Patent ID: 7783508

Claim:
A computer-based method for adjusting operations of one vending machine in a plurality of geographically dispersed vending machines linked to a data processing center via a wireless data communication system, comprising the steps of: receiving operational data from each geographically dispersed vending machine at the data processing center via the wireless data communication system; processing the operational data by a computer at the data processing center; identifying by the computer an underperforming vending machine in the plurality of vending machines that exhibits lower sales than the other geographically dispersed vending machines by comparing the sales of the geographically dispersed vending machines against one another; determining by the computer at least one condition contributing to the lower sales for the underperforming vending machine; analyzing by the computer market data at the data processing center to determine if at least one condition contributing to lower sales is related to the location of the underperforming vending machine; and when at least one condition is related to the location of the underperforming vending machine, generating by the computer one or more characteristics related to a geographical location where the underperforming vending machine may be relocated.