to the art of mechanical vending.

And noting this, Oscar Wilde said it best, when he spoke of the interconnectedness of life to art:

"All that I desire to point out is the general principle that life imitates art far more than art imitates life"

The vending machine museum features vintage set-top, push-pull and wall-mounted mechanical vending machines that are a significance of décor in appealing vibrancy, shown in wavy and unending lines, with spectacular color combination's, which excite the eye and make the vending machine transform from a simple machine into a vivid dream of art and beauty.

Read more about this story on Usatoday.com

Noting this post is a de facto examination of art, beauty and vending, the writer wants to ensure that no stone be left unturned, which is why he recommends further reading on the mechanical vending machine, if you are into technical stuff, or even if you are not, information is always great knowledge to possess.