**History of Vending Machines**:
– Earliest reference to vending machine by Hero of Alexandria in 1st-century Roman Egypt
– Coin-operated tobacco machines in England since 1615
– Richard Carlile’s newspaper dispensing machine in 1822
– Simon Denham’s stamp dispensing machine in 1867
– Thomas Adams Gum Company’s first U.S. vending machine in 1888
– First modern coin-operated vending machines in London in the early 1880s
– Sweetmeat Automatic Delivery Company founded in 1887 in England
– Stollwerck selling chocolates in 15,000 vending machines in 1893
– Pulver Manufacturing Company’s addition of games to gum machines in 1897
**Types of Common Vending Machines**:
– Change machines vending smaller bills or coins for large denominations
– Cigarette vending machines with decreasing prevalence due to legislation in some countries
– Birth control and condom vending machines promoting safe sex
– Food and snack vending machines offering various products from shelf-stable foods to specialized items like French fries and caviar
– Bulk candy and gumball vending machines with high-profit margins and charitable donation opportunities
**Mechanisms and Features**:
– Vending machine communication based on MDB standard
– Products available by machine release or unlocking of door
– Some products need preparation like printing tickets or making coffee
– Snack machines using rotating metal coil to release products
– Newspaper vending machines in the U.S. and Canada for all merchandise access
– Smart vending machines evolving with large digital touch displays and internet connectivity
**Specialized and Unique Vending Machines**:
– Bulk vending machines offering adjustable options and a variety of products
– Full-line vending machines providing a wide range of products in various locations
– Newspaper vending machines designed for global distribution but facing a decline in sales
– Specialized vending machines in Japan offering a wide array of products from toilet paper to hot meals
– Unique vending machines like car vending machines, live bait vending machines, and book vending machines
**Innovations and Market Trends**:
– Various vending machine innovations like short-story vending machines and iPod vending machines
– Smart vending machines with enhanced user experience and reduced operating costs
– Market trends such as vending machines in Japan amid the pandemic and research on connected vending machines
– Insights into the vending machine culture in Japan, including hi-tech vending machines and automatic free food during earthquakes
– Historical perspective on vending machines in American social history and specific vending machine technologies like Mold-A-Rama
A vending machine is an automated machine that dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, cigarettes, and lottery tickets to consumers after cash, a credit card, or other forms of payment are inserted into the machine or otherwise made. The first modern vending machines were developed in England in the early 1880s and dispensed postcards. Vending machines exist in many countries and, in more recent times, specialized vending machines that provide less common products compared to traditional vending machine items have been created.
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