Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-24
VENDING MACHINES
HELP FOOD SALES
Modern Method of MerChan-
dising Has Shown Great
Development.
BY J. C. RoYLE.

Machinery of new and varied design
is changing methods of distribution
day by day. This is made evident by
activity at the Patent ONCE and re-
ports to the Department Of Commerce.
The move is especially evident in the
refinement and invention Of automatic
vending machines. The distribution of
food is the line affected most so far.
AS yet the new machinery is only par
TALLY in operation, but merchants in
food lines see the handwriting on the
wall and are exuberant or alarmed ac-
cording to their own methods and poll
cies.
Apartment House Trade.
Vending machine manufacturers and
distributors who use such equipment are
paying especial attention to the apart
ment house as unit OF trade. The
growth of the, size and number Of
apartment houses and the increase in
their inhabitants have made them
available centers for food distribution,
especially for purchases which have
come to be listed under the head of
emergency shopping
rom machines located in apartment
houses bread, milk, ice cream, meat,
fish, candy, canned goods and other
package merchandise can be distrib-
uted. The field also extends to simple
drugs, toilet preparations, razor blades,
bottled beverages and even ice cream
Sodas. The handling of periShableS has
been made possible through new meth
DDS of refrigeration and the quick-freez-
ing process, which has given a new
stimulus to the sale of package foods.
1t is claimed by many merchants that
this will have decidedly disastrous eff
feet on the neighborhood grocer and
| drug store proprietor and on the deli
catessen store. On the other hand,
| many such independents are already
stressing the personal equation" as q
method OF holding trade. They feel that
personal contact is the one thing that
machines cannot sell and that the user
OF vending machines cannot make a
complaint and get an adjustment, as is
possible at retail store
There seems little doubt that the GUS
| toners are centrally located in apart
ment houses. These dwellings house
| from so to as many persons as are in
Guided in a moderately sized village.
Inc makers OF vending machines in
most cases plan to sell or rent the ma
chimes to operating companies, but many
/ are preparing to manufacture them
| selves the products to fill their own ma
chimes Manufacturers are also giving
much attention to the development Of
coin operated, electrically controlled
monographs and radio sets, the latter
on insertion of coin giving selection
OF stations for given period. Some
| progress also is reported toward adopt
ing domestic electrical equipment, such
as washing machines, to coin operation.
! Difficulties in Vending.
! The two things which are holding
back the development OF this kind Of
ds"tribution is the difhculty of keeping
| Slugs out Of the slots and dificuIty pre-
sented by the necessity of changing the
denomination of the coins In machines
vending goods with variable prices. Ad-
Unstable coin chuteS are now in course
OF development. A slug detector has
been perfected, but its use, it is said at
government departments, has beeA re-
stricted somewhat by its high price.
Merchants also see possibilities in the
establishment Of machines in factories
and office buildings, where large num-
bers OF workers are employed There
the business would be confined to
luncheon and confectionery specialties.
| Copyright, 1930)